STREETS PAVED WITH GOLD... BUT THE ROADS ARE PLASTIC


A major project to improve tyre-worn Californian roads will soon be under way in a project that follows an Indian initiative. The City of Los Angeles has joined forces with a landscape product company to pave roads with plastic asphalt, a surfacing material that includes a binder made from an oil derived from shredded plastic waste. For inspiration, they needed to look no further than the


tens of thousands of roads in Southern India constructed in this way since the Indian government made its use mandatory in 2015, providing a solution to the litter problem and increasing the surface’s durability at the same time.


The idea first emerged from a workshop at the Thiagarajar College of Engineering in Madurai in 2001 where chemistry professor Dr Rajagopalan Vasudevan decided to find ways of avoiding a wholesale plastic ban – something he feared would severely affect the quality of life for low-income families. His search for an effective disposal technique found that plastic had binding qualities and worked well when mixed with bitumen and stone. India was a natural home for such an experiment. Its road network, according to figures produced last year, spans about 5,903,293 km, making it the second-largest in the world. | onegreenplanet.org


MILITARY ZONE MAY SOON SEE A HOLIDAY INVASION


The heavily militarised area close to the Line of Actual Control with China may emerge as a potential tourist hub. The army is examining an internal proposal to turn India’s easternmost inhabited area into the country’s next summer destination, according to reports. It is through Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, eight kilometres south of the


HAZIRA’S ON THE HORIZON


There are hopes that a newly-opened weekly cruise route to and from from the upgraded Hazira Port in Surat and Bandra in Mumbai will prove to represent a major connectivity boost between the nation’s financial capital and the Gujarat city. Since its launch in early November, it


plans to operate initially once a week. It has the capacity to accommodate up to 250 people and includes 20 rooms for the overnight trips. It may increase in future if the demand is there. Tickets cost around INR 3000-5000. | haziralngandport.com


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LAC, that one of Brahmaputra’s tributaries, Lohit, enters India and flows into the Lohit valley, dividing its west and east banks. Though sparsely populated, the Kibithu sector is home to the largely


Meyor-inhabited Dong village and one where adventurers go to enjoy the early morning summer sun rises. A proposal has now been made highlighting its potential as a trekking route. | northeastguide.in


RESCUE APP FOR TOURISTS IN DISTRESS


A travel app that aims to keep foreign visitors safe has been given a $1 million cash injection. The seed-funding was provided by an undisclosed Silicon Valley based investor to Delhi-based India Assist. India Assist is a subscription-based platform available on iOS and Android which acts as an intermediary to find the appropriate help for a tourist in distress and give on-the-scene help. Founder Harish Khatri said the money will be used to improve the user experience through IT innovations, generate new products and drive marketing campaigns. | indiaassist.com


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