TMS Ep568: Rlys' Chhath woes, news broadcast on mobile, Tata

At this time of the year, millions of men, women and children embark on an arduous journey to their homes in Bihar for Chhat. It’s a yearly phenomenon. We know it. And Indian railways too knows it. Yet, every year, we see visuals of people crammed in train bogies. Some are forced to take shelter in toilets, while others precariously hang from its doors in their desperate bid to reach home. But why? Why can’t Indian Railways manage the Chhath rush? 

Planned introduction of over 3,000 new trains in the next to five years will certainly offer some relief to passengers. Meanwhile, in another good news, the government is exploring the feasibility of beaming TV channels on your mobile phones. This service will not need an internet connection. However, the telecom companies are not happy. But why? And what will be the impact of direct to mobile broadcasting? 

Let us now shift our focus to yet another big developing news.  Dalal Street is gearing up for an IPO from the Tata Group after a gap of nearly two decades. The last Tata company to go public was IT bellwether TCS in 2004. And now engineering service provider Tata Technologies will open its IPO on Wednesday. So, is the much-hyped IPO worth your money? 

Clouds of global uncertainty hovering over Dalal Street have almost dispersed as of now. Thanks to easing inflation in the US. But the haze of pollution enveloping the financial capital is still there. And the situation is worse in India’s national capital Delhi, where GRAP III measures are still in place. But what is GRAP? And how does it help reduce pollution? Listen to this podcast for answers.