General Studies Paper-3 Context A decade after the launch of the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), which aimed to transform 100 Indian cities into models of efficiency and sustainability, the floods in several Indian cities revealed the fragile infrastructure and selective beautification, instead of resilient cities. About Smart Cities Mission (SCM) It was launched in June 2015 with the aim to transform 100 cities into urban models that are citizen-friendly, sustainable, and technologically advanced. It is designed to align with other national initiatives like AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission, Digital India, and Housing for All, ensuring integrated urban growth. It has delivered....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context With less than 1% share in global shipbuilding currently, India is on course to be among the world’s top five countries in this arena by 2047. About Shipbuilding Shipbuilding refers to the construction, repair, and maintenance of vessels used for transportation, defense, and trade. Shipbuilding is carried out in specialised facilities called shipyards, which are equipped to handle large-scale projects and complex assembly processes. Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the ship building and repairing market, accounting for 49% or $118.12 billion of the total in 2023. It was followed by Western Europe, North America and....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context Recently, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) released its ‘Road Accidents in India 2023‘ report following a Supreme Court’s direction after several delays. Key Findings of Report Surge in Road Crashes & Death: Road accidents in India grew 4.2% year-on-year in 2023, reaching 480,583 cases. These accidents claimed 172,890 lives – the highest ever recorded. The number of deaths rose 2.6% compared to 2022, while 462,825 people were injured – a 4.4% increase. Surge in Fatal Accidents: Fatal road accidents increased from 1,55,781 in 2022 to 1,60,509 in 2023, marking a 3.04% growth. These....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context The recent collapse of the Mujpur-Gambhira bridge over Gujarat’s Mahisagar (Mahi) river has once again exposed the alarming fragility of public infrastructure of India. About India’s Public Infrastructure India’s public infrastructure — like national highways & expressways, economic corridors, bridges, drainage systems, urban utilities, telecom, and infrastructures related to ports & shipping etc — is recognized as the foundation of economic growth, social equity, and national resilience. Over the past decade, sectors like transport, energy, housing and digital connectivity have gained momentum. According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), 431 infrastructure projects faced....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: The issue of Indian Railway safety is once again under scrutiny following a recent incident where a freight train collided with a passenger train near Siliguri in West Bengal. This incident, along with last year’s tragic Balasore train accident, underscores the pressing need for comprehensive reforms and enhanced safety protocols to safeguard passengers and prevent such devastating accidents in the future. Train Accidents in India It is an occurrence in the course of working of Railway which does or may affect the safety of the Railway, its engine, rolling stock, permanent way and works, fixed....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: Recently, India has accelerated the efforts to improve infrastructure and connectivity along the Line of Actual Control with China. Enhanced Connectivity and Development The Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh, a contested border area between India and China, has seen significant developments in infrastructure and connectivity in recent years. Boosting Connectivity: The Indian Army has been instrumental in connecting remote areas of the state, speeding up efforts to improve infrastructure along the LAC. It has both military and civilian advantages, boosting tourism and quickening the Army’s movements. The work on the 2,400-km-long Trans Arunachal Highway....Read More

General Studies Paper 3 Current events of national and international importance. Context Two scientific methods of mining — vertical drilling and auger or horizontal drilling — were employed to rescue 41 workers on November 28 after 17 days of being trapped in the partially collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand. The last leg of the rescue involved rat hole mining. In the coal mines of Meghalaya, this crude method was banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014. What is rat hole mining? Rat Hole mining, of two types, is so named as it involves digging tunnels 34 feet deep,....Read More

General Studies Paper 3 Introduction Each year, 3 lakh people are estimated to be killed on the road in India, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The number of people suffering life altering injuries in road crashes is exponentially higher even than that. World Day of Remembrance As the planet commemorated the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on November 19 to provide a platform for road traffic victims and their families to remember, support and act, such figures should serve as a wakeup call to all of us. We need immediate, coordinated and evidence based interventions....Read More

General Studies Paper 3 Introduction Nothing focuses the nation’s collective attention on the Indian Railways as a major accident. The triple train collision at Bahanaga Bazar railway station, near Balasore in Odisha on June 2, which led to the tragic loss of over 280 lives, has evoked all the expected responses from various quarters, offering explanations as to how the accident occurred and remedial measures to prevent accidents in the future, and comparisons with Railway systems abroad. In short, there is an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. Safety and the information flow This concerns the flow of information regarding unsafe....Read More