India rolls out world’s largest inoculation programme against COVID-19

Healthcare workers at the frontline of India’s COVID-19 battle got their first jabs on Saturday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching the world’s largest vaccination drive against the pandemic, showing the light at the end of a 10-month tunnel that upended millions of lives and livelihoods.

More than one crore cases and 1.5 lakh fatalities later, India took its first steps out of the pandemic with shots of the Covishield and Covaxin vaccines being administered at medical centres across the country to a collective sigh of relief that this could finally be the beginning of the end of the COVID-19 trauma.

Along with healthcare workers, others such as AIIMS director Randeep Guleria, NITI Aayog member VK Paul, who is also head of an empowered group on medical equipment and management plan to tackle coronavirus outbreak, BJP MP Mahesh Sharma and West Bengal minister Nirmal Maji also received their first shot of the two-dose vaccine.

Addressing the nation ahead of the launch, the prime minister reminded people that two doses of the vaccine are very important and asked them to continue with masks and social distancing even after receiving the jabs.

Reassuring people that emergency use authorisation was given to the two 'made in India' vaccines only after scientists were convinced of their safety and effectiveness, he said the vaccines will ensure a decisive victory for the country over the coronavirus pandemic, he said. “Dawaai bhi, kadaai bhi,” Modi said, asking people to guard against complacency and follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.

Striking an emotional chord, Modi spoke of the disruption the pandemic had caused to people's lives, isolating victims of the coronavirus and denying the dead traditional last rites.

In a choked voice, the prime minister also referred to sacrifices made by healthcare and frontline workers, hundreds of whom lost their lives to the viral infection. “Our vaccination programme is driven by humanitarian concerns, those exposed to maximum risk will get priority,” the prime minister said. 

Aerocity plan in Navi Mumbai takes off

Cidco has kicked off the process of developing an aerocity abutting Navi Mumbai International Airport.

As airports serve as an engine to boost economy, the aerocity will be a commercial and residential district on its southern side spread over around 300 hectares. From financial services and corporate offices to residential and entertainment centres, hotels, hospitals, schools, and export-oriented services to aero-centric warehousing, the aerocity will accommodate and offer a range of activities and facilities. In all, 400 lakh square feet will be developed as part of the plan, including well-designed roads, Metro lines and automated waste collection systems.

“There is a requirement for financial services and banks, besides residential and commercial facilities, as airports are economic engines. Building an aerocity serves that purpose,” a Cidco official said.

Cidco vice-chairman and MD Sanjay Mukherjee said, “The land acquisition is complete, and the project has been divided into four packets. International consultants have been appointed for techno-economic feasibility, marketing assessment, and so on. As we begin our mission again, we are taking a holistic view on the development of Navi Mumbai.”

Aerocities around the world are built with a focus on a particular sector while some serve as transit destinations.

Cidco officials said to enable a conducive urban design form and make the aerocity a benchmark for development in the country, it will be developed with a global floor space index.

The Navi Mumbai Aerocity will also offer a central command-and-control operation to manage all utilities. More importantly, utilities will be laid through tunnels to avoid digging of roads. The concept plan has been finalised and a detailed master plan along with a detailed design of the facilities will be taken up shortly.

While development of the infrastructure is likely to commence soon, Cidco is looking at various options and revenue models for the aerocity. For instance, Delhi International Airport had awarded rights for development of aerocity land to a realty firm with an arrangement for an annual lease and one-time payment.

While Cidco looks at ensuring development of the aerocity in sync with completion of the development of the international airport and MTHL, it has initiated promotion of the project to create awareness among prospective firms about the benefits of locating their businesses in it.

Meanwhile, Cidco is also looking at right market conditions for a global auction of its corporate park in Kharghar, close to the upcoming international airport.

UP to get 37 new stadiums

To strengthen the sports ecosystem and encourage youngsters, the UP state government is working on the construction of 35 stadiums while two more are in the pipeline. Out of these, 18 are being constructed by the Yuva Kalyan and Prantiya Raksha Dal Department under Khelo India initiative.

A government spokesperson said out of those being constructed under directions of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, one each is being constructed in Ayodhya, Hardoi, Kanpur Dehat, Gorakhpur, Kaushambi, Agra, Banda, Pratapgarh, Bijnor, Hathras, Prayagraj, Kushinagar, Gonda, Banda, Badaun and Mirzapur. Two stadiums each are been constructed in Unnao and Hamirpur.

Those coming up under Khelo India are being constructed in Sonebhdra, Meerut, Lucknow, Maharajganj, Farukkhabad, Etah, Muradabad, Mainpuri, Basti, Kanpur Nagar, Mirzapur, Barabanki, Kannauj, Pilibhit, and Aligarh. Three of them are being built in Pratapgarh.

Other than these, multipurpose halls and sports grounds will also be built across the state. These halls will be equipped for all kinds of indoor games like badminton, volleyball, wrestling, kabbadi and weightlifting. Tracks and playgrounds will also be constructed.

Somewhere in Gujarat

Gujarat government has imposed Disturbed Area Act in 28 areas falling under Gandhighram police station, mostly residential societies, in Rajkot city and declared these as ‘disturbed areas’. The Act prohibits sale of property between different religious communities without prior approval of the district collector.

The 28 areas are part of ward 2 of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation. The act will be in force for the next five years till January 12, 2026.

This is for the first time that the Gujarat Prohibition of Transfer of Immovable Property and Provision for Protection of Tenants from Eviction from Premises in Disturbed Areas Act, commonly known as the Disturbed Area Act, has been imposed in any locality or area of Rajkot city.

The notification issued by the state revenue department on January 13 stated “Gujarat government is of the opinion that public order in the said areas was disturbed for a substantial period by reason of riots of violence of mob”.

The imposition of the Act means that “All transfers of immovable properties situated in the disturbed areas made during the aforesaid specified period shall be null and void and no immovable property situated in the said disturbed areas shall during the aforesaid specified period be transferred except with the previous sanction of the collector, Rajkot district”, the notification read.

Sources said the Act was imposed by the district administration, following representation by various sections of people and based on police opinion. The areas where the Act has been imposed are posh areas and is known to be a stronghold of BJP and the RSS supporters, sources added.

The Act which was amended in 2019 has provision for imprisonment between three to five years along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh or 10% of the value of the property, whichever is higher, in case of violation. This Act has been in force in some communally sensitive areas of the state, including in Ahmedabad and Vadodara.

GMR, Adani, Godrej & 7 others bid for CSMT revamp

Redevelopment of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus is likely to start this year with 10 companies successfully submitting applications to bid for the Rs.1,642 crore project.

GMR Enterprises, ISQ Asia Infrastructure Investments, Kalpataru Power Transmission, Anchorage Infrastructure Investments Holdings, Adani Railways Transport, Brookfield Infrastructure Fund IV, Moribus Holdings, Godrej Properties, Keystone Realtors and Oberoi Realty have qualified to submit financial bids in the next three to four months.

The project envisages providing an airport-like experience to passengers at the iconic railway station, besides opening up a space for commercial and residential units in south Mumbai.

The Unesco world heritage site will not be disturbed. The project is expected to be completed in four years.

“This has been the best participation in recent times in terms of the number of applications compared with projects related to airports and railways,” said S K Lohia, MD & CEO of Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation, which invited requests for qualification under PPP basis in August.

Railway officials said the user fee or station redevelopment fee would be notified before inviting financial bids for the project. “Without the collection of user fee, which will be an assured source of income, the project won’t be financially viable. The government has made it public that the charges will be notified and it won’t pinch the passengers,” said an official.

Sources said the proposal has been finalised and would be placed before the Cabinet soon. Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Nagpur and Tirupati are some the stations in the first list where the charges would be levied.

“Such a good response of top 10 players bidding for the project shows how major railway stations have huge potential to become the hub for economic activities. We also expect a good number of bidders for the New Delhi railway station project,” said the official.

To make the CSMT project attractive, the railways has allowed up to 99 years lease for residential or mixed-use format and 60 years for non-residential formats. Around 2.5 lakh square metre space between CSMT and Byculla will be available for commercial development. Of this, 1.4 lakh sq m will be available at CSMT, 80,000 sq m at Byculla and another 30,000 sq m at Wadi Bunder, sources added.

There is a plan for a “railopolis”, which will provide a mall-like experience at P D’Mello Road side entry and will be integrated with a suburban platform, an underground parking and an elevated deck to pick up and drop passengers. The Rs.1,642 crore project will include segregation of arrival and departure areas, a disabled-friendly station, better services, an energy-efficient building, and restoring the precincts to the 1930 stature. Lohia said, “Financial bids will be floated in the next three to four months and within seven months for now we will be able to select the successful bidder.” 

Goa CM scraps IIT project at Melauli

In an embarrassment to the Goa state government, chief minister Pramod Sawant acceded to the demand of Melauli locals to shift the prestigious IIT project from the village and withdraw the FIRs registered against the protesters after “following the process”.

“The decision to shift the IIT project was taken keeping in mind peoples’ sentiments and the request of health minister Vishwajit Rane, who is also the local MLA, and local representatives,” Sawant said.

But the chief minister said, “the government is committed to setting up IIT in Goa at some other site,” and a decision on the new site would be “taken at the right time”.

This is the third occasion where stiff opposition from locals has forced the government to move the project. Now, it is likely to take a minimum of six months to finalise another site.

The government’s move to cancel the project at Melauli is the culmination of six month-long agitation by residents, which intensified over the past couple of weeks.

On January 6, villagers clashed with police during the land demarcation, forcing them to lathi charge locals and use tear gas to disperse them.

The government’s move came after six months of sustained protests, which intensified and grew sharply over the past two weeks

At least 20 people, including women constables, were injured.

Even as he cancelled the project, Sawant said the people of Melauli were “misguided”. He said IIT was non-polluting and an educational institute. He said he tried to convince the people, but that “some people” worked against the interests of the state.

Sawant said neither he nor Rane had any “personal interest” in the project.

Rane, who had initially endorsed the project at Melauli, himself changed track after widespread protests. “If I had the capacity to take this project ahead, it would have been different, but when the people want it shifted, I am helpless, and that is the reason I have come to you to shift the project,” he told Sawant.

Rane said he too tried his “level best” to convince the people about it, but since they didn’t buy his arguments, he didn’t have any solution.

The health minister also said that if Goa is to be developed, projects like IIT are needed. “If IIT had come up in our constituency, there would have been eco-tourism in Sattari,” he said.

On Friday, elected representatives from Sattari and Usgao submitted a memorandum to the chief minister to shift the IIT project from the village.

The government had earlier identified sites at Canacona and Sanguem for the institute. Power minister and Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral said this week that his constituents “welcome” the project.

IIT-Goa currently functions from the Goa Engineering College campus in Farmagudi, Ponda. The government may now look for sites at Sanguem or Quepem to set up the institute.

TaMo’s Tesla tweet electrifies industry

A tweet quoting a 1960s Bollywood number had all of Motown buzzing about whether there’s some “kissa” brewing between Tata Motors and Tesla, which is entering India.

There was already chatter over the past few days with market participants suggesting that the rise in Tata Motors shares was also the result of talk of a deal with Tesla.

Adding spice to this speculation was a cheeky – though now deleted – tweet from the handle of Tata Motors Electric Mobility. “Aajkal tere mere pyaar ke charche har akhbaar mein, Sab ko malum hai aur sab ko khabar ho gayi! #WelcomeTesla #TeslaIndia (which translates to ‘The media is abuzz with our romance; it’s out in the public now’),” it tweeted a little after Friday noon.

As market players took notice, the Tata Motors Electric Mobility tweet was deleted. When contacted, a Tata Motors spokesperson said, “We have not taken any decision regarding a strategic partner for our PV business and categorically deny all rumours suggesting the same.”

Shares of Tata Motors have been shooting up over the Tesla speculation and also on the rapidly improving position of the company’s market share and sales. 

In the last three months, the stock has more than doubled from its October 15, 2020 close at Rs.127. The stock has been rallying, according to market players, on expectations of a scrappage policy that will favour auto manufacturers and the closure of the Brexit deal, which is expected to favour its international operations. Besides, the rumours surrounding a venture with EV major Tesla Tata Motors, have been driving the stock up.

The company’s standalone sales performance has also been strong, propped by models such as Tiago mini, Nexon compact SUV, Altros hatch and Harrier SUV. It is also set to re-introduce the Safari SUV, and also a mini car with strong SUV styling.

And this is not all. Tata Motors has also bet heavily on the EV market and currently has two green products – the Tigor entry sedan and the Nexon EV. The company has set an ambitious tone in electrics, saying that it plans to price the green cars at “not more than 15-20% premium” to conventional petrol/diesel vehicles, while giving out a battery range at least in excess of 200km on a single charge.