New framework looks at how technology is changing our cities

The Urban Land Institute, a non-profit grop creating sustainable communities, has launched an Urban Technology Framework to help cities advance into the next generation. The Urban Technology Framework has identified 12 current trends that will shape metropolitan hubs, the group said. This in turn, will help developers and architects who are responsible for delivering future cities. Key tech trends include 3D printing transforming the way we build, and the Internet of Things (IoT) progressing smart buildings from stationary structures to machines. Digitalisation will transform business models, causing the existing sharing economy to…

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Chinese Cities Choked by Dangerous Smog for Fifth Day: Factories, Schools Closed

Northern China was shrouded in almost record pollution for a fifth day on Wednesday, disrupting flights, traffic and shipping, and closing factories and schools, with some residents complaining emergency anti-smog measures were not operating. Hundreds of government inspectors patrolled Beijing on Wednesday to enforce temporary bans on barbecues and make sure that cars with even number plates were the only ones on the roads. Many Beijing highrises simply disappeared into the grey haze, as commuters wearing face masks headed to work. Emergency closures of power plants, steel mills and ports…

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Uber Slashes Fares by Up to 22 Percent in 10 Non-Metro Indian Cities

Taxi aggregator Uber has cut fares by up to 22 percent in 10 non-metro cities including Pune and Ahmedabad, a move that will intensify competition with domestic rival, Ola. While fares have been slashed by 9 percent in cities like Indore and Nagpur, the same has been cut by 22 percent in Jodhpur and Udaipur for its affordable service, UberGO, the company said in a blog post. Uber will now charge a base fare of Rs. 25 instead of Rs. 40 in Udaipur and Jodhpur. Also, the per kilometre charge…

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Ola Auto Service Expanded to 12 More Indian Cities

Transportation mobile app Ola Wednesday launched auto rickshaws in 12 more cities, taking the service to a total of 24 cities across the country. Ola said it is targeting to serve at least two million daily rides by end of 2017 through its app by getting on-board hundreds of thousands of auto rickshaw drivers on its platform over the year in these cities. “Ola has over 1,00,000 auto rickshaws registered on its platform across 24 cities and plans to launch in more cities in the coming months,” the company said…

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Mumbai, Bangalore Ranked Among Cheapest Cities in World: Report

London: Mumbai and Bangalore are among the cheapest cities in the world, according to a top London-based forecast group that named Singapore as the most expensive city. Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranked Singapore as the priciest ahead of Zurich, Hong Kong, Geneva and Paris. It also said India and Pakistan accounted for five of the ten least expensive cities in the world. London was sixth and New York seventh on the list that compared the cost of a basket of goods across 133 cities, BBC News reported. The cheapest were…

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