Current Affairs - Places

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched ‘Mumbai One’, India’s first unified mobility app, to integrate ticketing across 11 public transport services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The app allows commuters to book a single digital ticket for metro, buses, suburban trains, monorail, and taxis, supporting a trilingual interface in Marathi, Hindi, and English. It provides real-time journey planning, QR-based cashless payments, and safety features like emergency support. Hosted on Google Cloud Platform using Kubernetes Engine, the app is designed to handle up to 50 lakh transactions daily, significantly enhancing convenience, accessibility, and efficiency for Mumbai’s public transport users.

India will host the 8th International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly from October 27–30, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The summit will bring together leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders from 124 countries to discuss strategies for global solar energy collaboration, affordable access, and scaling adoption across sectors like agriculture, transport, and healthcare. Hosting the ISA Assembly underscores India’s leadership in renewable energy, as it continues to expand its non-fossil fuel electricity capacity and position itself as a global hub for clean energy innovation. The event also aligns with India’s vision of a carbon-neutral future.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav launched the ‘Namo Van’ project in Manesar to mark the beginning of Wildlife Week 2025 celebrations. The initiative aligns with the year’s theme, ‘Sewa Parv,’ emphasizing service toward nature and environmental preservation. As part of the event, a large-scale plantation drive was organised under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, encouraging citizens to plant trees in honour of their mothers. The ‘Namo Van’ project aims to promote biodiversity conservation, enhance green cover, and raise awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife and preserving India’s rich ecological heritage.

India inaugurated its first Integrative Oncology Research and Care Centre (IORCC) at the All India Institute of Ayurveda in Dhargal, Goa. This centre uniquely blends traditional therapies like Ayurveda, Yoga, and Panchakarma with modern oncology treatments, aiming to provide holistic rehabilitation for cancer patients. It also serves as a research and training hub, developing evidence-informed protocols and building capacity in integrative oncology. The initiative marks a transformative step in India’s healthcare approach, promoting collaboration between traditional and modern medical systems to enhance patient recovery, reduce side effects, and improve overall quality of life.

Oil India Ltd (OIL) announced its first confirmed natural gas discovery off the Andaman Islands, marking a major milestone in India’s offshore energy exploration. The Hydrocarbon Resource Assessment Study (HRAS) has estimated around 371 million metric tonnes of oil equivalent (MMTOE) in the Andaman Basin, which is part of the Bengal-Arakan sedimentary system. Located at the tectonic boundary between the Indian and Burmese plates, the basin contains favorable geological conditions such as stratigraphic traps. This discovery significantly boosts India’s prospects for future energy self-reliance while highlighting the strategic importance of the Andaman region in hydrocarbon exploration.