Bugatti in Rs 16 cr it's India's most expensive !!

The benchmark for luxury cars in the country just got higher with Volkswagen Group company Bugatti Automobiles today launching its super premium sports car 'Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport', with price starting at Rs 16 crore, the most expensive car to hit the Indian roads.

"Bugatti has been doing well in America, Europe and the Middle East. Now we see India as an emerging market for us, hence we have decided to bring the car to India," Bugatti Automobiles Sales Market Manager (Middle East, Europe and India) Guy Caquelin told reporters here.

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, priced at Rs 16 crore onwards, will be distributed by the company's Indian dealer Exclusive Motors. So far, the most expensive cars in India have been the Rolls Royce Phantom and the Maybach, which are priced around Rs 5 crore.

"The price of the car will be subject to foreign exchange fluctuation and the levels of customisation that a buyer demands," Exclusive Motors Managing Director Satya Bagla said.

He, however, said that with the Indian luxury car market growing at about 25 per cent there is an opportunity for such expensive cars.

"The Bugatti Veyron is four times more expensive than what's being sold in the India. So we are currently testing the customer response," Bagla said, when asked if there has been any order for the car.

He said delivery would take about 6-8 months from the date of order.

Caquelin said Bugatti is aiming between 60 and 80 units of the car to be sold across the globe this year and there have been queries from 3 to 4 Indians globally.

The company claims that the Bugatti Veyron is also the fastest car on production that is allowed to drive on normal roads in the world with a top speed of 407 km/hour with an acceleration of 0-100km/hour in 2.7 seconds.

The car, which uses components made of special materials like titanium, carbon fibre and magnesium is powered by an 8 litre engine with 16 cylinders and is assembled by hand at the company's hand headquarters Molsheim in France.

CWG 4 Days To Go: Now, CWG Village Is ‘World-Class’?

After all the recent controversies over hygiene and cleanliness issues at the CWG Games Village, ANI reports say Secretary General of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Lalit Bhanot has claimed that it is clean now and of world class.

According to IANS, around 1,150 athletes and officials, including 58 from Pakistan, are to arrive at the Commonwealth Games Village today. With 146 members, the Australian contingent will be the largest. It will include participants in table tennis, athletics, swimming, tennis and badminton.

Keeping that in mind, The Indian Express reports that civic workers are clocking more than 12 hours cleaning up basements in the Games Village where water has accumulated because of its proximity to the Yamuna to ensure the threat from dengue is under control.

dedicated lanes for CWG in Delhi will now be extended to Major Dhayan Chand Hockey Stadium and Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from the Games Village. To facilitate Commonwealth Games-related traffic, Delhi Traffic Police has been maintaining dedicated Games Lane from Games Village to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Games Family hotels from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm since September 26.

E-mail virus attacks NASA server !!

An e-mail virus has attacked servers across the world, including those at NASA and Google, and possibly the US internal security department office.

The virus, called 'here you have' or 'VBMania', is a simple Trojan Horse that arrives in your inbox with the odd-but-suggestive subject line 'here you have', the Fox News said Saturday.

The body reads 'This is The Document I told you about, you can find it Here' or 'This is The Free Download Sex Movies, you can find it Here'.

The Internet Storm Center, a free analysis and warning service that tracks malicious internet activity, reported that the initial application that generated the vast cloud of spam clogging servers had been taken down, which should limit the spread of the virus Friday.

However, the centre warned: 'New variants may well follow.'

Leading virus monitors such as McAfee Labs and Symantec are currently investigating the threat, and have already updated their website to push security products that could protect users.

'Stop or remove the virus with Norton Internet Security 2011,' advised Symantec on its site Friday morning. The security companies describe 'here you have' as especially challenging to monitor, since the virus may already have replicated into several new forms.

In addition to a variety of major corporations, the virus appeared to take down internal servers at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Thursday. Sources said that some DHS agencies that run on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement server crashed and were mostly disabled throughout Thursday.

But US officials denied that issues with its servers were related to the virus, saying that 'DHS was not among the agencies that were affected'.

'It's a phishing attack -- when you click on the link in an e-mail it goes into the address book. It was clogging a bunch of e-mail and that's it

CWG has a new theme song !!

AS OSCAR - winning musician A. R. Rahman's official theme song for the Delhi Commonwealth Games draws more brickbats than bouquets, the state government on Thursday unveiled its own song for the event.

Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi has laced the fastpaced song titled Khel Le with Bhangra beats that usually hit the right note in north India.

He unveiled the song on Thursday, performing live in front of chief minister Sheila Dikshit and top bureaucrats at a function where the government launched its revamped tourism website.

"I was asked to prepare the song two-three days back. I have made a lot of effort in this short time and I hope people like this song," Mehndi said.

Several people, including Commonwealth Games executive board member V. K. Malhotra, had criticised Rahman's song, India Bula Liya , for being slow paced.

Rahman was paid over '5 crore for composing the official theme song. But while releasing his song, Mehndi said he made the song "free of cost for India". Before unveiling the song, Dikshit launched a 24-hour telephone help centre for all kinds of information about Delhi and a tourism website providing a range of services.

"Delhi ranks number one in foreign tourist arrivals. This makes it vital for it to have a robust tourist guidance system in place," Dikshit said.

She said the online and phone facility (telephone number '1280') would make Delhirelated information and services more accessible.

Tourists can download thematic city maps, information brochures and informative videos to plan their trip better.

Information on hotels, bed and breakfast establishments, transport services, currency converter and weather updates besides detailed information on the city's heritage, will be available at the click of a mouse.

More than troops, Chinese projects in PoK worry India !!

While India has independently confirmed that the presence of Chinese troops in Gilgit and Baltistan is a bit exaggerated in terms of numbers, the real concern here is on the number of projects and works China has undertaken in those areas and in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). And the footprint is only growing larger.

At last count, South Block had noticed at least 17 confirmed projects in PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

These constitute more than half the Chinese projects in areas under Pakistan's control, making it a cause of major concern because of the disputed status of the areas. At present, according to government inputs, 122 Chinese companies are active in Pakistan, and most of them are also involved in projects in PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan areas.

China, sources said, has suddenly increased its involvement in almost every key sector, and has virtually taken upon itself the responsibility of building basic infrastructure in these areas. The list of projects range from providing mobile connectivity services to building power projects, highways and rail links.

Karakoram Highway upgradation: The China Road and Bridge Corporation has taken up this project and will give preferential credit of $327 million through its Exim Bank in what is a $491-million project. Two other MoUs on double-laning of the Karakoram Highway as well as widening of the Jaglot-Skardu road have also been signed.

Pakistan-China rail link: This is a 750 km-long rail link between Havelian and the Khunjerab Pass along the Karakoram Highway. While feasibility studies are on for this project, Pakistan and China have agreed to establish a joint venture between Pakistan Railways and Dongfang Electric Corporation to initially run only freight trains on this route.

Jhelum Bridge: Pakistan has awarded a Rs 1.2 billion contract to a Chinese state company for constructing a major bridge on River Jhelum at Dhangali in Mirpur District.

Five bailey bridges on Gilgit-Skardu Road: Xinjiang Road and Bridge Construction Company of China is replacing five existing bailey bridges on the 167-km long, strategically important Gilgit-Skardu road.

Mining: A Chinese company called MCC Resources Development Company Ltd has been allowed to start a mineral exploration exercise in these areas. The Gilgit-Baltistan government has given a reconnaissance licence to the company. Pakistan Surpass Mining Company, which is subsidiary of China's Xinjiang Surpass Mining Company Ltd, has submitted a $6 million investment proposal for mining in those areas. It plans to set up a hydropower station and Molybdenum processing plant in Chupurshan Valley.

Sust Dry Port: A joint venture named Pak-China Sust Port Company is managing the Sust dry port, 200 km from Gilgit on the Karakoram Highway. Opened four years ago, the Chinese side is the principal stakeholder in the JV.

Mobile communication links: China Mobile is providing mobile services in PoK and certain areas of Gilgit-Baltistan. The company has major plans to set up more towers and expand coverage.

Diamer-Bhasha Dam: China is said to have agreed to finance this $11.3-billion 4500-MW project. Also, it has agreed to provide the services of the China Three Gorges Project Corporation for the construction of the dam. Sinihydro has show interest in the development of the project.

Magla dam raising project: A joint venture comprising China International Water and Electric Corporation and some Pakistan companies have almost completed this project. Once operational, the average annual water availability for irrigation will increase by near 3 million acre feet.

Neelum-Jhelum hydro-power project: China Gezhouba Water and Power Corporation, which was part of the Three Gorges project, has formed a consortium and taken up this 969 MW project too in Muzaffarabad district. Keen on completing this project before the Kishengaga project on the Indian side, Pakistan has obtained a commitment from the consortium that the work will be finished in eight years. Meanwhile, it has raised objections and gone for arbitration with India on the Kishenganga project under Indus Waters Treaty provisions.

Besides these, China has taken up at least four other hydropower projects in these areas-Bhunji project in Gilgit-Baltistan, Kohala project (1100 MW), Naltar project and then smaller projects in places like Phendar, Harpo and Yurlbo.

Already, China has provided a soft loan of $300 million to Pakistan for reconstruction and rehabilitation works in the areas as follow-up on relief for the earthquake. Following the recent floods, it has taken up the task to get the Karakoram Highway back on track. Many of its military personnel are there for relief work and it has so far given aid of $9 million which is likely to increase.

Countdown 28 Days to CWG

With just 28 days to go for the Commonwealth Games, the cyclists of the Indian team are yet to get their all important equipment. The decks have been cleared for the import of 40 high quality cycles which will be arriving in 10 days – barely few weeks before the Games, a senior functionary of the Cycling Federation of India said.

Meanwhile, World No.3 women’s singles badminton star Saina Nehwal, one of the ambassadors of the Commonwealth Games, raised concerns about the lack of preparedness, including the incomplete stadiums. But shortly she decided to tone down her criticism. Read more


Each venue of Commonwealth Games will have a dedicated system to forecast weather conditions in that particular region, courtesy the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The weather office in the national capital is planning to provide athletes and organisers forecast for a period ranging from one hour to five days. More


Moreover, at least two stadia as well as parts of the main sports venue, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, are yet to get completion certificates from civic authorities. However, eight venues have got occupancy certificates from Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), while the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has given the same to three venues.

Straying into exclusive CWG 2010 Games lanes to attract Rs 2,000 fine

Deliberate straying into lanes exclusively marked for Commonwealth Games vehicles on capital's roads will attract a fine of Rs 2,000.

A notification to invoke the fine or impound vehicles of those entering the Games lane will be issued in a day or two by the Lt Governor''s office and is likely to come into effect on September 20.

"We have requested that this be implemented from September 20. We are awaiting the notification," Ajay Chadda, Special Commissioner (Traffic), told reporters here. Those found "deliberately violating" the rule will be penalised. However, if someone accidentally strays into the lane, he may be spared.

"All road users are expected to maintain the sanctity of the dedicated lane. They should avoid getting into the dedicated lane and if inadvertently they enter the lane, they should immediately come out of it," Chadda said. He said the dedicated lane is part of the contract entered into by the host city and Commonwealth Games Federation.

Chadda said on the first two days, traffic police may not invoke penal provisions so as to educate people about the exclusive lane for the Games, scheduled to be held here from October 3 to 14. "There will be zero tolerance towards violations. Our motto is zero tolerance and maximum prosecution," he said.

"The extreme left lanes of the roads from Games Village to various venues and the airport will be designated as exclusive Games lanes," Chadha said. In case of six-lane roads, other lanes may also be used, he said. Initially, the restrictions on Games lanes will be operational during night time only as international flights carrying athletes are scheduled during those hours.

Though the route from Games Village to competition venues and airport has a dedicated lane, there will be no such facility for practice venues. Chadda said there will be no special lanes for roads leading to practice venues but motorcycle patrols will lead the convoys of athletes.

The lane may be thrown open for public when no Games vehicle is scheduled to use it, he said. Police personnel will be deployed along the routes to check any violation. Regular trials will be held on the lanes from tomorrow, Chadha said.

People have been advised to avoid as far as possible CWG lanes in general and Safdurjung Road, Kamal Ataturk Marg, Panchsheel Marg, Sardar Patel Marg, Siri Fort Road, Harsukh Marg, Purana Quila Road and Mother Teresa Crescent Road in particular as these roads are having two lanes in one carriage way and one lane of it is already reserved for Games related traffic.

source: http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20100903/381/tsp-straying-into-exclusive-games-lanes.html