Taj Mahal web site - The Most Innovative Use of Information Technology

 

The U.P. Tourism Website on the Taj Mahal has been awarded by the Government of India, Ministry of Tourism as the most innovative use of information technology (http://tajmahal.gov.in/).

Taj Mahal located at Agra-Uttar Pradesh, the symbol of grandeur, beauty and love is undoubtedly one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture in India. One of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and a UNESCO heritage site it attracts almost 30% of all foreign tourists to India.

In view of the immense importance of the Taj Mahal, the Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh decided to commission an exclusive detailed website of the Taj Mahal.

Since its launch the website has been visited approximately by 150,000 visitors till March, 2011,  which proves that a large number of tourists, historians, research scholars and people from all over the world are using the website.

The website includes many useful features, such as a photo gallery of the 'Taj' in its various moods, exclusive video clips of the monument, its history and other details.

The website is also interactive and one can upload his/her comments. Information of other monuments of Agra, details of accommodation, certified guides, along with contact details of U.P. Tourism offices in Lucknow & Agra are also provided. The website has now been recognized by UNESCO as one of the three recognized websites of the Taj Mahal.

Avnish Awasthi

Secretary, Tourism, U.P.

Formula One Race in Uttar Pradesh soon

Finally India’s dream to host the Formula One Grand Prix will materialize in 2011, and preparations for the same are going on at a great pace. The racing track which should be ready by this year is coming up in Gautam Buddha Nagar.

F1 is considered the most prestigious form of racing in the world. It is governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, or FIA, based in France. F1 race cars are single-seat, open-wheel race cars, meaning the wheels and tires are outside the car's body, with the engine behind the driver's cockpit. Today's Formula One cars use 2.4 litre V8 engines that produce about 700 horsepower and can exceed 200 mph.

There are currently 12 teams in F1 and each team is allowed to run a maximum of two cars. McLaren, Williams, Renault (formerly Benetton) and Ferrari have been four of the most dominant teams in F1 and have won every F1 world championship from 1984 to 2008. Mercedes-Benz, Renault and Ferrari are the car manufacturers present in F1, while engine suppliers also include Cosworth, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Renault. Each driver can use a maximum of 8 engines in an F1 season and it is estimated that the major F1 teams spend between US$125-225 million per year on engines.

This 5.14-km track, located near Greater Noida (40 km from Delhi) at 1000 Ha Sports Special Development Zone, 11 km from Zero point of the upcoming Yamuna Expressway, is being built by Jaypee Sports International (JPSI) and is designed by German racetrack designer Hermann Tilke, who has designed F1 circuits in Malaysia, Bahrain, China, Turkey, UAE and South Korea. 

Highlights
Length	5.14 Km
Turns	16
Highest point of elevation	14 m
Width of the Track	Between 10 m - 14 m
Top speed on the circuit	About 320 km/h for an F1 car
Total seating capacity	About 1,10,000
Distance from New Delhi	40 km approx.
Date of FIA homologation	July 2011

The track will be among the top five in the world as far as average speed is concerned. The average time per lap is expected to be around 1 minute 24 seconds. F1 with an estimated cost worth Rs.1,600 crores, is finally making its way to India. The inaugural Indian Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on the 30th of October this year, at Jaypee Sports International’s upcoming motor racing circuit on the outskirts of New Delhi, near Greater Noida.

Kulbhushan Kapoor

Dy. Manager (Accounts)