Mumbai's dabbawalas mourn Queen Elizabeth's demise, recall breakfast with her
Mumbai (PTI): Mumbai's famed dabbawalas on Friday said they were grieving with the royal family and people all over the world after the demise of Queen Elizabeth.
The dabbawalas operate a globally renowned lunchbox delivery and return system that supplies hot lunches from homes and restaurants to people at work.
"On behalf of all the dabbawalas of Mumbai, I pay my heartfelt condolences to the royal family, said Raghunath Medge, an office bearer of the Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association.
Dabbawalas were unknown to the world but became famous due to Queen Elizabeth and the royal family, he said.
Medge and another association office-bearer Sopan Mare attended the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles in April 2005.
Recalling his eight-day visit to London for the royal wedding, Medge said they had breakfast with Queen Elizabeth and other members of the royal family at Windsor Castle.
"We had breakfast twice at Windsor Castle with the royal family and the Queen was present," said Medge. He said they did not get an opportunity to interact with her due to language barrier, but she treated them very humbly.
Medge said Queen Elizabeth had enquired about them when Mumbai was attacked by Pakistani terrorists in November 2008.
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Bengaluru airport introduces AI-based system to enhance safety at vehicle-aircraft intersections
Bengaluru: Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has introduced an integrated smart airside safety system at Kempegowda International Airport to improve operational safety at key intersection zones.
According to The Hindu, the system has been designed to enhance safety at Cross Service Roads (CSRs), where aircraft and ground vehicle movements intersect.
According to BIAL, the system integrates AI-based computer vision, automation, and centralised monitoring to manage right-of-way movements and reduce the risk of human error.
“CRSs are among the most sensitive areas within airport operations, requiring precise and seamless coordination between aircraft and ground vehicles. Traditionally, right of way protection at these intersections relied on manual or semi-manual inset light activation, creating dependencies on human intervention, increasing the risk of delays and limiting operational visibility,” TH quoted BIAL as saying.
The new system uses real-time detection of vehicle movement, risk assessment, and automated signalling. AI-enabled cameras identify potential conflicts and trigger automated inset light signals to ensure aircraft priority. Normal operations resume once the area is confirmed clear.
“Based on these detections, the system triggers automated inset light activation to protect aircraft right‑of‑way and restores normal signalling once the intersection is confirmed clear. A centralised monitoring and analytics platform digitally logs all events, strengthening governance, compliance, and operational control,” BIAL said.
By embedding technology into operations, the system creates a data-driven separation layer between aircraft and ground vehicles, significantly reducing human error, especially during night and low-visibility conditions.
“Precision-led signal activation improves traffic flow, minimises unnecessary stoppage and enhances turnaround efficiency. It also establishes a scalable foundation for predictive safety analytics, enabling trend analysis, peak-hour optimisation, compliance mapping and risk forecasting to support continuous improvement and stronger airside governance,” BIAL said.
