Panaji (PTI): The Goa government has announced the introduction of Blue Cab service at the Manohar International Airport in the state from Thursday.

An IndiGo flight from Hyderabad will be the first flight to land at the newly-built airport located at Mopa on Thursday.
Ahead of the first arrival, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant held a meeting with Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho in Panaji on Wednesday to oversee the preparations.

Talking to reporters later, Godinho said the state government has decided to introduce Blue Cabs outside the airport.

"These cabs would be exclusively owned by locals of Pernem taluka where the airport is located," he said.
In addition to Blue Cabs, the airport will also have taxis affiliated to Goa Miles App and also those registered under the state-run Goa Taxi App, he said.

Godinho said local taxi operators had demanded Yellow and Black Taxi permits at the airport, which was not possible, so the state government decided to introduce Blue Cabs for them.

Khaunte said more than 1,100 drivers have registered themselves under the Goa Taxi App while more are coming on board.

Goa Taxi App is currently allowing taxi operators to join the queue at the airport. Booking through the app is not happening at this point, he said.

The airport at Mopa in Goa was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2022.

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Nagarkurnool (Telangana) (PTI): The search operation to locate the seven persons trapped inside the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel continued for the 25th day on Tuesday.

Personnel from the NDRF, SDRF, state-run miner Singareni Collieries, rat miners, and others intensified the search efforts using the necessary equipment, officials said.

The teams conducted search operations at the 'D1' and 'D2' points, which were identified as possible locations of human presence.

On Monday, cadaver dogs inspected the 'D1' and 'D2' spots.

Rescue personnel continued working to remove parts of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), which were obstructing the search operation. The excavation process was accelerated with the help of personnel and an excavator, while de-watering efforts continued simultaneously.

The body of Gurpreet Singh, a TBM operator, was recovered on March 9 and handed over to his family in Punjab. Seven others remain trapped inside the tunnel.

A total of eight individuals—including engineers and labourers—were trapped in the SLBC project tunnel when a portion of it collapsed on February 22.