Author: Ashwini Bagga

An art lover, guitarist and a writer from Jaipur serving as active Writer to UdaipurBlog.com. You can find more of my articles by : Clicking Here

Categories
Lifestyle

24th Road Safety Week 16 Jan to 22 Jan 2013

road safety week

road safety week

Just a few days back I started off my bike and drove though a busy road in Udaipur. Weather was quite chill that morning and I had packed up myself thoroughly. On a crossing I stopped my bike at red signal. After two or three seconds later a car stopped behind me. And to my surprise the car owner started honking. He was asking me to give way to cross the road. I had no choice so gave him the way and he started crossing in the red signal itself. The other vehicles and two wheelers also followed the suite. Meanwhile a girl, pedestrian, was also crossing the road and her eyes, ears and hands all were occupied in her cell phone. And she had no idea of how many vehicles were approaching to her. Anyways, she escaped from any mishap. The next moment the signal turned green and I left to my way.

This is a common story, almost every day we see at our roads and crossing of Udaipur. In my case nothing vulnerable happened, but is everyone lucky like that girl who managed herself and safely crossed the road. You might have seen on a TV channel like Discovery and Animal Planet when a flock of millions of birds fly and migrate. They fly keeping a minimum distance but they do not collide with each other. They fly in sync and remain safe. This is not the case with humans. We cannot drive on road in a tandem. We have got different vehicles, different speed limits, different direction and a different purpose to drive. We cannot be in rhythm on road. Due to this diversity in our driving habits; traffic rules were made to keep a control on us. Situation becomes worse when we do not follow them even.

When things fall out of place then another layer is laid down to teach us a lesson – how to behave and how to be a good human being. The initiatives are then taken by the Government and different NGO’s which are committed to improve the statistics of road accidents that happen every year. Road Safety Week is an example of such initiative.

The Road Safety Week is an initiative that is being observed every year from 1 Jan to 7 Jan. It is initiated by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. The National Safety Council supplement the efforts of the Ministry, the Council from the year 2011 has started producing promotional materials like cloth banners, safety posters, pocket guides, safety films, etc to help its Members / Patrons to observe Road Safety Week effectively.

The state government at times modifies the date set by the Ministry and they declare a new date for the Road Safety Week in the state. This year the 24th Road Safety Week would be observed from 16th Jan 20 22nd Jan in Rajasthan. The Transport Department, Government of Rajasthan in collaboration with Traffic Police and other NGOs would work together to make this Road Safety Week successful. Many different activities would take place during the week to impart traffic and traffic rules awareness among the mass.

In the city like Jaipur the helmet was made compulsory a decade back, followed by helmet for pillion and they have also planned to launch the penalties for pedestrians who do not follow the rules on road. We, the people of Udaipur must take and learn the lesson from Jaipur and we should ask our self where we stand in terms of following the traffic rules and what driving sense we have on road.

Although it’s not too late yet, learn something new and enhance your knowledge during this Road Safety Week. Be an active participant and also help the administration to make this week a success.

Categories
Lifestyle

Forecast about Udaipur 2013

udaipur 2013

We have all bid a good bye to year 2012. Lot of hope and lot of wishes we accumulate in our heart & soul, but not everything come true in an expected time frame. Some are carried forward to the next year.

As we have welcomed the New Year 2013; we are ready with a new list of hopes for our city Udaipur. Some old, some new and some awaited gifts to the city all are eager to bless Udaipur to touch the new heights of development. Let’s take a look to some of the heartiest expectations of the citizens of Udaipur for this year i.e. 2013.

new year 2013

Image Credits: WashingtonPost.com

City Infra Structure

Lake City Mall: Another feather in the crown of the Lake City is Lake City Mall. People are waiting for this Mall to get completed and its heart throbbing inauguration. The location is the main attraction of it as it is situated in the heart of the city i.e. Durga Nursesy, Ashok Nagar. Although; the mall has been opened partially as Pizza Hut and KFC have started their operations. It would spread its beauty when it would run in full swing.

Elevated Road: A survey would be conducted to build the first elevated road of Udaipur from Udiapole to Court Chouraha. The route has become one of the busiest roads of Udaipur because both City Railway Station and Bus Stand are located on this road.

Railway Over Bridge: Another most congested crossing in midst of Udaipur is Thokar Chouraha. Pratap Nagar road is the entry point to Udaipur. Vehicles from bypass usually enter through this road. Thokar is the place where thousands of employees pass through to attend their office in the industrial area. When railway crossing get closed at Rana Pratap Nagar railway station, a jam could be observed several times during the day. Citizens of Udaipur are demanding to build the railway over bridge at thokar to get rid of the problem. 

Ayad River: The River Ayad has no longer left as a river and has been converted into the city’s main drainage channel. A detail project report would be made and submitted soon to return the authentic look of Ayad as a river. This would change the face of our city.

 

Entertainment

INOX Cinema: INOX would be the second branded multiplex cinematic experience in Udaipur after PVR. As PVR is operational in Celebration Mall the INOX would get open in Lake City Mall very soon.

Titanic in Udaipur: The Titanic made in year 1912 had sunk deep into the sea during its first journey, but for sure Udaipur’s Titanic won’t sink. A ship look like three storied structure is being made in Goverdhan Sagar Lake. It would be open for public this year. The ship would be having a Hall covering 800 square feet area, an Art Gallery, a Lobby and a Garden.

 

Hopes from 2013

Extension of Shatabdi Express: Citizens of Udaipur now has a strong belief in their heart that this year Shatabdi Express, which runs through Delhi and Ajmer, would get an extension till Udaipur. Let’s see how their strong belief converted into a reality. Keep your fingers cross Udaipurites.

Udaipur Nagar Nigam: The Nagar Parishad Udaipur needs to be converted into Udaipur Nagar Nigam. The districts having population over 5 Million, there Municipal Council is eligible to get converted into Municipal Corporation. Yet another eligible conversion we all are seeking for Udaipur. This would enable the development of Udaipur city on a broad and wider spectrum.

 

Education

Tribal University: Udaipur would be gifted with the first Tribal University of the city. The location finalization is in last stage. Recruitments of Professors, Chancellor and Vice Chancellor would take place very soon.

IIM Building: Construction of the new building of State’s first IIM would going to be start this year in Baleecha. This mega project has been allotted to Shri Vinayak Construction a firm from Ahmedabad. The project is likely to cost around 700 crores.

There is lot of treasure which is left to be explored in year 2013. The time to come would reveal the mystery and let us know what it has stored for Udaipur and the people of Udaipur. Another series of Royal Weddings, Film Shooting, Celebrity Walk Ins, Events, New places for Fun and Frolic, Plenty of Rainfall and huge opportunities in form of Foreign Tourists. This is what Udaipur is likely to have for all its year coming through. Have a Prosperous and Happy New Year 2013.  🙂

Categories
More

A New Year Resolution

New Year Resolutions

Yet another day, another new year is on our doors. It’s a time for celebration, a time to recollect our memories of the past year, a time to add one more year to our life full of experience of 365 hectic and productive days. All of us know that the end of this year 2012 has poured a very painful experience in our lap. A pain from which every citizen’s heart is crying. Perhaps many of us might have planned to pay homage to the brave girl Damini by not celebrating on this New Year’s Eve. And it should be because it has now become a matter of National shame.

We have also experienced and waited for the Doom’s Day, but it has also passed and paved us the way to re-think about our own planet, our home. It was a warning for all of us and we still have time to recover the loss that we have made to our mother nature.

Many of us would be busy in planning for their activities for coming year. Some of them have utilized their winter break with their family and to plan their business calendar for the coming year. Well, many of us would certainly have decided to take certain resolution for this New Year, which we do not follow most of the time. Let us take a look on some very popular New Year resolutions you can choose from:

  • I would go for a morning walk.
  • I would wake up early.
  • I would join a gym.
  • I would quit smoking / tobacco.
  • I would avoid liquor (Just after the New Year’s celebration).
  • I would eat healthier food.
  • I would not eat Junk food.
  • I would study and would do a lot of hard work.
  • I would learn something new.
  • I would save money.
  • I would be helping.
  • I would be organized and plan my work.

We know our self better than anyone else. It does not mean that you would never be able to follow the targets you have set for yourself. At times you may fail or might forget doing the things. Sometime you do irregular things to get out of your daily boring schedule. Everybody needs a change and there should be a change in your daily routine too. This is why we have one Sunday to enjoy a day to give rest to our body and to spend a full day with our family. Resolution is not a rule to get bound with. We make resolution to make our self a well organized human being. A human being who is responsible for himself, for his family, for his relatives, for his society and for his nation.

The kind of resolutions we have seen above must not be only mere resolutions, rather these must be our part of regular life. We are free to live our life in our own way, we must understand our priorities and we should know how far we can go with our decisions. Where it would be right and where it would get converted to wrong, this is all in our hands.

Let us start thinking in a broader way. The every resolution that we take is related to you only. Have you ever wondered to take a resolution which would make effect on a broader platform and would work in a greater scope? Yes, think upon it and give some time over it. Take a resolution this year which would help others to live in better surroundings. What could be such resolutions, which would not even help others but would also make you an active and responsible social human being? Let’s have a look on such resolutions:

  • I would learn to respect women and would protest others who do so.
  • I would plant a tree and take care of it as a child.
  • I would be caring for the nature and give respect to every creature on this earth.
  • I would not spread any kind of pollution in my city whether air, noise or any other form of it.
  • I would try to keep my city neat and clean.
  • I would behave while I drive on road.
  • I would obey the traffic rules sincerely.
  • I would help others if I found someone injured.
  • I would make my city a best tourist place and would not spoil our lakes.
  • I would involve myself in some social activity to help others.
  • I would not encourage street beggars.
  • I would not humiliate elders and would listen to them.

 

I think these are more than enough to describe here. Even a single resolution from the entire list is enough to change your life and others. It is evident that you cannot change others, but you can change yourself and then others would start following you. This is the best practice to change others. So, which resolution you would take at this New Year?

Image Credits: www.chronus.com

Categories
Lifestyle

Udaipur Deprived of Pontoon Tourism

pontoon tourism udaipur

pontoon tourism udaipur

 

A pontoon refers to a floating dock which drifts in water, a decorated platform where people can enjoy some good time. Providing services like a table for lunch or dinner over a pontoon by a hospitality institution such as a hotel or resort refers to pontoon tourism.

Have you ever wondered such kind pontoon tourism in Udaipur? Probably not, but true to the fact it was there few years back in our city. The luxury hotel Taj Lake Palace was providing pontoons to its guests in Lake Pichhola. Later, at some point of time the pontoons were banned by the government for several reasons.

Still there are other countries where the royal services over pontoon are available and people look around for such treasure and to lock their memorable experience. Just imagine if our Udaipur too offers exclusive lunch or dinner over pontoons. This would make Udaipur an exquisite destination for pontoon tourism.

There are evidences where in some other countries pontoons were either banned or their number was locked to a minimum number but there were some environmental reasons involved behind it. Here in Udaipur they were banned for no such reason. They were stopped years back due to illegal use of land according to the land use laws.

It is evident from a study of Great Barrier Reef Australia, the pontoons in this region were banned, removed or made limited because it include damage to coral during installations and followed by subsequent loss of coral due to shading and human use impacts. The scale of direct environmental impact of a pontoon is dependent on the size of pontoon.  Pontoons provide millions of visitors a year with safe and convenient access to Marine Park.

The summary of the entire discussion is Pontoon Tourism is a unique form of tourism which can bring a lot of foreign revenue in the state. The factors which are making it a difficult task could be studied and if found any harmful effects of pontoon tourism then they could be controlled or minimized, as we have seen in the case study of Great Barrier Reef Australia. If there are some administrative issues, which do not allow use of water boundaries or the use of land, those too could be brought on some viable decision by discussing with the government officials, local administration, tourism department and the hotel which could be given exclusive authority to run the tourism business. Of course a monitoring should also be made available which can control illegal use of pontoons in the lake.

The pontoon tourism can also make Udaipur a unique destination in the tourism map of the world.

Photo Credits : TajHotels.com

Categories
Places to Visit Top

5 Must Visit Places in Udaipur

5 Places to Visit in Udaipur

 

Whenever we plan to visit any city as a tourist; the very first thing that strikes is, what to see there? And if your dream destination is Udaipur then of course there are places that you must visit, or else you can also plan according to your interest. Let’s explore the top five destinations of Udaipur.

 

Fateh Sagar:

fatehsagar udaipur

Udaipur city is famous as Lake City or City of Lakes and it is also known as Venice of the East. Your visit to Udaipur is incomplete till you have not enjoyed the heart throbbing views of its lakes. Fateh Sagar is one such kind of a place in Udaipur. Not only tourists, even the local residents of Udaipur always enjoy most of their time at Fateh Sagar. For a few their day doesn’t complete if they do not visit and spend some time at the lake side. This is the magic of the place. You can pass several hours sitting beside it and watching hilarious beauty of the lake. Mumbaiya Bazar would certainly catch your attraction at Fateh Sagar.

 

Gulab Bagh:

gulab bagh udaipur

Gulab Bagh is the perfect place for nature lovers. If you really want to enjoy the greenery of Udaipur then visit this place. It is situated at the center of the city. Gulab Bagh is the life line of Udaipur; it is the Green Heart of the city which provides clean and fresh air to the residents of Udaipur. The two major attractions of Gulab Bagh which would certainly grab the sight of kids are the Gulab Bagh Zoological Garden and the Mini Train. Since Gulab Bagh is quite spread in very large area, it would be a better idea to enjoy the Mini Train Ride which would cover the entire circumference of Gulab Bagh. The train ride would make your Gulab Bagh visit memorable.

 

Dudh Talai:

dudh talai

Like Fateh Sagar, Dudh Talai is another place in Udaipur which would offer of enjoying the lake side view. This place is situated near the famous Pichhola Lake. Unlike Fateh Sagar you won’t find enough space to roam around the confines of the lake Pichhola. Still you can enjoy boating and camel ride over here. This is not the end, yet there is one more adventure to go. Just near Dudh Talai there is a rope way to visit Karni Mata Temple on a small hillock. The rope way offers an amazing view of the entire Pichhola Lake, City Palace and Jagmandir. The view from the top is amazing at day and as well as at night. At the top of hillock at temple you could see the entire Udaipur city spreading its wings. The sunset point won’t allow you getting back to your home.

 

Sajjan Garh:

sajjan garh udaipur

The Sajjan Garh is a hilltop extravagant place in the Udaipur overlooking the Pichhola Lake. It was named after Maharana Sajjan of the Mewar Dynasty and was built 1884. For nature and wild life lovers it is the perfect place look upon. The Sajjan Garh offers a panoramic view of the city’s surrounding and its lakes. The place has been taken under control of the Forest Department and has been open for public over past few years. The place provides a magnificent view of Sun Set and it is very famous for it. The area of the Sajjan Garh has been developed as a wild life sanctuary. Wild animals like panther have been watched many times in the area by the local villagers of the nearby area.  Sajjan Garh is also known as Monsoon Palace.

 

City Palace:

city palace udaipur

City Palace is located at the heart of Udaipur and it was built by Maharana Udai Singh Ji. The palace is situated at the bank of Pichhola Lake. It is certainly would be a place to visit who has a keen interest in history of Rajasthan. The famous Jagdish Temple is close to it and from the Palace one can have the beautiful view of Lake Palace and Jag Mandir which are both located in midst of the Pichhola Lake. The major part of the City Palace has been converted into museum which displays a diverse range of preserved monuments and armor. The museum exhibits a wide collection of weapons, gears, clothes furniture etc.

 

Categories
Udaipur Speaks

Why Udaipur, why?

ranbir smoking in udaipur

ranbir smoking in udaipur

In the recent days I read in newspaper that the Bollywood’s hot celebrity Ranbir Kapoor had been found guilty for smoking at a public place. Also he had been captured by the young photographer of the UB team and the same photograph spread all around and was used by the other print media too. In continuation to the issue, a petition had been filed in the session court for executing the offence of smoking at a public place. The court had issued summon to Ranbir Kapoor which were acknowledged by the officials later from his residence at Mumbai.

Friends, my concern is not this particular case nor I am interested to dig deep into the matter or wish to know the further developments. Similarly I am not interested to enhance your knowledge about what Ranbir did when he visited Udaipur for the shooting of a film. My concern is why such small thing catches the eye of public when the act is taken by a celebrity.

It is not only with Ranbir, it has happened several times in the past. Whenever a celebrity commits such small offence they face an un-necessary court case, which has no use at all except creating hype for the celebrity and putting a light on the person who actually filed the petition.

Now, taking a round corner, the celebrity must avoid doing such things at public place. There is a reason behind this. A celebrity becomes a role model for many of his fans and when his fans see him in front of them doing such activities; they adopt it quickly. They must understand and accept this fact that they are wrong at such points. I am not at all supporting a celebrity or encouraging anyone to do something wrong and which is actually an offence. A celebrity is also human and he might also go wrong.

Coming back to the point and let me put some more light on the topic. Have you ever wondered how many court cases are lying pending in the court as of date? How many new cases are filed in Session Court, High Court or the Supreme Court every day?  How long does it take for a court case to come to an end except those which falls under Fast Track Court? Yes, at this point many of us are speechless. By filing an un-necessary petition in the court we are just increasing the burden on our law system. Think there would be many such cases which would be filed every day. Thus a precious span of time is been invested to take decisions on such issues.  Think again, if I am not wrong. Why the case is filed against a celebrity only? If law & order are equal according to the constitution of India then I definitely would like to ask you, why petition is not filed against everyone who

  • Do not obey the traffic rules.
  • Drive ruthlessly and put other’s life in danger.
  • Are involved in eve-teasing at public places.
  • Even don’t dare to smoke at public places like Court and Hospital.
  • Spend their evening at Fateh Sagar to make their day and after enjoying their food they dump the garbage in the lake. Even when the dustbin is a few steps away from them.
  • Irritate the foreign tourists by misguiding them for their personal profits.

Why so? Tell me. Why there isn’t someone who could file petition against all such group of people who are polluting the system everyday in front of our eyes; and of course they are in thousands. Yes, it is true that when the problem comes on our head we simply tend to ignore rather than accepting it. When the same is committed by a celebrity, it surely reaches to the court. Let’s be ourselves, be genuine, be careful, be helping to the society, be honest and after all be human. So that no one could dare to raise a finger on the citizens of Udaipur and ask us: Why Udaipur, why?

Happy Weekend!!

Categories
Lifestyle

‘Chor’ In The City

shoplifting - businesstrade.org
credits: businesstrade.org
shoplifting - businesstrade.org
credits: businesstrade.org

The retail industry is one of the biggest and fastest moving industries of the Indian economy. It is been evident from the developments that have been made in past decade. A series of chain retail stores have been established across the country. Big brands like Reliance Fresh, More, Big Baazar and Easy Day etc. are the few examples, which prove the growth of the retail sector in India.

Apart from this fact of fast growing movement; there also exist a challenging threat for the retail outlets which is weakening its strength from the roots like a termite. The threat is well endorsed as Shoplifting and few related terms are Pilferage or Shrinkage. The threat is not affecting only India rather it is an addressable issue across the globe.  According to the recent studies the rate of shrinkage has been noticed highest in India.

Not only customers but there are other factors which contribute to shrinkage and pilferage. There are internal causes such as theft by employees, internal losses, breakage and shortage etc. But the loss incurred by the external factors such as shoplifting contributes to a higher extent.

If we try to find out that who executes or actively involved in the act of shoplifting; there comes out to be interesting results. Yes, both amateurs and expert professional & skilled people are executing the act. Some just do it to satisfy their urge to do it. For a segment money might not be the major cause to do. May be they have developed a habit of doing so. Well, at the end for rest of them ‘money matters’.

The products which attract shoplifters the most are (a) having a higher price tag (b) small enough to hide in their pocket. These are the few items which are always on the verge to be picked very quickly like deos, sprays, cosmetics, perfumes, chocolates, electronic gadgets and liquor etc.

Shoplifting has emerged as a major threat for the retail industry which has led to shrink the size of the retail business. Even big brands are suffering huge loss and of course the level has risen to the neck.

To overcome the mega loss the companies are investing more capital towards installing security measures and surveillance systems. Different modes of implementing security cover CCTV camera, Security Guards, RFID and bouncers. Indeed after tightening the grip of security at the places the so called ‘chor’ is still wandering in the city. May you find him next to you, executing his magical hands while you are checking this post on your tablet during shopping in a mall. Chow!

Categories
More

Canine of 9

Step into any shopping mall; choose any store; a shoe shop, a readymade garment outlet or any food joint. At most of the places you would find inspiring price tags like 49/-, 99/-, 199/- or 499/- etc. Means price ending with a digit 9.

There are two perspectives of the price tag that is ending with digit 9. Take an example of an item priced at Rs. 99/-. The first benefit, in terms of the consumer, that the selling price appears attractive and defined in only two digits. And it also suits his pocket. The customer is also happy as the item is within reach of a Rs 100/- note.

Second benefit, to the seller, as he actually sells it at Rs 100/- most of the time. Reasons could vary from time to time. A few could be:

  • He may not have a change of Re 1/-
  • Customer ignores taking back the change.
  • In lieu of Re 1/- many outlets including the big brands hand over a candy instead of a Re 1/- coin.

The customer also feels satisfied as he has got the value of his Re 1/-. Now think, if we buy a Re 1/- candy in bulk would it cost @ Re 1/-. No, absolutely not, it would be cheaper rather. Ultimately who is bearing the loss; it is only the end user, the customer.

Hold on for a moment and do a simple calculation. Let’s take an example of an outlet selling 50 such items a day for which balance Re 1/- is not returned:

Extra amount collected by the outlet

Per Day (50 x 1)               :                 Rs 50/-

Per Month (50 x 30)       :                 Rs 1,500/-

Per Year (1500 x 12)        :                 Rs 18,000/-

If this is a story of a single outlet then imagine the amount collected by several thousand outlets being operated in the country. This huge sum straight away turns into black money. This is a mere estimation and not the actual figure. They may be different, may be less or more.

Now let us hear the plea from the perspective of a business owner. Is he doing all this deliberately to earn profit out of the way? Many shopkeepers and outlet owners face problem getting adequate change from the market. They state that there always remains shortage of coins hence they are not able to return proper change to the customer.

Those who are providing change to the customers are buying coins in black from the market. According to a general survey people are selling coins at a margin of 20% to 25%. In other words you need to pay Rs 120/- to buy coins of Rs 100/-. This is absolutely illegal. I think one day our stock market and banks would get bound to enlist the buying and selling rates from INR to INR. 😛

This simple Re 1/- issue is expanding its jaws wider and wider and its canines are getting longer day by day. There is only one way to get rid of this problem if the practice of returning a product instead of currency should be banned and declared illegal. A ban should also be imposed on commission agents who are involved in buying and selling coins. Strict action should be taken against them if found guilty of the same. Governing bodies and RBI should ensure that coins of different denominations are issued to banks regularly so anyone can obtain it as required. Next time when you visit any outlet think for while buying a product having a price tag ending with digit 9.

Have a Happy Shopping.

 

Ashwini Bagga

(Writer & Guitarist)