New Indian Express | Feeling hot, hot, hot? How India's cities can keep the mercury at bay

In January this year, data from two leading global organisations told us what we already sort of knew — that 2023 was the hottest year on record, and 2024 could potentially be worse. America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Europe’s Copernicus Climate Service simultaneously published data that should alarm the most hardline of global warming sceptics. Two months later, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published its independent study that confirmed the NASA and Copernicus conclusions. Read the full article here.

The New Indian Express | Toll Plazas: Where FASTags have fallen short and why India's new dream might prove harder to realise

There was once a toll to driving through toll roads on highways. To help ease it came the pan-India rollout of a FASTag based system in December 2019. More than four years later, we are now talking of a next-gen Global Navigation Satellite System based toll plazas. But how much of a difference have we seen? I was wondering about this while being stuck at Mahasamudram Toll Plaza (MTS) on National Highway 4 (now renumbered as 69) in Andhra Pradesh. This is a key stop, located around 170 km east of the Karnataka capital on the Bengaluru-Chennai highway. With an ocean of vehicles waiting to pass, there was total chaos on January 13 during the Makar Sankranti weekend. Read the full article here.

The New Indian Express | India’s National Geospatial Policy: Analysing progress and charting the future

As 2023 draws to a close, it is important to reflect on India’s strides in implementing its National Geospatial Policy, introduced on December 28, 2022. The National Geospatial Policy, 2022, is a pivotal initiative designed to advance the geospatial sector in support of national development, economic growth and the evolution of an information-rich economy. Geospatial technology is an advanced tool for analysing location-based data. It helps us monitor natural resources, plan development and respond to disasters. This technology provides a comprehensive view of Earth through satellite imagery, Global Positioning System (GPS), remote sensing, and Geographic Information System (GIS). It promotes spatial thinking to solve real-world problems and enables informed decisions and actions. Read the full article here.

Spacepreneur | India's Space and Geospatial Policies: Unlocking New Horizons

ISRO has made moderate-resolution satellite remote sensing data up to 5m spatial resolution available for free to Indian citizens, which is even more than what NASA and ESA offer. This is in line with India's new Space Policy, approved in
April 2023, which aims to expand India's space capabilities, open remote sensing data, and create international partnerships. The policy encourages private businesses to participate in the space economy. Another part of this development is the National Geospatial Policy, which focuses on spatial technologies and aims to achieve significant progress by 2035. This includes conducting a comprehensive survey of India's land and water resources. Many government departments are involved in this policy, and it emphasizes the link between Space and Spatial Sciences, which plays a crucial role in resource management and national development. Both policies are intended to drive India's progress in space and geospatial sectors. Read the full article here.