IIT Researchers Make Bioethanol From Wood Waste

(Source: PTI)

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati and the University of Lisbon, Portugal have studied the efficacy of a specific bacterial enzyme in breaking down woody biomatter into simple sugar that can be fermented efficiently to produce bioethanol - a promising renewable fuel that can replace petroleum-based fuel systems.

The research has been published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.

According to officials, the production of fuel from renewable biological sources has elicited significant scientific interest in recent years because of the problems of dwindling fossil fuel reserves and the environmental pollution associated with their generation and use.

"Of the many biofuels known, ethanol (or ethyl alcohol) is widely studied because of its positive impact on the environment. This intoxicating component of spirits and drinks that can also be used to fuel vehicles, is commonly produced by the fermentation of sugar and starch-containing raw materials -- grapes, barley, potato, among others," Arun Goyal, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Guwahati said.

However, there is interest in developing methods to extract bioethanol for fuel from agricultural and forestry residues and crops that are rich in carbohydrate polymers (lignocellulose) the plant dry matter that constitutes the woody part of plants.

For industrial production of bioethanol as fuel, the lignocellulose extracted from plants is deconstructed by using the biological catalysts (enzymes) called cellulases, and subsequently fermented. Endoglucanase is one such cellulase enzyme.

"The research has shown that multifunctional RfGH5_4 cellulase (enzyme) might be used for the efficient and cost-effective production of lignocellulosic bioethanol on an industrial scale. Thus, its ability to break down cellulose and hemicellulose makes it possibly useful in various other applications such as the textile, food and pulp industry, synthesis of prebiotics, and pharmaceuticals, among others," said Parmeshwar Gavande, PhD research scholar at IIT Guwahati.

"Agricultural residual biomasses are wasted or burned causing various environmental hazard, including global warming and climate change. Their deconstruction by RfGH5_4 might extend its usage in food medicine as well," he added.

Yatra Has Done Wonders, Translating Into Votes Next Challenge: Tharoor

(Source: PTI)

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said while the party’s 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi has evoked a massive response, “translating this into votes is the next challenge and doesn’t follow axiomatically”.

He also said the “government was shaken” by the success of the yatra and a letter written by it warning of the dangers posed by the Covid-19 strain which may have come in from China was “signalling that it was extremely concerned about its success.”

Tharoor, who recently unsuccessfully contested the post of the Congress president, also said his party will need to take other parties, especially regional players, along to mount a challenge in the 2024 general elections.

“My own impression is that the way he (Gandhi) has been personally received has done wonders for his image,'' he told PTI on the sidelines of an event organised as part of the Kolkata Literary Festival.

"Now translating this into votes is the next challenge, and that doesn’t follow axiomatically," the Congress leader said.

Questioned about Covid-19 posing a threat to the yatra, Tharoor pointed out that the walkathon will end less than a month later on January 26 and that till now the “messages coming” from experts were fairly reassuring.

“The variants that have been doing so much damage in China have already been identified in India in June-July and have not caused any major calamity,” he said, adding that the country still needed to be vigilant.

“The government is shaken … Writing to Rahul that the Covid made the yatra dangerous was a signal that it was extremely concerned about its success,” the political leader said.

Earlier this week, the Congress had charged that the BJP-led central government was using Covid as an excuse to stop the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

Tharoor also alluded to the Congress party’s earlier complaints that yatra participants were questioned by the Intelligence Bureau.

“I hope this will not be repeated as we carry on into Haryana, UP and Kashmir … my hope is that by allowing the yatra to come to its planned conclusion, the government will put the interests of Indian democracy ahead of narrow political interests of the ruling party,” he said.

Tharoor said though he believed the Congress would emerge as the largest single party from among opposition parties, it would still need to forge ties with other opposition parties ahead of the 2024 general elections.

He said, “Congress is bound to be the largest single opposition party in the next general elections,” but would still need “a willing coalition of opposition parties around it, especially regional parties.”

“Opposition unity is very desirable if we are to offer the country an alternative government next time,” said the former minister and UN bureaucrat-turned-author.

“Otherwise we will be stuck with the kind of majoritarian rule that all these parties are individually objecting to.”

He said this even as new fissures with opposition parties surfaced. Earlier on Thursday, a key opposition player, former UP chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said his party's ideology was different from that of the Congress and the BJP.

When asked if he was invited to join the yatra, Yadav said he did not receive an invitation.

Case Registered Against Pragya Thakur For 'Inflammatory Remarks' At Shivamogga Event

Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur (Image: PTI)

(Source: PTI)

Police on Wednesday registered a case against firebrand BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur for her alleged inflammatory speech at a convention organised in Karnataka recently by a pro-Hindu outfit.

The case has been registered at the Kote police station, based on a complaint by Shivamogga District Congress Committee president H S Sundaresh, officials said.

According to police, the case has been registered against the Bhopal MP under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).

Thakur had, on December 25, said Hindus have the right to respond to those who attack them and their dignity as she spoke about the killing of Hindu activists.

Speaking at the Hindu Jagarana Vedike's southern region annual convention, she had also told the gathering to give a befitting reply to anyone who "infiltrates our house".

"Keep weapons in your homes. If nothing else, at least keep the knives used to cut vegetables sharp.... Don't know what situation will arise when.... Everyone has the right to self-protection. If someone infiltrates our house and attacks us, giving a befitting reply is our right," she said.

TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale and Tehseen Poonawalla, whose Twitter bio describes him as a venture capitalist and political analyst and consultant, on Tuesday had filed complaints against Thakur with Shivamogga MP G K Mithun Kumar for allegedly making "hate speech".

However, stating that the complaints were received through mail, the SP had asked them to appear before the jurisdictional police officer for the complaint to be registered. Following this, the local Congress leader on Wednesday lodged the complaint.

India-Backed Projects In Afghanistan, Myanmar Impacted Due To Prevailing Situation

 

India-backed projects have suffered setbacks in Afghanistan and faced numerous challenges in Myanmar due to the current political and security situation in these countries, the Ministry of External Affairs has informed a parliamentary panel.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs chaired by BJP MP P P Chaudhary noted that there has been a reduction in allocation in aid to Afghanistan.

In an action taken report tabled in Parliament last week, the Ministry of External Affairs said it has noted the parliamentary panel's observations and will work towards addressing them.

India's development partnership with Afghanistan includes more than 500 projects spread across each of its 34 provinces and in various sectors.

"Several proposals in this regard are already under process. Due to the political and security situation in Afghanistan, projects' implementation has suffered setbacks," the ministry said in the report.

Responding to the parliamentary committee's observations on allocations to Myanmar, the ministry said despite the ongoing political situation in the country, India has completed and handed over a capacity building institution each on information technology and agriculture research in March this year.

Talking about the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, the ministry said its waterways component has been completed. While the construction work on its road component has been slow, "mainly due to the security situation on the Myanmar side and the delay caused due to COVID-19 pandemic."

"Given the current security and political situation in Myanmar, implementation and execution of the above projects have been met with numerous challenges," the ministry said.

US Embassy Sounds Red Alert; Prohibits Americans From Visiting Islamabad's Marriott Hotel

(Source: PTI)

The US embassy in Pakistan has warned about a possible terrorist attack against American citizens at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad -- the country's capital -- and prohibited American staff from visiting the five-star facility, an official statement said.  

The statement was issued by the embassy on Sunday, two days after a suicide bombing in Islamabad killed a policeman.

The US government is aware of information that unknown individuals are possibly plotting to attack Americans at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad sometime during the holidays, it said.

"Effective immediately, the Embassy in Islamabad is prohibiting all American staff from visiting Islamabad's Marriott Hotel," the statement said.

The embassy also directed that as Islamabad has been placed on a 'Red Alert' citing security concerns while banning all public gatherings, all mission personnel have been urged to refrain from non-essential and unofficial travel in the capital throughout the holiday season.  

It asked the US nationals to exercise vigilance at events and places of worship, and avoid locations with large crowds while reviewing personal security plans.  

The advisory comes after the latest attack in Islamabad and an uptick in countryside attacks by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group. 

The TTP has stepped up attacks on security forces since November, when they ended a months-long cease-fire with the Pakistan government.  

One police officer and two suspected militants, including a woman of the dreaded Pakistani Taliban outfit, were killed in the suicide attack in Islamabad on December 23, prompting authorities in Pakistan to issue a "red alert" across the federal capital. According to national data, Pakistan has recorded 420 terrorist attacks since August 2021 when the Taliban took over Afghanistan. In the last three months alone, the TTP has claimed responsibility for 141 attacks.

At least 54 people were killed and several others injured when a dumper truck laden with explosives was detonated in front of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad's red zone area on September 20, 2008.

National Archives Of India Has No Records Of 1962, 1965 And 1971 Wars

(Source: PTI)

The National Archives of India (NAI) does not have records of 1962, 1965, and 1971 wars and the green revolution as a number of Union ministries and departments have not shared their records with it, according to its Director General Chandan Sinha.

The NAI keeps and conserves records of the government of India and its organisations only. It does not receive classified documents.

Underlining that records management in government is an essential aspect of good governance, Sinha said there are several ministries that have not shared their records with the NAI since independence.

Speaking at the good governance workshop organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances on Friday, he noted that there are in all 151 ministries and departments, and the NAI has only records of 64 agencies, including 36 ministries and departments.

"What does it mean? It means we do not have any records in the National Archives of India of the Green Revolution, which we hail all the time, or the wars 1962 war, the 1965 war, and the 1971 war - the great victory. There are several such issues in certain such areas which I am very sad to share with you that we do not have any records. We are not holding history in trust. Indeed, the question that we must face is that are we losing a large part of our history since independence," Sinha said.

He also informed that the Defence Ministry had sent, till the beginning of this year, 476 files after independence. He said 20,000 files that go up to the year 1960 have been transferred this year, he said.

Sinha said rather than waiting for a special campaign for recording and weeding out of files for records, it is supposed to be done every quarter.

He asserted that there should be no unauthorised destruction of records. In fact, there is a one-year imprisonment for unauthorised destruction of records.

Sinha said an appraisal of records and reviewing and identifying them for transfer to the NAI is a very important aspect of governance. 

Kamal Haasan, Families Of Freedom Fighters To Join Bharat Jodo Yatra In Delhi Today

 

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan, family members of freedom fighters and top Congress leaders are expected to join Rahul Gandhi in the Delhi leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra on Saturday, party sources said.

Delhi Congress president Anil Chaudhary said at least 40,000 to 50,000 yatris are expected to participate in the yatra in the national capital.

"Senior Congress leaders and parliamentarians, families of freedom fighters and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MKM) president Kamal Haasan are likely to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the national capital," a party source told PTI on Friday.

Addressing the MKM office-bearers last week, Haasan had said he has been invited by Rahul Gandhi and that he would participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra on December 24 in the national capital.

"People from different fields will be joining the yatra that will enter Badarpur border at 6 am. We will then walk towards Ashram via Apollo hospital and thereafter, the yatris will have a lunch break and will rest for a while. We will resume our yatra at 1 pm from Ashram," Chaudhary said.

After the lunch break, the yatra will resume and head towards Nizamuddin and then to the India Gate Circle. Thereafter, Rahul Gandhi and some of the yatris will visit Rajghat, Veerbhumi and Shantivan by car and pay floral tributes.

After a short break beginning Saturday night, the yatra will resume from January 3 from Uttar Pradesh, then again head to Haryana in the second phase and then to Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari, has covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. It completed 100 days on December 16.

India Notes With Concern Taliban's Decision To Ban Women From Universities

(Source: PTI)

India on Thursday said it is concerned over reports that the Taliban have banned women from universities in Afghanistan, and renewed its call for setting up of an inclusive government in Kabul that ensures the equal rights of women and girls in all aspects of Afghan society. 

Several countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom, have strongly condemned the Taliban's decisions to ban women from universities.

In March, the Taliban barred girls from going to secondary schools.

"We have noted with concern the reports in this regard. India has consistently supported the cause of female education in Afghanistan," Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

He was replying to queries on the issue during a media briefing.

"We have emphasised the importance of the establishment of an inclusive and representative government that respects the rights of all Afghans and ensures the equal rights of women and girls to participate in all aspects of Afghan society, including access to higher education," Bagchi said.

The MEA spokesperson also referred to the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2593 on Afghanistan.

"I would also recall UN Security Council Resolution 2593, which reaffirms the importance of upholding human rights, including those of women, and also calls for full, equal and meaningful participation of women," he said.

The UNSC resolution, adopted on August 30 last year under India's presidency of the global body, talked about the need for upholding human rights in Afghanistan, and demanded that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism and that a negotiated political settlement should be found to the crisis.

Hoax Social Media Bomb Threat At Delhi IGI Airport

(Source: PTI)

A social media chat about "bombing and eliminating" Delhi's IGI Airport led to a brief panic and triggered a counter-terrorist security drill at the country's largest civil aviation facility on Wednesday, official sources said.

The threat was categorised as "non specific" or hoax around 6:30 am after over an hour of conducting anti-sabotage checks at the facility even as normal passenger traffic continued, they said.

Airport security officials, sources told PTI, were informed about a social media post, in reply to another message, that the Indira Gandhi International Airport should be bombed.

The chat posts, whose creators are being traced by the police, also talked about "eliminating" the airport, the sources said.

A bomb threat assessment committee (BTAC), comprising security, intelligence and airport operators, was triggered into action soon after the chats were flashed at the IGI control room around 5:15 am.

The threat was declared a "hoax" and "not serious" after about an hour of anti-sabotage checks at the three IGI terminals by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Delhi Police and airport authorities, they said.

The IGI airport in the national capital is designated as "hypersensitive" from the security point of view. Scores of passengers transit through its terminals everyday for domestic and international departures and arrivals. 

Naxal Violence Reduced By 77% In 11 Years: Govt Tells Lok Sabha

(Source: PTI)

The incidents of Naxal violence have reduced by 77 per cent from the high of 2,213 in 2010 to 509 in 2021, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Similarly, resultant deaths (civilians and security forces) have reduced by 85 per cent from the high of 1,005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021, Rai said, adding that the declining trend continues in 2022.

"Steadfast implementation of the national policy has resulted in consistent decline in violence in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas. Incidents of LWE violence have reduced by 77 pert cent from the high of 2,213 in 2010 to 509 in 2021," he said replying to a written question.

The minister said geographical spread of the violence has also significantly reduced and only 191 police stations of 46 districts reported LWE related violence in 2021 as compared to a high of 465 police stations of 96 districts in 2010.

He said decline in geographical spread is also reflected in the reduced number of districts covered under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme and the number of SRE districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April, 2018 and further to 70 in July, 2021.

Similarly, Rai said the number of districts contributing approximately 90 per cent of the LWE violence, categorised as most LWE affected districts, came down to 30 from 35 in 2018 and further to 25 in 2021.

Amber Heard To Pay $1 Million To Johnny Depp In Settlement Of Legal Battle

(Source: IANS)

Actress Amber Heard will pay Hollywood star and former husband Johnny Depp $1 million to settle their long-running legal battle, in which each accused the other of domestic violence.

The sum is a significant reduction from the $8.35 million she was ordered to pay after a six-week trial in Virginia earlier this year. The payment is expected to come from her insurance carrier, reports 'Variety'.

In a statement, Depp's attorneys said that he would donate the money to charity. His attorneys have previously said that the case was "never about the money" for Depp. In her own statement, Heard said she had "lost faith in the American legal system". She also said that the settlement spares her the ordeal of further litigation and allows her to finally "emancipate" herself from their marriage.

Depp originally filed a $50 million defamation claim against Heard in March 2019 after she published an op-ed in the Washington Post in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse".

At the trial, each actor testified for several days, revealing lurid details of drug abuse and screaming matches. Their testimony was streamed live on YouTube and remixed endlessly on TikTok and Facebook.

Heard alleged that Depp repeatedly assaulted her and choked her. She often broke down in sobs during her testimony.

Depp, meanwhile, alleged that Heard was the aggressor in the relationship, and that he would try to retreat whenever she became violent. The couple had made audio recordings of their arguments during their marriage, and each side played clips they had selected to try to corroborate their accounts.

The seven-person jury ruled in Depp's favour on three separate claims of defamation, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. The latter sum was knocked down to $350,000 to comply with a statutory cap.  

Kashmir, Ladakh Continue To Reel Under Sub-Zero Temperatures

(Source: IANS)

Cold and dry weather with sub-zero temperatures continued in Kashmir and Ladakh during the last 24 hours as the Meteorological (MeT) office said on Monday that the same conditions were expected to continue.

"Cold dry weather with morning haze is expected to continue in J&K and Ladakh during the next 24 hours," an official of the MeT department said.

Srinagar had minus 3.1, Pahalgam minus 4.8 and Gulmarg minus 2.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature. In the Ladakh region, Leh had minus 10.8.

Jammu had 7.4, Katra 7.8, Batote 3.3, Banihal minus 0.4 and Bhaderwah 1.2 as the minimum temperature.

Names Of People Who Don't Link Aadhaar With Election Card Won't Be Struck Off Voters' List

(Source: PTI)

The names of people who do not share their Aadhaar number to link with the election identity card will not be struck off the voters' list, the government said on Friday, noting that the exercise is voluntary.

The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021, allows electoral registration officers to require the existing or prospective elector to provide the Aadhaar number for the "purpose of establishing identity" on a "voluntary basis", Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said in Lok Sabha.

He was responding to a question on the linkage of Aadhaar with electoral rolls. The Election Commission has launched a programme to collect the Aadhaar number of existing and prospective electors on a voluntary basis from August 1 in all the states and UTs.

It is voluntary to link Aadhaar with a Voter ID and consent is obtained from the elector for Aadhaar authentication in Form 6B which was recently introduced, he said.

However, the minister made it clear that "there is no provision for withdrawing the consent" to share Aadhaar details. Asked whether the name of the voters whose voter IDs are not linked with Aadhaar will be struck off the voters' list, he replied in the negative.

The minister informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday that more than 54 crore of the nearly 95 crore total voters have opted to link their Aadhaar details with the voter list. He said linking of Aadhaar is "process driven" and "no targets have been given" for linking Aadhaar with election photo identity card.

Rijiju said the Unique Identification Authority of India (UlDAl), under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 has made it compulsory for the centralised storage of all Aadhaar numbers in a different repository known as 'Aadhaar Data Vault'.

The Election Commission strictly follows the guidelines prescribed by UIDAI and "does not" store the Aadhaar numbers in its database. The Aadhaar number is used only for authentication purposes and EC does not retrieve any personal information from the UIDAI Aadhaar database, he underlined.

Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra Completes 100 Days On Road

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra, in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district (PTI)

 

(Source: PTI)

The Bharat Jodo Yatra's biggest achievement is that it highlighted issues relevant to the people, senior Congress leader K C Venugopal said on Friday, as the Rahul Gandhi-led foot march completed 100 days on the road.

Gandhi, Venugopal, former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and other senior leaders of the party began the morning leg of the yatra from the Meena High Court here.

"Bharat Jodo Yatra's biggest achievement is that issues of the common people of the country have been highlighted through it," Venugopal told PTI while walking in the yatra.

"The BJP's attempt of demolishing his (Gandhi's) image has also been destroyed by us," he added.

The Congress general secretary (organisation) also stressed that the message of the yatra will be spread through a follow-up campaign to be undertaken by the party from January 26.

The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states -- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

With over 2,800 kilometres under his belt, Gandhi has managed to catch the attention of his supporters as well as detractors.

Controversies have also been part and parcel of the yatra, with the Congress and the BJP trading barbs on several occasions.

The yatra will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and finally, Jammu and Kashmir.

It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP's Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points. 

Raghuram Rajan Joins Bharat Jodo Yatra

 

Raghuram Rajan with Rahul Gandhi

(Source: PTI)

Reserve Bank of India's former governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday joined Rahul Gandhi during the Congress-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, is passing through Rajasthan. The yatra will complete 100 days on Friday.

The yatra resumed from the Bhadoti area of Sawai Madhopur on Wednesday and reached Badhshapura for a morning break.

Rajan walked with Gandhi during this leg of the yatra on Wednesday.

"#BharatJodoYatra Shri Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of RBI, shaking steps with @RahulGandhi ji... The increasing number of people standing up to unite the country against hatred shows that we will be successful," The Indian National Congress tweeted along with a picture of Rajan walking with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Dr Raghuram Rajan was the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India between September 2013 and September 2016.

Between 2003 and 2006, he was the Chief Economist and Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund.

The yatra will resume at 3.30 pm and the evening break will be in Bagdi village of Dausa at 6.30 pm.

Arrive Early, Carry Just One Hand Baggage: Airlines To Passengers

(Source: PTI)

With passengers continuing to experience long waiting hours at Delhi and other airports, airlines have asked them to reach early, do web check-in and carry only one piece of hand baggage for faster movement.

The country's largest airline IndiGo has asked passengers to reach Delhi airport at least 3.5 hours prior to domestic departures.

In recent weeks, the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital has been witnessing long queues and crowds amid rising air traffic.

Authorities have put in place an action plan, including reducing the number of flights during peak hours, to deal with the situation. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also inspected the arrangements at the airport in New Delhi on Monday.

Amid congestion, Vistara is asking its passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to domestic as well as international flights.

Delhi airport is experiencing high footfalls and the check-in and boarding time is expected to be longer than usual, as per the advisory tweeted by IndiGo.

"Passengers are requested to reach the airport at least 3.5 hrs prior to domestic departures, and to carry only 01 piece of hand baggage weighing 7 kgs for a smooth security check. Please ensure that you complete your web check-in for added convenience," it said.

Citing high footfalls at airport terminals, SpiceJet has issued an advisory to passengers asking them to reach early and carry not more than one hand baggage of up to 7 kilograms only.

About Delhi airport, the carrier said due to high footfalls, check-in and boarding is expected to take much longer than usual.

Regarding Mumbai airport, SpiceJet has advised passengers of domestic flights to reach "2.5 hours prior to flight departure time and 3.5 hours prior for international travel".

Passengers have also been asked to complete web check-in and keep the boarding pass, along with identification proof in hand for a faster and seamless experience.

On Tuesday too, many passengers took to social media to complain about chaos and long waiting hours at the Delhi airport.