KSRTC wins national Award of Excellence in Urban Transport for ‘Dhonispandan’ initiative

Posted on by Vividh Bharthi

Gurugram (Haryana): The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has been conferred with the Award of Excellence in Urban Transport 2025 by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, recognising its outstanding contribution to urban mobility.

The award was presented to KSRTC Managing Director Akram Pasha by Union Housing and Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal and Minister of State Tokan Sahu at a ceremony held in Gurugram.

KSRTC’s Mysuru Urban Transport division earned the recognition under the category “The State Which Has Implemented the Best Urban Transport Projects During the Previous Year” for its innovative ‘Dhonispandan’ (Voice Pulse) project — an Onboard Bus Identification and Navigation System aimed at assisting visually impaired commuters.

Implemented in 200 buses in Mysuru, the project is the first-of-its-kind in India, enabling visually impaired passengers to identify buses and locate entrances through voice-based navigation cues. The initiative has significantly enhanced passenger confidence, safety, and independence.


Developed by IIT Delhi’s Raised Lines Foundation in collaboration with GEZ, Germany, the technology empowers differently abled users through accessible mobility solutions. Over 400 visually impaired passengers have already been trained to use the system effectively.

Officials described Dhonispandan as a model initiative in inclusive public transport, implemented through a collaborative effort involving government agencies, educational institutions, and NGOs.

Related Posts

Govt gives nod for buying military hardware worth Rs 79,000 crore to beef up armed forces

New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Monday accorded acceptance of necessity (AoN) for various proposals of the Army, Navy and Air Force, amounting to a total of about Rs 79,000 crore.

“AoN was approved for the procurement of Loiter Munition System for Artillery Regiments, Low Level Light Weight Radars, Long Range Guided Rocket Ammunition for Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket System (MRLS), and Integrated Drone Detection & Interdiction System Mk-II for the Indian Army,” according to an official statement.

Loiter Munition will be used for precision strike of tactical targets, whereas Low Level Light Weight Radars will detect and track small-size, low flying Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Long Range Guided Rockets will enhance the range and accuracy of Pinaka MRLS for effective engagement of high value targets. Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System Mk-II with enhanced range will protect the vital assets of the Indian Army in Tactical Battle Area and Hinterland.

For the Indian Navy, AoN was accorded for procurement of Bollard Pull (BP) Tugs, High Frequency Software Defined Radios (HF SDR) Manpack and for leasing High Altitude Long Range (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS).

The induction of BP Tugs will assist Naval ships and submarines in berthing, unberthing, and maneuvering in confined waters/harbor. The HF SDR will enhance long range secured communication during boarding and landing operations, whereas HALE RPAS will ensure continuous Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and credible Maritime Domain Awareness over the Indian Ocean Region.

For the Indian Air Force, AoN was approved for procurement of Automatic Take-off Landing Recording System, Astra Mk-II Missiles, Full Mission Simulator and SPICE-1000 Long Range Guidance Kits, etc.

The induction of the Automatic Take-off Landing Recording System will fill the gaps in the aerospace safety environment by providing high-definition all-weather automatic recording of landing and take-off. Astra Mk-II Missiles with enhanced range will increase the capability of the fighter aircraft to neutralise adversary aircraft from large standoff range.

Full Mission Simulator for Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will augment pilots’ training in a cost effective and safe manner, while SPICE-1000 will enhance long-range precision strike capability of the Indian Air Force, the statement added.

–IANS

sps/na

India provides watercraft to Sri Lankan Coast Guard for search and rescue

Colombo, April 26 (IANS) India handed over two Personal Watercrafts (PWCs) and safety gear to the Sri Lanka Coast Guard on Sunday.

The Indian government is assisting in enhancing the Sri Lanka Coast Guard’s capability in near-shore Search and Rescue (SAR), the High Commission of India in Colombo said on its X handle.

The Defence Advisor of the High Commission handed over the equipment to the Director of Operations in a ceremony held at the Sri Lanka Coast Guard Headquarters in Mirissa.

As part of its continuous humanitarian outreach, India, on April 24, presented two BHISM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri) cubes to the Sri Lankan authorities under India’s ‘Aarogya Maitri’ initiative.

The state-of-the-art portable medical units, capable of handling up to 200 emergency cases, are designed to provide rapid response and are equipped with essential medicines and surgical tools for basic procedures.

The medical units were delivered by the Indian Navy diving support and submarine rescue vessel, INS Nireekshak, which arrived at the port of Colombo on April 21 to participate in the 4th edition of IN-SLN DIVEX 2026, a bilateral diving exercise which is being held till April 27.

Advancing this shared maritime spirit, the INS Nireekshak crew joined the Sri Lanka Navy for a revitalising yoga session – fostering resilience, mindfulness and collective wellbeing at sea on Saturday, an Indian Navy spokesperson posted on X.

According to the Indian Navy, the IN-SLN Diving Exercise (DIVEX) is a key bilateral engagement that stands as a testament to the deep-rooted maritime partnership between India and Sri Lanka. Sustained maritime collaboration and engagements with partner nations reaffirm the shared commitment to fostering stability, cooperation, and collective growth in the Indian Ocean Region, in line with the vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).

Further strengthening maritime security cooperation, the Indian Navy will also hand over 50,000 rounds of 9 mm ammunition to the Sri Lankan Navy.

–IANS

ksk/vd

‘Statement reflects deep frustration’: Rahul’s ‘match-fixing’ remarks criticised by BJP, JD-U

Patna, June 7 (IANS) Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has once again accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of electoral malpractice, claiming that the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections “could be fixed, just like the Maharashtra polls last year”.

The Congress MP’s statement has triggered a flurry of sharp reactions from leaders across the NDA, including the BJP and JD-U in Bihar.

Reacting strongly to the allegation, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said that Rahul Gandhi’s comments reflect his pre-emptive acceptance of defeat.

“It is natural for a person who has consistently lost to make such statements. If someone does not trust the democratic system, he should resign and leave it,” Choudhary said, underscoring that elections in India are conducted under a robust and impartial framework.

“He holds a good record of continuous defeat. His statement reflects deep frustration at not being able to digest the country’s progress,” Choudhary said.

Adding to the criticism, Union Minister Lalan Singh (JD-U) questioned Rahul Gandhi’s ‘political consistency’, stating: “When his party wins in Telangana or Karnataka, then the election is fair. But when Congress loses, it becomes match-fixing. This clearly shows his double standards.”

Earlier, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi also expressed a similar view and said Rahul Gandhi has accepted defeat.

Notably, Rahul Gandhi’s latest allegations came just months ahead of the high-stakes Bihar Assembly elections.

His reference to the post-poll developments in Maharashtra — where the government formation process faced accusations of manipulation and political engineering — has reignited the debate over electoral fairness.

However, NDA leaders argue that such statements are part of a narrative built to delegitimise institutions and distract from the Congress party’s repeated electoral setbacks.

Political analysts believe that with campaigning intensifying, these war of words between the Opposition and ruling alliance signals a fiercely contested election season in Bihar.

–IANS

ajk/pgh