On March 6, 2024,  Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first-ever underwater metro section in Kolkata. This remarkable feat of engineering spans a distance of 16.6 kilometers beneath the Hooghly River, connecting Kolkata’s twin cities: Howrah and Salt Lake.

Here are the key points about this groundbreaking project:

1. Underwater Marvel:
   • The metro tunnel runs beneath the River Hooghly, making it the first transportation tunnel under any mighty river in India.
   • The Howrah Metro Station, located beneath the river, is the deepest station in the country, with tunnels extending 32 meters below the water level.
   • The underwater metro section covers a 520-meter stretch under the river, allowing commuters to traverse this distance in just 45 seconds.
2. East-West Metro Corridor:
   • The underwater metro is part of the East-West Metro corridor, linking Howrah Maidan to the IT hub Salt Lake Sector V.
   • In April 2023, Kolkata Metro made history by running a train through the tunnel under the Hooghly River as part of trials, a first in India. This section is 4.8 kilometers long and connects Howrah Maidan to the Esplanade.
3. Automatic Train Operation (ATO):
   • The metro uses a system called Automatic Train Operation (ATO). After the motorman presses a button, the train moves automatically to the next station.
   • Out of the total 16.6 kilometers of the East-West Metro, 10.8 kilometers are underground, including the tunnel under the Hooghly River. The rest is above ground.

Q: Which station is the deepest in the underwater metro system?

A) Salt Lake Sector V
B) Howrah Maidan
C) Esplanade
D) Howrah Metro Station

Answer: D) Howrah Metro Station

Q: Which river does the underwater metro tunnel pass beneath?

A) Yamuna
B) Ganges
C) Brahmaputra
D) Hooghly

Answer: D) Hooghly

Udyan Utsav 2024, India’s flowering extravaganza at Amrit Udyan, is open to the public from February 2nd to March 31st, 2024 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

• Amrit Udyan spans 15 acres and is considered the soul of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, comprising various gardens including East Lawn, Central Lawn, Long Garden, Circular Garden, Herbal-I, Herbal-II, Tactile Garden, Bonsai Garden, and Arogya Vanam.
• This edition of Udyan Utsav 2024 features Tulips, Daffodils, Asiatic Lily, Oriental Lily, and other rare seasonal flowers, with the key attractions being the floral patterns of Tulips and over 100 varieties of Roses.
• Visitors can explore multiple attractions including Bal Vatika, a garden for children with a 225-year-old Sheesham tree, a treehouse, and Nature’s classroom. Other attractions include Bonsai, Circular Gardens, and a vibrant food court with ongoing exhibitions.
• The gardens are open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (last entry at 4:00 PM) and entry is from Gate No. 35 of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, near North Avenue.
• On specific days (February 26th, 27th, March 1st, and 5th, 2024), the Udyan will be open only for special visitations from select diverse groups. The Gardens will be closed on all Mondays for maintenance and on Holi (March 25th, 2024) for a Gazetted Holiday.

Q: What is Udyan Utsav 2024, celebrated at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, from February 2nd to March 31st, 2024?

a) A music festival
b) A flowering extravaganza
c) A food carnival
d) A cultural exhibition

Ans : b) A flowering extravaganza

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh inaugurated DefConnect 2024 in New Delhi on 4 March 2024.

• The event aims to encourage indigenous defence innovation and marks a significant milestone in the country’s defence innovation landscape.
• DefConnect 2024 brings together key stakeholders including the Armed Forces, defence industry leaders, start-ups, academia, and policymakers.
• Its goal is to facilitate meaningful engagements, showcase cutting-edge technologies, and foster collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the Defence sector.
• It is being organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence-Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO), under the Department of Defence Production.
• The iDEX framework enables military personnel to collaborate with innovators in a co-development model.
• iDEX was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 to provide a unified platform for stakeholders in the defence and aerospace sectors, overseeing technology development and potential collaborations.

Q: What is the primary objective of DefConnect 2024?

a) To promote international defence cooperation
b) To showcase defence procurement procedures
c) To encourage indigenous defence innovation
d) To facilitate diplomatic engagements

Ans : c) To encourage indigenous defence innovation

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, laid the foundation stone of Dharma Path in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh on March 1, 2024.

1. The Dharma Path will link Jaunpur with Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Mirzapur.
2. A four-lane road costing 3,405 crore rupees will be built from Hauz to Purvanchal University and from Purvanchal University to Shahganj.

Q: What is the purpose of the Dharma Path project in Uttar Pradesh?

a) To connect rural villages with urban centers
b) To improve transportation infrastructure in Jaunpur
c) To connect Jaunpur with Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Mirzapur
d) To construct highways for industrial development

Ans : c) To connect Jaunpur with Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Mirzapur