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Minimum salary needed in Bengaluru to afford daily commute by Namma Metro is ₹70,000

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Minimum salary needed in Bengaluru to afford daily commute by Namma Metro is ₹70,000


Bengaluru’s metro system may be touted as one of the fastest-growing urban transit networks in India, but commuting by Namma Metro is costlier compared to similar public transport systems in other cities***.  The reason is not the metro system itself, but the first-mover advantage of the other cities.

Also Read: Why living in Bengaluru is expensive as compared to Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai

In Bengaluru, for a 15-km one-way commute plus last-mile connectivity of 2-km at both ends, a commuter would be spending approximately ₹3,520 every month. Here’s how we arrive at this figure. 

Namma Metro cost for daily commute 

Here, it is important to point out that Bengaluru offers multiple public transport options — BMTC, cab, autorickshaw, bike taxi. Commuters also have the option of using private vehicles — two-wheeler or four-wheeler. Let us compare the cost of the commuting options in Bengaluru. 

All modes of transport in Bengaluru and the cost* 

Of the multiple options, the road options might be cheaper, but are unreliable in terms of commute time due to traffic congestion. In general, rail and metro offer predictable travel time. Besides, for a long commute of over 15 km each day, train travel is any day better than navigating the traffic on roads.

While the suburban rail system in Bengaluru emerges as the least expensive, the network, as it exists today, is not even taken seriously as a mass transit solution. Among mass-transit modes that are fast, predictable, and congestion-free, Namma Metro emerges as the best option, but it is not the cheapest. 

That being the case, it is important to calculate how much of your income is taken up by daily Namma Metro commute (assuming 15-km one-way travel).

Cost of commute as a percentage of your income 

Note what figure best describes your situation. The ideal scenario for a commuter is that cost of commute is ≤5% of earning. By that benchmark, the earning should be: ₹3,520 ÷ 0.05 = ₹70,400/month. 

Why 5% of your take-home pay 

The total population of Bengaluru is estimated to be in the range of 1.30 crore to 1.40 crore. According to estimates of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the number of property-owners in the city is approximately 35 lakh.

Assuming that most people in Bengaluru are migrants who live either on rent or have bought a house by availing a home loan, consider a person who has purchased a house with a home loan. On average, a family carrying a home loan would have maximum expenses on income. 

As per banking benchmarking in India, your home loan EMI should not exceed 50% of net monthly take-home. Consequently, the portion of income allocated for daily commute is 5%. In which case, your net monthly take-home should be at least ₹70,400 to use Namma Metro for daily commute. 

The 5% benchmark can be relaxed if the person lives in a house on rent (rent = maximum 30% of net take-home pay versus home loan EMI = maximum 50% of take-home pay). 

But, if your total commuting cost crosses 10%, your travel might be considered a financial burden that cuts into essentials or savings goals. 

Comparison with other cities

Now that we have a figure for the monthly earning required to use Namma Metro for daily commute, let us compare its network with similar mass transit systems in other cities in India. As of today, the Namma Metro network stretches 96 km, and accounts for an average of 10 lakh (1 million) passenger journeys daily.  

Top 5 Indian cities by metro + suburban rail network 

The numbers might seem intimidating for Bengaluru, but let us put these in context. Three of the cities that Bengaluru is being compared with had legacy suburban rail networks before the metro network was introduced. Delhi too has a suburban rail network, but it is mostly used by commuters heading to the core areas from the larger National Capital Region comprising districts in the neighbouring States of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, and even Rajasthan.

While Bengaluru does have a suburban rail network, its contribution in transporting commuters is not significant compared to the total number of commuters on the move every day. As such, the government of Karnataka, with assistance from the Central Government, is investing in expanding the suburban rail network with the aim of creating another alternative to road transport.

Cost if metro+suburban rail is primary mode of transport

While 15-km one way might seem like a relatable number to people in Bengaluru, commuters in other cities travel up to 100-km one way every day. Also, a longer commute works out to be less expensive than a shorter one. At the same time, a longer commute offers access to far-flung suburbs where rentals may be cheaper than in the core areas of a city. The increased travel time is compensated by higher savings.

The above comparison takes into account the longer distances travelled by commuters in cities other than Bengaluru. The average cost of travel generally comes down slightly with an increase in commute distance. But, due to the lack of an extensive metro network or a suburban rail system in Bengaluru, commuters have no alternative to road travel for most parts the city.

This comparison reveals how favourable, or unfavourable, the metro network in Bengaluru is to the lower income section of the population. A higher cost of travel — to save commute time in exchange for higher productive time — results in a reduction in savings. In this scenario, opting for road transport to save travel cost will result in longer commute time because of the congestion on the roads of Bengaluru. Thus, a lose-lose situation for the lower income group.

In comparison, Kolkata is the best option in terms of commute cost, followed by Mumbai, which is generally perceived as an expensive city.

Assuming that a majority of the population comes in the lower income group, the Namma Metro in Bengaluru might seem to cater to people who already own a vehicle (either a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler), but want to avoid the hassle of road travel for their daily commute. In a way, this is not a bad thing because that is exactly the kind of people who contribute to traffic congestion when they travel by private vehicles.

But, a city invests in a metro network with the aim of catering to the maximum number of people because the infrastructure is, after all, supposed to be a mass transit system. In that context, the metro and suburban rail system in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Delhi seem to be the closest to a mass transit system with each catering to more than 15% of the total population.

Namma Metro commuter pays highest fare, but does not crib due to reliability 

With roads in Bengaluru among India’s most congested, the Namma Metro becomes very attractive in terms of predictability. But, the cost is not something a commuter can overlook. 

For a commuter using Namma Metro as the primary mode of transport (15-km one way), the monthly cost works out to roughly ₹3,520. This includes metro travel for 22 working days, and an allowance for last-mile connectivity at both ends of the trip. On a ₹20,000 monthly salary, that commute consumes nearly 18% of income. Even at ₹50,000 a month, the share works out to 7%. 

Since a commute ranging from 10 km to 30 km (one way) is a reality of modern urban life, we are tempted to look at other cities that feature a metro-rail network to compare the costs. 

That is when you realise that Bengaluru is one of the costlier daily commute cities in India. A comparable journey costs around ₹2,772 in Delhi and roughly ₹2,200 in Chennai. Mumbai, despite its reputation as an expensive city, comes in lower at about ₹1,980 with commuters able to combine metro and suburban rail. Kolkata is even lower, at roughly ₹1,760. 

To understand these figures, we need to look at how travel infrastructure was set up over the years. 

What advantages do Mumbai and Kolkata have over the others 

extensive suburban rail systems

Suburban rail fares are substantially lower than metro fares

Commuters routinely combine suburban rail and metro

Monthly season tickets are extremely inexpensive relative to metro-only travel

Mumbai and Kolkata inherited extensive suburban rail systems decades before modern metros arrived. These railways move millions of passengers at relatively low fares. When metro networks are layered on top, commuters gain flexibility without losing the cost advantage of traditional suburban rail. The result is an urban rail ecosystem where high-capacity transport remains remarkably affordable. 

Bengaluru, by contrast, built its mass-transit network much later. Namma Metro has expanded rapidly and now serves many of the city’s key employment corridors. Yet, the network does not enjoy the same mature suburban rail integration found in Mumbai or Kolkata. As a result, a larger portion of the journey cost is borne through metro fares and last-mile services. 

Cost versus convenience 

And yet, cost tells only part of the story. 

A commuter who abandons Namma Metro in favour of road-based transport may spend much more. A daily autorickshaw commute over the same distance (15 km) can exceed ₹14,000 a month. App-based cabs are only slightly cheaper. Even bike taxis cost more than twice a typical metro journey over a full month.  

Private cars deliver comfort but the expenditure gets closer to ₹6,000 a month after accounting for fuel, maintenance, depreciation, parking, and congestion costs. 

When compared to these options, metro travel is not the cheapest mode available, but provides a level of speed, reliability, and predictability that road-based alternatives struggle to match. 

Affordability or convenience? 

Income affordability offers another perspective. 

If transport expenditure is limited to 5% of monthly income, a metro commuter in Bengaluru requires earnings of approximately ₹70,400 per month. Comparable thresholds are significantly lower in Kolkata and Mumbai, where rail-based commuting is affordable even for lower-income households. 

This affordability gap carries wider economic implications. Lower transport costs effectively increase disposable income. Money saved on commuting can instead be spent on housing, education, healthcare, or savings. In this respect, the Mumbai and Kolkata rail ecosystems deliver benefits that extend far beyond transport. 

The congestion on the roads of Bengaluru turns the relatively costlier Namma Metro into an attractive proposition thanks to travel time certainty. 

For many office workers, especially those employed in technology parks, avoiding unpredictable traffic jams can be worth a substantial premium. Saving 30 to 60 minutes each day produces measurable value in productivity and quality of life. Namma Metro’s appeal, therefore, extends beyond the fare. 

India’s major urban rail systems reveal three distinct models. Mumbai and Chennai rely heavily on long-established suburban rail networks complemented by metro expansion. Kolkata combines a mature suburban rail system with one of India’s oldest metro networks. Delhi demonstrates the scale achievable through sustained metro investment. Bengaluru operates a much smaller network, but has become a critical mobility backbone for the city’s commuters. 

This comparison offers the daily commuter a perspective on earnings, expenses, and savings in an urban setting. 

The least expensive urban rail commute among the five largest metro-plus-suburban rail networks in India is found in Kolkata, closely followed by Mumbai. Chennai occupies a middle position, benefiting from its long-established suburban rail system.

Bengaluru’s metro commute costs substantially more, especially after accounting for first-mile and last-mile connectivity. Yet, when compared with commuting by cab, auto or even private car, Namma Metro remains one of the most economical and efficient ways to travel across the city. 

Fare versus value for money 

A Bengaluru commuter may pay more than a counterpart in Mumbai or Kolkata, but gains access to a transport mode that bypasses chronic congestion, shortens journey uncertainty, and provides a dependable connection between home and work.  

Gone are the days when people used to migrate to Bengaluru to retire and enjoy a relaxed way of life. Now, young people and families migrate to the city in pursuit of jobs. Unlike the serendipitous influx of retired people, young people are arriving in droves, which is leading to congestion on the road and in residential areas. Commuting even short distances is a pain, and time is increasingly getting scarcer than money, which has made reliability the Namma Metro’s strongest competitive advantage. 

*** Certain assumptions, including distance travelled per day and last-mile connectivity costs, have been made for the purpose of this analysis. The data used is publicly available. The scenarios presented may or may not accurately depict the reality of daily commute in the cities considered for the comparison.  


Getting away from gunshots – The Hindu

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Getting away from gunshots – The Hindu


It has been over a week since Jish (name changed to protect privacy) arrived in India after completing his mandatory military service in Israel. He savours a lemon pie and ginger tea at a popular vegan bakery-cum-café located in the narrow market lane of Dharamkot, a misty village in Himachal Pradesh’s rain-washed pine forests. A popular destination among Israeli backpackers along the Hummus Trail, Dharamkot is about two-three kilometres uphill from Mcleodganj. “This is my second visit to India,” he says, just before setting off for his painting class — one of the ways he chooses to unwind in the Himalayan landscape.

He felt compelled to visit last year in May, hearing stories through the drumbeat of social media and his friends’ first-hand accounts. He stayed in the country for nearly five months, first alone, and then for two and half months with his wife. “I travelled mostly in the Himalayas on a motorcycle. I came to Dharamkot, then went to Manali’s Parvati Valley, and then to Ladakh. On my second visit to India, we (my wife and I) have come together,” says Jish, who has served his conscription term of two years in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)’s reserve military service.

Even as the former soldier made plans to travel, the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran left its mark on his life. “Since October 2023, we have lost many friends and many civilians. It’s like an endless war between two nations, the Jewish nation and the Arab nation. Just one month before Hamas attacked us in October 2023, I got engaged. I was on the battlefield. My fiancé prepared all the stuff, you know, the wedding dress, and so on. It’s difficult,” says 25-year-old Jish, who says he joined the IDF when he was 19.

Dharamkot is known as Mini Israel, because a number of Israelis flock here after they complete their conscription terms. Around 80,000 Israelis visit India annually, according to a paper, ‘Decoding the hummus trail of India: regaining the lost prudence’, published in 2022 in Anatolia, an international journal of tourism and hospitality research. “Last year, a little over 1 lakh foreign tourists visited Himachal. This included visitors from Europe, Canada, the U.S., and Israel among other countries,” says Bhanu Gupta, joint director at Himachal’s Tourism department.

This year, however, Dharamkot’s narrow, stone-paved roads lined by tall pine trees look relatively deserted. The influx of Israeli travellers has been skewed and uneven, according to local hospitality players. Yet, over the years, the steady footfall of foreign tourists has helped the economy of this tiny village, even as the locals worry about the adverse impact of drug-laced raves in the forest.

Trailing peace

Jish says he and his wife are “here to relax” and will soon head out on their hired bike to Delhi and onward to Rajasthan. In Dharamkot, “There are different courses, like music sessions, yoga, drawing, and painting — there are so many options to unwind. In India, unlike Israel, there is more peace and Nature, landscapes, and special people,” he says, as he grabs his belongings to move for his painting class in lower Dharamkot, run by residents largely through hired instructors. Charcoal painting and pencil sketching are popular among foreign tourists in this Himalayan village.

For Jish, the trip to India is more than just about travelling. “There is a strong and deep connection between Israel and India, like a religious connection and some shared values between these two nations. India is different from Western societies that are materialistic. The trust factor is what’s really attractive in India,” says Jish, who will soon start a course in Judaism philosophy in Israel this October. He will be in India until then.

The Hummus Trail gets its name from hummus — a Middle Eastern food traditionally made from cooked chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. The trail has many cafés and restaurants catering to Israeli travellers. The route spans several places in the mighty mountains of the Himalayas, like Kasol, Old Manali, Rishikesh, and Ladakh. It stretches across Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi and Pushkar in Rajasthan, extending to South Goa, Gokarna and Hampi in Karnataka, and Vattakanal in Tamil Nadu.

In Dharamkot, shops, cafes, and hotels all cater to the tastes of Israeli tourists.
| Photo Credit:
R.V. Moorthy

Hodaya, 23, also from Israel, has come to Dharamkot with her friend, drawn by the popularity of the Hummus Trail. “Most Israelis follow the Shvil Hummus (Hummus Trail) route in India and Nepal, as it has many cafés with Hebrew menus, Israeli music, and food. I have been in India for about two months now, travelling between Manali, Leh, and Dharamkot. It’s relaxing here,” says Hodaya, who is set to return to Israel in a couple of days. Asked how she feels about the ongoing conflict, she shrugs it off with a smile, saying, “I am used to it, so I am not stressed anymore.”

Monetising Israeli tourism

The stone walls across Dharamkot are dotted with posters in Hebrew, alongside English. In lower Dharamkot, more accessible by road than the upper areas, the bulletin boards outside cafés, restaurants, roadside stalls, and homestays on the market stretch, serve as a news feed for different events for the village’s international community. There are wellness workshops, music and art events, community activities, and notices for parties.

Narender Pathania, 54, who runs an eight-room guest house in Dharamkot, points out that the flow of Israeli travellers has been unsteady for the past three years. The first lull, he says, was in 2023. That year, on October 7, Hamas-led Palestinian armed groups crossed into southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people. 

Soon, the century-old Israel-Palestine conflict — one of the longest and most-violent in the world — escalated, as Israel intensified attacks on Palestine. At least 20,179 children were killed and 44,143 children injured as a direct result of attacks on Gaza between October 7, 2023, and October 7, 2025, according to a UN commission report released on June 23, 2026. “The current total is certainly higher. Thousands of children are feared to be buried under rubble. In the 300 days after the ceasefire was announced 300 more children were killed — one child every day with still hundreds more, injured,” according to UNICEF.

The tourists, Pathania says, further dropped after the US-Israel and Iran conflict broke out in February 2026. “Almost all of them had left when the war with Iran started. Now some have returned, but the flow is lower. All my rooms, which used to be packed during these days, are vacant. It eventually brings loss. Tourism is the primary livelihood for many in our village,” he says.

Pathania adds that Israelis’ Indian sojourn lasts several months, so they prefer budget-friendly homestays over expensive hotels. “Of late, tourists come with their children. Many cafés here cater specifically to the food preferences of Israelis. They visit Manali, Srinagar, Ladakh, and even trek to Chamba from here. They go to meditation centres, lean towards spirituality. Many lie in the lush green field for hours, just relaxing,” he adds.

A view of the shops, hotels and residential buildings at Dharamkot.
| Photo Credit:
R.V. Moorthy

Vivek Kumar hails from neighbouring Dharamshala, manages routine affairs at ’Dharamkot studio’ that offers pottery and ceramic courses in Dharamkot. He says, “Among the foreigners who come to us, Israelis make up the largest share. We have different courses ranging from five to 35 days. A minimum two-hour workshop is also available to experience the process of shaping wet clay into finished objects. Most of those who enrol with us are Israelis. In their country, these things are quite expensive, as I understand from speaking with them,” he says.

Sanjeev Gandhi, chief advisor to the Hotel and Restaurant Association, Smart City, Dharamshala, who himself runs Hotel Gandhi’s Paradise at Dharamkot, shares his experience on why Israelis are drawn to the town: “Most Israelis come carrying the weight of war and stress. They come to forget. What they value most about Dharamshala is the silence,” says Gandhi, recalling a number of them telling him that the biggest draw is that they don’t hear gunshots.

Not all Israelis need to serve conscription though. There are military exemptions for Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, who constitute about 13% of the population. This has triggered protests in the past, also leading to some stress among communities.

Rage against the rave

The Hummus Trail, also notorious as the Hashish Trail, is a route taken for readily available cheap drugs, says the Anatolia paper. In June 2026, taking suo motu action, the Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the transfer of three senior officers, including the then Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of Kullu district, in connection with the alleged nexus between officials and organisers of big-scale rave parties in Kullu district.

The drug issue was addressed in the 2007 Israeli-Canadian documentary Flipping Out, directed by Yoav Shamir. It follows Israeli soldiers after their discharge as they travel to India, exploring drug use and the psychological breakdowns some experience. The film also documents Israeli officials’ response, including a meeting between the then Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai and former soldiers.

Om Prakash Sharma, a former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer, who handled several enforcement operations in Himachal, Punjab, and Jammu-Kashmir, while he worked with the NCB’s Chandigarh zone from 2002 to 2007, asserts that cultivation of cannabis and opium in remote areas of Kullu district and Mandi district of Himachal continues unabated.

Dharamkot is a village in the Himalayas, where tourism is the main source of income.
| Photo Credit:
R.V. Moorthy

“The narcotics trade cannot survive unless there’s support from the socio-political and administrative strata. Foreigners have been found involved in the illicit drug trade,” he says, adding that regular Himachali people get involved because of “local poverty” and “easy money”. The modus operandi is simple — they throw money at people. They know that forest lands and even private lands are available for cultivation at a meagre sum, he says. “These people, usually with Nepalese and other labourers, then cultivate and harvest it, after which the networks of foreigners operate its trade. Foreigners have even been marrying local women as a part of their strategy as well.”

During his tenure, Sharma busted many drug deals, including 155 kilograms of charas (hashish) in Chandigarh, smuggled out of Kullu by Israeli, Czech Republic, and Indian (Kullu) nationals, and bound for Amsterdam in 2005. “During our operations, we had recovered the foreign strain of the cannabis seeds from some foreigners’ houses. That was a hybrid seed, which clearly points to the extent of foreign involvement in the illicit drug trade,” says Sharma, who has also served as convener-cum-advisor of the Himachal Pradesh Nasha Nivaran Board, formed to curb the drug menace.

“Rave parties in secluded forest areas are being organised in the name of tourism, which is not possible without the shelter of bigwigs and administrative machinery and local political patronage,” he adds.

Monika Pathania, former councillor of Dharamkot ward, which falls under Dharamshala Municipal Corporation, says, “People talk about rave parties happening here, but that’s simply not true. Such things don’t happen at all in the village. It could be happening in remote areas where police presence is minimal, but in Dharamkot and neighbouring Bhagsunag there are police check posts to keep a tab on unlawful activities.” She insists the village is only known for its meditation centres.

Ashwani Bamba, president of the Dharamsala Hotel and Restaurant Association, explains that Israelis tend to travel in groups and usually they prefer to spend less on accommodation, but are willing to indulge when it comes to food and, as he puts it, “Other things.” Recalling that things were different a decade or so ago, Bamba points out that then, drug consumption was open. Now, not so much.

Gandhi is worried that locals too are impacted by drugs. “We have been urging the locals and administration to create a joint team to tackle the drug menace,” he says.

For many young Israelis like Jish, Dharamkot is an escape from war, a holiday of healing and hash.

vikas.vasudeva@thehindu.co.in


Numerology Horoscope Today: You might meet someone new today where friendship could begin in the most ordinary way

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Numerology Horoscope Today: You might meet someone new today where friendship could begin in the most ordinary way


Number 1 (Born on the 1st, 10th, 19th and 28th)

Your prediction suggests there’s a pull about you today that’s hard for others to ignore. It’s a quiet sort of pull, not the loud kind, but people will find themselves wanting to talk to you, wanting your opinion, wanting to be around you. That’s the energy of number 1 asserting itself, the vibration of a natural leader who draws people in without trying too hard. Your romantic life looks especially promising today. If you’re already with someone, the emotional depth between you two will feel stronger, more intense in a good way. You won’t just want affection, you’ll want to feel truly needed.

Numerology Horoscope

That’s a very specific feeling and today it matters more than usual. So don’t brush off a partner’s casual comment or a friend’s small request. Lean into that sense of being counted on. And if you’ve been toying with an idea of painting, writing, rearranging your room, or even just putting together a playlist that feels artistic, today is surprisingly good for it. Your lucky number 5 brings a lively, spontaneous edge to your mood, which fits perfectly with trying something new. Green and turquoise will keep your mind fresh if you’re deciding what to wear or what to drink your chai in. Just let yourself be a little more expressive. It won’t cost you anything and you might surprise yourself with what comes out when you stop overthinking. One small thing like reading a poem out loud or doodling on a notepad could shift your whole evening.

Lucky Number: 5

Lucky Colours: Green, Turquoise

Tip for the Day: Let someone lean on you today, it’ll ground you both.

Number 2 (Born on the 2nd, 11th, 20th and 29th)

Here’s the thing about today. Your heart is soft, and your imagination is a little too active. You will look at someone, maybe a colleague, maybe a friend you’ve known for years, and you’ll see exactly what you want to see. Not what’s actually there. That’s your number 2 sensitivity kicking in, the part of you that desperately wants connection and harmony, so your mind fills in the gaps with pretty pictures. You might even catch yourself daydreaming about this person, replaying old conversations, inventing new ones. It’s not harmful, but it can get confusing. Especially before lunch, when your energy is most impressionable. Why does this happen? Because personal day energy for number 2 today blurs the boundary between intuition and wishful thinking.

You’re naturally empathetic, a born listener, but that gift has a flip side: you absorb other people’s moods and then color them with your own hopes. A delayed reply from someone won’t mean they’re angry. A kind word won’t mean they’re in love. Try to ground yourself with a simple task. Answer a pending email, fold the laundry, water the plants. Something physical, something ordinary. Lucky number 6 supports this, it’s a number of responsibility and care, so being useful to someone at home or work will actually clear your head. Wear blue or pink if you need to feel calmer. Don’t make any big emotional declaration today, not even in your own head. Wait for a clearer day.

Lucky Number: 6

Lucky Colours: Blue, Pink, Indigo

Tip for the Day: Don’t write messages based on a mood, wait an hour.

Number 3 (Born on the 3rd, 12th, 21st and 30th)

There’s a pile of unfinished things on your desk or in your phone, and today you’ll finally feel the itch to clear it. Not because anyone told you to, but because number 3’s restless, communicative energy wants things moving again. That’s your ruling vibration doing its job, pushing you out of a lazy patch and into action. The stars indicate you’re motivated to work through whatever’s been stuck, a payment issue, a misunderstood message, a room you’ve been avoiding cleaning. But here’s where you need to be careful. You will be tempted to snap at people who interrupt you. Someone asking a simple question could feel like a mosquito in your ear. That’s the edgy side of your energy today. The numbers say be patient, not because patience is nice, but because snapping will cost you more time than it saves.

A resentful colleague works slower. An annoyed sibling stops helping. So breathe. You can’t shelve these problems anymore. They’ve been sitting there long enough and they’re starting to stink. Get them out of the way once and for all. Tackle the ugliest one first, before noon if you can. Lucky number 7 supports this with a touch of mental clarity, so if you need to read fine print or explain something complicated, you’ll do it better than usual. Purple or white will keep your mind sharp. Order your chai extra strong and get through the list.

Lucky Number: 7

Lucky Colours: Purple, Violet, White

Tip for the Day: Do the hardest task first, before your patience runs out.

Number 4 (Born on the 4th, 13th, 22nd and 31st)

Success is on the table today, but don’t expect it to fall into your lap. That’s not how number 4 works. You’re ruled by the most stable, disciplined vibration in the lot, which means whatever you gain today will come through honest effort, not charm or luck. Your prediction says success awaits, but it carries a price tag, and the currency is sincere, grinding, unglamorous work. You know exactly what that looks like in your life. Maybe it’s the presentation nobody else wanted to prepare, maybe it’s the daily exercise you skipped last week, maybe it’s a difficult phone call you’ve been postponing. Give it your hundred percent and don’t hold anything back.

The interesting part is that you won’t even feel like complaining today. Number 4 energy does that, it makes hard work feel almost satisfying, like fitting stones into a wall. There will be a moment in the afternoon when you look at what you’ve finished and feel a quiet pride. That’s the payoff. Lucky number 8, your number for today, strongly supports achievements that are earned through discipline and responsibility. So if a senior person at work or an elder at home asks for help, don’t dodge it. That task could be the very thing that opens a door for you later. Wear brown or dark blue to keep yourself steady. Eat lunch on time. This is not a day for shortcuts, it’s a day for showing up fully.

Lucky Number: 8

Lucky Colours: Brown, Black, Dark Blue

Tip for the Day: Finish one thing completely before starting the next.

Number 5 (Born on the 5th, 14th and 23rd)

Somebody at home is going to get on your nerves today, and it probably won’t be your fault. Family relations look tense, the kind of tension that hangs in the air before anyone even says a word. You’ll feel motivated to fix it, to say something, to clear the air, because number 5 hates being stuck in a heavy atmosphere. You’re quick, restless, and you want things to move. But the stars advise you to be careful around an elderly person in particular. They may be irritable, maybe because of pain, maybe because of stubbornness, maybe because the weather’s changing and their joints hurt. You won’t know the real reason, so don’t assume they’re angry at you. Be diplomatic even when you disagree.

That’s hard for your number, because 5s prefer blunt honesty over sugar-coating. But biting your tongue today isn’t weakness, it’s strategy. Why does this matter? Because your ruling energy is connected to the planet Mercury, which speeds up your words. Quick speech during a sensitive family moment can do more harm than good. Lucky number 9 softens this, bringing a sense of closure and compassion, so if you can wait until evening, the whole thing may dissolve on its own. Step out for a short walk after dinner if the walls start closing in. Red or maroon will give you courage without making you reckless.

Lucky Number: 9

Lucky Colours: Red, Maroon, Pink

Tip for the Day: Swallow one sharp reply, you’ll be glad you did.

Number 6 (Born on the 6th, 15th and 24th)

Today is built for a change of scene, and you should take it seriously. Pack a small bag, get in the car or on a train, and go see people you genuinely enjoy being with. Even a short trip to a cousin’s house or a friend’s farm outside the city will do wonders. Number 6 is the most family-conscious vibration in numerology, ruled by Venus, the planet of love and beauty. That means your happiness today depends heavily on human connection, real faces, real laughter, maybe a shared meal. You aren’t looking for luxury, just warmth. And the numbers say you might meet someone new, a friend of a friend, someone sitting at the next table, someone who starts a conversation while you’re waiting for your order. Don’t be closed. A new friendship could begin in the most ordinary way.

The lucky number for you today is 1, which is a fresh start number, and it works beautifully with your nurturing energy. It gives you the confidence to reach out first instead of waiting to be approached. Red, orange, or yellow will lift your spirits and make you more approachable. If you’re at home with family, make the effort to sit together at the table instead of eating in separate rooms. You’ll cherish these small happy moments more than you expect. A shared joke, a warm cup of something sweet, that’s the real medicine today.

Lucky Number: 1

Lucky Colours: Red, Orange, Yellow, Gold

Tip for the Day: Call someone you love and actually listen, don’t just talk.

Number 7 (Born on the 7th, 16th and 25th)

You’ve known for a while that something was off with a friend, and today it will become too obvious to ignore. The flaws, the small betrayals, the empty promises, they’ll all line up in a row and stare at you. That’s your 7 energy doing its typical work. Yours is a number of reflection and inner searching, so you tend to see below the surface of people. And when you see what’s underneath, it can be genuinely sad. Disappointment hits you harder than it hits most others. You expect depth and truth from the people you allow close. When they show you something less, it feels personal.

The stars say you have two choices. You can exhaust your patience trying to fix them, or you can gently step back and free yourself. The latter is wiser today. Look at your lucky number, 2. It’s the number of gentle balance, not dramatic endings. That means you don’t need a big confrontation. No tearful phone call, no long speech. Just reduce your involvement for a while. Create some distance and let them be who they are. You’ll know soon enough if the friendship has a future. Wear white or light blue to keep your mind calm. A slow evening with a book or music will restore you. Don’t let someone else’s weakness become your burden. You’ve carried enough of other people’s unspoken things already.

Lucky Number: 2

Lucky Colours: White, Cream, Light Blue

Tip for the Day: Step back from one draining person, your peace matters more.

Number 8 (Born on the 8th, 17th and 26th)

Something soft is happening inside you today, and it might feel unfamiliar. Number 8 people are usually the ones holding everything together, paying bills, managing deadlines, carrying the weight. Compassion is there, but it often sits behind a wall of responsibility. Today that wall comes down a little. You’ll feel genuinely moved by someone else’s difficulty. You’ll want to give back, to return more to society than you’ve received. And this isn’t about donating money from a distance. It might be helping a neighbour’s child with homework, or listening to an old friend complain for an hour, or offering your seat to someone without being asked. The numbers support all of this.

Your lucky number 3 brings a warm, expressive quality to your actions, so people won’t misunderstand your kindness as pity. They’ll just feel helped. That’s rare for you, because your energy can sometimes intimidate others. But today, you’ll be approachable in a way you usually aren’t. Enjoy that. It doesn’t make you weak. Discipline without kindness is just rigidity. If someone at work needs a quiet explanation of something you know well, give it generously. Don’t rush through it. Yellow or light purple will keep your mood gentle. You might also want to write one short message of thanks or encouragement to someone who’s had a rough week. It’ll take two minutes and it’ll mean more than you know.

Lucky Number: 3

Lucky Colours: Yellow, Pink, Light Purple

Tip for the Day: Help one person without expecting anything back.

Number 9 (Born on the 9th, 18th and 27th)

Let’s be straight about this. You will feel like pushing your opinion onto someone today, and it will backfire. Relationships are tense right now, not because of any single big argument, but because of a slow build-up of small disagreements. And here’s the trap: because you care deeply and you see things intensely, you’ll want to make the other person understand. You’ll want to insist. This is exactly the wrong time for that. Your number 9 vibration is strong-willed, passionate, and sometimes too forceful. Today that force needs to be held back, not released. The stars clearly say don’t force your will on others. Not on your partner, not on a colleague, not on a parent. Just let the tide pass. Walk away from the argument, even if you’re right. Especially if you’re right. That’s the harder test. Lucky number 4 offers you an anchor of patience and endurance, so use it. Count to ten, get a glass of water, go stand outside for two minutes. Anything that interrupts the argument’s momentum. Because if you push today, you’ll create a rift that takes weeks to fix. Blue or grey will cool your temper. If you need to say something important, write it in a note and leave it for tomorrow. Today, silence isn’t surrender, it’s wisdom. You know better than to waste your energy on a wall that won’t move. Let it be.

Lucky Number: 4

Lucky Colours: Blue, Gray, Silver

Tip for the Day: Be right quietly, and let the argument die hungry.

Dr. Achary Kalki Krishnan

(Vastu consultant, Vedic astrologer, Researcher, Educator & Corporate mentor)


Healthcare goes digital: When doctors go behind the app wall, who gets left behind? | India News

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Healthcare goes digital: When doctors go behind the app wall, who gets left behind? | India News



Visuals of long queue at Delhi National Cancer Institute (pic credit: Priyanka Jaiswal)

What if your phone becomes the first thing you need to see a doctor?As healthcare increasingly moves from hospital counters and paper records to apps and online portals, access to care is becoming closely tied to access to technology.For many patients, digital healthcare can mean quicker consultations, easier access to medical records and fewer trips to hospitals. But for others, particularly older people, rural communities, low-income families and those with limited digital literacy, the shift can add another layer of difficulty.The problem is not simply whether a person owns a smartphone. Patients may struggle with internet connectivity, downloading and navigating apps, remembering passwords and OTPs, uploading documents or understanding information presented online.In many households, a single smartphone is shared by several family members, while caregivers often become the bridge between patients and digital health services.As government and private healthcare services increasingly encourage, and in some cases require, people to use digital platforms, a larger question is emerging: Is technology making healthcare more accessible, or creating a new barrier to accessing it?

Difficulties patients might face despite digital help

When the smartphone becomes the gateway to healthcare

Digital health has opened up several ways for patients to manage their care remotely. People can consult doctors online, monitor blood sugar through connected devices, receive medication and appointment reminders, and access diet and educational resources without making frequent hospital visits.Telemedicine became particularly important during the Covid-19 pandemic, when lockdowns made physical consultations difficult. But the experience also exposed how uneven access to digital healthcare could be.A DIG-EQUITY study published in The Times of India, examining the experiences of people with diabetes, caregivers, healthcare providers, policymakers and community organisations in urban and rural Tamil Nadu, found significant differences in how people used digital health services.Younger patients were generally more comfortable with smartphones, health applications and teleconsultations, while many older people needed family members to book appointments, join consultations or access medical reports.For some, physical limitations added to the problem. Impaired vision or hearing, as well as difficulty handling smartphones, could make navigating digital platforms harder.Even among younger people, digital access did not automatically translate into a preference for online care. Some people with type 1 diabetes continued to prefer in-person consultations because of the need for physical examinations.The digital divide is also closely linked to where people live and what they can afford.Urban patients are more likely to have reliable internet connections, smartphones and access to digital services. A study published in Nature, examining barriers to digital health transformation in India, found that the challenges went beyond simply having a smartphone or internet connection.The study identified poor network coverage and inadequate IT infrastructure, the high cost of devices and digital systems, a lack of technical expertise, language and communication barriers, and difficulties faced by users among the major challenges.For patients, these barriers can have very practical consequences. The study noted that some had to rely on family members’ smartphones to attend teleconsultations, while the cost of smart devices could limit access to mobile health applications.The findings suggest that digital access cannot be measured simply by whether someone owns a phone. Reliable connectivity, affordability, digital skills, language accessibility and the availability of human support all influence whether a patient can actually use digital healthcare.That distinction becomes particularly important as healthcare services increasingly move online. Putting a service on a digital platform does not automatically make it accessible to everyone.

Who gets left behind?

ABHA and the push towards connected healthcare

India’s digital health infrastructure is expanding rapidly. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), through platforms such as ABHA, is aimed at creating a connected digital health ecosystem, while eSanjeevani has widened access to telemedicine.With hundreds of millions of ABHA IDs created and telemedicine consultations running into hundreds of millions, the scale of this shift is significant.But the benefits of digital healthcare are not evenly experienced.The gap becomes particularly visible when digital systems are introduced at the hospital level. For some patients, the shift has not removed queues; it has created an additional one.Rekha (name changed), a patient at the Delhi National Cancer Institute, said patients earlier had to wait in a single OPD queue, with doctors arriving around 8am. According to her, the process now involves generating a token through the ABHA app before reaching the hospital, followed by another number at the reception.“Earlier there used to be only one OPD line and the doctors used to arrive at 8am. Now they have made it mandatory to download the ABHA app and apply for a token number. Then we get another number from reception, and doctors arrive at 10am. Several patients need immediate care, but this extra queue has made life a bit more difficult,” she said.

Delhi National Cancer Institute (pic credit: Priyanka Jaiswal)

For those without a smartphone or reliable internet connection, Rekha said the process can begin hours before they reach the doctor. Some patients, she said, arrive around midnight or 1am and spend the night waiting because they cannot access the network or generate a digital token.Those with smartphones may apply through the ABHA app around 5am and reach the hospital by 7am, she said, only to wait again at reception before seeing a doctor later in the morning.Dr Manisha Arora, Director, Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, said ABHA should remain a facilitator rather than become a gateway to treatment.“A patient should never feel that access to technology determines access to healthcare,” she said, noting that patients without an ABHA ID, smartphone or internet connectivity should continue to be able to register physically and receive the same clinical care.She stressed that hospitals should adopt a digital-first, not digital-only, approach.“That means retaining manual registration counters, providing assisted kiosks and having dedicated digital-support personnel, particularly for elderly and first-time users.”

Insurance goes digital, but payment and paperwork remain a burden

Digital insurance processes are another area where patients can struggle. Families dealing with hospitalisation may simultaneously have to navigate e-KYC, pre-authorisation, co-payments, deductions and non-payable items.Manivannan Selvaraj, Founder and Managing Director, Kauvery Group of Hospitals, said translating a clinical treatment plan into a pre-authorisation submission, and then managing the queries and follow-ups that come back, involves a long chain of steps that a patient is neither equipped nor educated to handle, and should not have to handle while they or a family member is unwell.“Sometimes delays or claim issues arise because documentation is incomplete rather than because of a medical concern,” Arora said, stressing that hospital insurance desks need to act as patient counsellors, explaining the process rather than merely uploading documents.“True digital accessibility is when technology works in the background and the patient still experiences a human interface at the front,” she said.

What’s the solution?

At 65, Amarnath (name changed) has an insurance policy but says managing it digitally has become difficult. He is often unsure about when he can claim, when premiums are due and how to complete the process online, leaving his son to handle the details for him.“I have an insurance policy, but I often don’t know when I can make a claim, when the premium is due or how to complete these processes online. My son manages it for me. At my age, it is not always easy to visit a centre every time I need to check my policy or make a claim. If healthcare is becoming digital, these services should also be made accessible to elderly people, so that we can manage them ourselves without having to depend on others,” he said.He also highlighted how the growing use of digital payments in hospitals can create another challenge for elderly patients unfamiliar with the technology. Having a UPI-enabled phone does not necessarily mean being comfortable using it, particularly during a medical emergency when payments may need to be made quickly.“I have UPI on my phone, but for people of our generation, it is difficult to become fully comfortable with the process and make an immediate payment, especially during a health emergency. This is something that should also be addressed,” he said.

Covid era showed that systems still struggle

The pandemic offered an early and stark example of how closely technology and healthcare had become intertwined.While telemedicine and digital systems helped patients access services during lockdowns, other parts of the healthcare chain showed that digitisation alone could not solve problems of capacity and access.As reported by The Times of India earlier, delays in Covid testing became a major concern during the second wave. Udham Singh, 22, developed high fever, severe cough, body ache and breathlessness after his sample was collected for an RT-PCR test. His report, which confirmed Covid infection, came several days after the sample was taken.“I would have landed in an ICU had I waited for some more time. The element of uncertainty due to delay also caused extreme mental trauma,” Singh said.For patients waiting at home, the delay was not merely an inconvenience. It affected decisions about treatment and isolation. Some families also faced difficulties maintaining quarantine while waiting for test results.Priya Jaiswal, a resident of Old Delhi, recalled how a network outage during the pandemic left her dependent on officials for essential medicines. With her internet connection down, she could not use UPI to make payments or order medicines online, leaving her waiting for officials to arrive at her home.“We had to wait for hours for officials to arrive and hand over the medicines while we were in quarantine. Even online consultations became difficult because of continuous power cuts at a time when we needed healthcare the most,” she said.The surge in demand for Covid testing also put pressure on government laboratories to issue digital reports on time, highlighting another challenge for digital healthcare: a digital interface is only as effective as the system supporting it.Covid-19 vaccination certificates also affected people’s travel and employment plans.

Covid-19 highlights struggle

Varghese Thomas, a youth from the city, told TOI that five people in his group had taken their first vaccine dose around the same time, but only one had received the certificate nearly 40 days later.“When we applied for jobs, prospective employers were asking us about the vaccination. They wanted us to produce the certificate,” he said.Registering through Co-WIN was another difficulty for people in rural areas.As reported by The Times of India earlier, 68-year-old Adhi Kesavan from Gudiyattam in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district had to travel around 5-7 km with his wife to a common service centre to register for vaccination.Kesavan did not own a smartphone or know how to use one. He was directed to the centre by his panchayat head, who told him that his details could be registered there and that the hospital would contact him when a vaccine became available.“I heard from our panchayat head that we can get vaccinated if we register at the e-sevai maiyyam. Our number will be given to the hospitals nearby and we will get a call once the vaccine is ready,” Kesavan said.

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