Assam's Spring Festival begins in Manas National Park
Guwahati, April 7: The two-day Assam Spring Festival began at the Manas National Park on Saturday where visitors will get to experience the state's local food, music, handloom and handicrafts.
"The aim of the event is to promote the local food and culture of the fringe villagers. It is an attempt to create a model of alternative livelihood through food, handloom and culture," Mitali from Food Sutra, one of the organisers, said.
"We are expecting participation of over 300 domestic and foreign tourists in the two-day festival."
The festival has been organised, among others, by Indian Weavers' Association and the Swankar Mithinga Onsai Afat, an association of reformed poachers in Manas who are now engaged in wildlife conservation and preservation.
The National park which is also a tiger and rhino reserve covers five districts of Assam -- Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang, Udalguri and Barpeta.
Residents of fringe villages that dot the National Park are all set to give the tourists an experience of a lifetime by offering them a peek into their rural lives.
Saumar.J. Sharma of the Indian Weavers' Association said: "We have trained about 32 households about maintenance of hygiene and the basics of the service industry. We trained them on managing home stays and serving the guests home made food.
"When the locals start keeping guests in their home stays, it will not only provide then with an alternative livelihood but also direct market linkages to showcase and sell their products.
"Normally in Assam, the tourist season is for six months (April to November). However, with these initiatives, the locals can host interested travellers during the off season or all through the year."
On Saturday, there will be a session of celebrity cooking with renowned chef Gautam Mehrishi and food blogger Kalyan Karmakar.
Musician Joi Baruah is slated to perform on Saturday night.
The itinerary of the festival include village tours, exposition of local handicraft and handloom, cultural showa, local folk music and tasting of local cuisines and delicacies.
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New trains to ease crowding on Namma Metro Purple-Green lines in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Commuters on the crowded Namma Metro Purple and Green lines may soon get relief, as the Railway Board has issued provisional sanction for induction of new train sets, Deccan Herald reported.
The Railway Board communicated the provisional sanction to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) in a letter on April 1, raising hopes that additional trains could be deployed during peak hours by May-June.
According to the Railway Board, the approval comes with conditions, including a maximum speed of 80 kmph in fully inflated mode and 25 kmph in deflated mode of the secondary air spring.
The BMRCL will also need a separate sanction from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) by submitting the Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) report confirming the trains’ integration, operation, and compatibility with the Direct To Go (DTG) signalling and train control system for the Purple and Green lines.
The BMRCL has received three DTG trains, including a prototype delivered in January 2025, for the Purple and Green lines. The trains must pass 37 statutory clearances before entering passenger service.
The BMRCL had approached the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), under the Ministry of Railways, to conduct statutory trials related to oscillation, braking, speed and system integration tests for the trains. The CMRS will issue the final sanction after receiving the ISA certificate.
Officials said the ISA certification process is already underway, with new signalling software currently being tested. Final approvals are expected by May-June, after which the trains can be introduced into service.
The new trains have been supplied by China's CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd, which will deliver a total of 21 trains for the Purple and Green lines in partnership with the West Bengal-based Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL). Currently, the network operates with 57 trains supplied by BEML.
