Local Round-up: This Indian City Declared UNESCO's 'City of Literature,' BMC to Deploy Drain Drones & more!

Local Round-up brings to you what's happening across the country in the travel, food, infrastructure, sports, and herein, we have curated for you, the updates from the weekend and the initial of this week. So, read these out below. 

India to propose 6 disciplines for their inclusion in Olympics 2036 

India, in a stint to strengthen its chance to host the Olympics 2036 has proposed 6 sports and activities to be included in the list of games to be played. In a detailed report submitted by the Sports Authority of India's Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) to new sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday, MOC has identified six disciplines, including yoga, kho kho, kabaddi, chess, T20 cricket and squash for inclusion in the 2036 Olympics if the country secures the chance to host the decorated tournament.

Mumbai's civic body to use cyphenothrin to fight the mosquito menace 

Mumbai is grappling with the rise of mosquitos due to construction activities and with the start of the monsoon. These mosquitos cause vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria which have seen a surge in the city in the last few months. The civic body of the city (BMC) has deployed cyphenothrin, an adulticide (insecticide) used to kill adult mosquitoes within minutes. This insecticide is manufactured by Sumitomo, a Japanese company, and can be used for indoor as well as outdoor purposes. 

Railway Ministry to manufacture 2500 additional coaches amid the overcrowding issue

Amid the ongoing situation of overcrowding in trains across mail and express trains, the Railway Ministry has announced the introduction of 2500 more coaches. The Railway Board will manufacture 2500 general class coaches beyond the current annual production schedule to significantly enhance the capacity of mail and express trains, accommodating over 18 crore additional passengers annually in normal coaches. The board has decided to add 2 extra general coaches to the trains that already have 2 coaches and 2 new general class coaches to the trains that lack them. 

Kozhikode of Kerala was declared India's first UNESCO 'City of Literature'

The city of North Kerala which is known for its heritage achieved a historical feat as it was declared the 'City of Literature' by UNESCO. In October 2023, the city earned a place in the 'Literature' category of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The state government has also planned to celebrate 23rd June as Kozhikode's City of Literature Day in the coming years to mark the special status. 

Bellasis Bridge in Mumbai Central to be closed for 18 months 

The British-era Bridge on Bellasis Road (also known as Mumbai Central Bridge) which was built in 1893, is 380-metre long and has also surpassed its lifespan of 100 years and is declared unsafe by the authorities in the city. The bridge will be closed from 24th June 2024 for at least 18 months because it will first be demolished and then reconstructed. According to a notification issued by the Mumbai Traffic Police, suspension of vehicular traffic has been announced. The contract for demolition and reconstruction of the railway section of the bridge is worth Rs. 24 crore and has been given to Western Railway (WR) as it passes overhead the railway line.

Himachal Pradesh sees over 3.5% rise in its tourist footfall

Over 74 lakh tourists visited Himachal Pradesh by May of this year, up by 3.5% over the same time last year. This indicates a major increase in tourism in the state. In terms of visitor arrivals, Solan district has outperformed Shimla this year. Improved guesthouse options and accessibility in places like Kandaghat-Sadhupul have drawn attention to both emerging and popular attractions like Reva Waterfall and Kasauli and Chail.

Khanderi Fort in Maharashtra was declared a state-protected monument 

The Khanderi Fort in Maharashtra's Alibaugh has been declared a state-protected monument by the Maharashtra Government. The decision marked a shift from earlier plans to develop the island where the fort is located into a tourism hotspot, a report by TOI stated. This fort is a Maratha-era monument on Kanhoji Angre island and served as a crucial naval base for the Maratha empire, even during to reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It is now the responsibility of the archaeological department to maintain the fort which is also in the nomination process for UNESCO World Heritage Sites status. 

200 Bahava trees to be planted along Western Express Highway

🌳बृहन्मुंबई महानगरपालिका वृक्ष प्राधिकरण आणि मेक अर्थ ग्रीन अगेन (MEGA) फाउंडेशनच्या सहकार्याने खेरवाडी (वांद्रे) येथे पश्चिम द्रुतगती महामार्गालगत बृहन्मुंबई महानगरपालिका आयुक्त तथा प्रशासक श्री. भूषण गगराणी आणि अभिनेता श्री.अक्षय कुमार यांच्या हस्ते आज बहावाच्या रोपांची… pic.twitter.com/Vjxc0Ds4df

— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) June 24, 2024

Mumbai Municipal Corporation, in partnership with the Make Earth Green Again (MEGA) Foundation, will plant 200 Bahava trees alongside the Western Expressway in Bandra, marking an important step towards urban afforestation and environmental conservation. The goal of this project is to improve the city's green space and restore environmental equilibrium. The inaugural plantation took place yesterday (Sunday, June 23) at Kherwadi, Bandra.

BMC launches an online sales platform SHG E-shop for women's Self-Help Groups

In a move to empower women and promote self-reliance, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched an online platform for the products of 50 self-help groups (SHGs) funded by the corporation. These products are now available for purchase at shgeshop.com with new items being added on every day basis. The initiative aims to provide a broader market reach for the products crafted by these women, facilitating employment and economic independence. 

Western Railways to deploy drain drones to tackle waterlogging on tracks 

The Western Railway (WR) has declared that, in order to maintain train service during the monsoon, it has deployed remote-controlled cameras to keep an eye on drains. These will be used to monitor drains to avoid waterlogging.  “Western Railway is using remote-controlled visual float cameras to reach hard-to-access drains for monsoon preparedness. At present, 30 such cameras are in use at a cost of Rs. 3 lakh. The cameras are not fixed to any given place but can float anywhere,” WR Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek said in a statement.