Business
Don’t force drivers to use parking apps, RAC says
Drivers should not be forced to use mobile apps to pay for parking, the RAC has said, after three-quarters of drivers it surveyed said they had issues with them.
The most common problem was poor phone signal in the car park, followed by the app not recognising the car park the driver was in.
The findings come as the government prepares to expand its National Parking Platform (NPP), which aims to prevent drivers from having to download multiple parking apps.
The RAC welcomed the NPP but said more local authorities and parking companies needed to sign up.
RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said parking operators “should offer drivers at least two different ways to pay”.
“Parking should, in theory at least, be one of the simplest tasks any driver completes but having to navigate a variety of differently designed apps – and register an account, vehicle details and bank cards with each one – can be a pain,” he said.
“No-one should be forced to use a mobile app when parking if they don’t want to, especially those who struggle with technology or just don’t have a smartphone.”
The RAC survey of 1,700 people found that 13% of respondents couldn’t work out how to use a parking app. Of the respondents over 75, this figure was 26%.
Nearly half of those surveyed said they preferred to pay by card or contactless payment on their phones.
BBC News visited Deansgate North Q-Park in Manchester to find out what drivers thought of the findings.
One young man said using the apps was easy but his preferred method to pay for parking was Apple Pay on his phone.
Another said he got a ticket after having trouble connecting to a parking app.
“I had to send receipts to basically prove I had a parking permit.”
Following a trial in 10 local authorities in England, the government announced in May that the National Parking Platform would be expanded across the country, but car park and app providers have to opt in.
The platform is run on a not-for-profit basis by the British Parking Association (BPA), which represents parking operators.
Mr Dennis said the RAC welcomed the launch of the NPP, which “should spell the end of drivers needing to download lots of separate apps just to park and simplify things enormously”.
He added: “This does depend on enough local authorities and parking companies up and down the country signing up, though.”
The RAC said that if drivers run into signal issues while trying to pay for parking, they should collect evidence of their attempts to pay, including screenshots of any app error messages.
Margie Rimes from York is 77 and has a smartphone that she uses regularly. But she gets “panicky” about paying for parking with apps.
“If I’m going somewhere where I know I’m going to have to park… I find it stressful,” she said.
She has taken taxis a few times “rather than have to face the [parking] machine”, in part because she has poor eyesight.
Her local train station allows people to pay for parking at the ticket office, which she appreciates.
But she thinks the NPP is a good idea: “I think if they’re going to have apps it’s better to be standardised.”
The NPP said its purpose was “to make parking simpler and more consistent by allowing drivers to use the parking app of their choice in participating locations”.
“The NPP is about expanding choice, not restricting it. Local Authorities using the NPP can continue, and many still do, offer cash payments if they wish, and a phone line will also be available to support those who prefer or need to pay by phone.”
The BPA said it welcomed the increase in use of parking apps, but added it was “vital that technology works for everyone”.
“Our members are committed to making parking as simple and accessible as possible, and we actively encourage operators to offer a range of payment options, including cashless and traditional methods to meet the needs of all drivers,” it said in a statement.
NEW DELHI: People with job cards assigned under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Guarantee Scheme will be able to get work without disruption when transition takes place to new rural employment framework under Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act.Even though exact timeframe is not known yet, rural development ministry officials said the VB-G RAM G scheme will come into force in the coming financial year after the Centre frames and notifies the rules. After govt notifies the Act’s commencement date, states will get six months to make their schemes to enable implementation of the law.To ensure there is no disruption and job guarantee is upheld during transition from MGNREGA, it has been proposed to enable workers to use the same job cards issued under MGNREGA with Aadhaar-based eKYC.The officials said that as of now, around 75% of job cards have been verified with eKYC under the ongoing scheme. Moreover, ongoing projects under MGNREGA, if incomplete when the transition happens to the new scheme, would stay on course.Meanwhile, work is on to frame rules, lay out regulations on normative allocations, fund flow plan, IT framework, a national-level steering panel and social audits.Under the new law, focus will be on transparency to weed out leakages and duplicacy of work,the social audit system will be strengthened, and technology leveraged to create systems to establish work progress, timely wage payment and accountability through ‘e-measurement’ books, sources said. Demand for work will have to be entered on a digital platform. Officials made it clear the new law in no way interferes with demand-driven character of the scheme.
Business
Gurugram Attracts Rs 86,588 Crore In Real Estate Investments In 2025 As RERA Clears 131 Projects
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Alongside rising investments, Gurugram RERA strengthened regulatory oversight to safeguard homebuyer and investor interests
Gurgaon Real Estate (Representative Image)
Gurugram emerged as one of India’s top real estate investment destinations in 2025, with projects worth Rs 86,588 crore receiving regulatory approvals during the year, according to data from the Gurugram Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Gurugram RERA).
Market observers said the numbers reflect strong investor confidence in the NCR’s largest commercial and residential hub.
Gurugram RERA registered 131 projects in calendar year 2025, representing development potential of 35,455 units across housing and commercial segments.
A striking feature of the data was the dominance of large-ticket projects. Just 28 major developments accounted for investments worth Rs 59,360 crore, highlighting the growing influence of institutional capital and large developers in shaping Gurugram’s property market.
Residential assets continued to attract the bulk of investment interest. Of the total units approved, 31,455 were residential, underscoring sustained end-user demand and long-term confidence in the city’s housing fundamentals.
According to Authority data, the residential mix included 17,405 group housing units, 5,720 mixed land use units, 4,040 residential floor units, 2,122 affordable group housing units, 1,954 units under the Deen Dayal housing scheme, and 214 residential plotted colony units.
Market observers said this diversified supply pipeline indicates capital deployment across both premium and mass segments, helping reduce concentration risk and deepen market resilience.
On the commercial side, Gurugram RERA approved about 4,000 commercial units, of which 168 were dedicated to IT parks, reinforcing Gurugram’s position as a preferred hub for technology firms and Global Capability Centres.
Analysts noted that the combination of office-led employment growth and residential expansion continues to make Gurugram attractive for long-term capital deployment.
Industry experts said the scale of investments approved in 2025 highlights Gurugram’s ability to attract capital despite global uncertainty, supported by infrastructure growth, a strong corporate base and an improving regulatory environment.
“With a large pipeline of approved projects and sustained interest from developers and institutional investors, Gurugram is expected to remain a key real estate investment destination in the coming years,” a Gurugram-based real estate expert said.
Tighter regulatory checks
Alongside rising investments, Gurugram RERA strengthened regulatory oversight to enhance transparency and safeguard homebuyer and investor interests.
“These steps included stricter scrutiny of developer submissions, mandatory site inspections by domain experts, and public consultation through mandatory notices before project registration,” an Authority official said.
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January 16, 2026, 07:44 IST
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National Startup Day highlights India’s thriving startup ecosystem, celebrating innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation driven by founders, unicorns and Startup India mission
National Startup Day 2026 honours Indian startups, entrepreneurs and innovators driving economic growth and job creation.
National Startup Day 2026: India’s startup ecosystem has evolved into one of the world’s most vibrant and promising innovation hubs. To recognise the contribution of entrepreneurs, founders and startups transforming ideas into impactful solutions, National Startup Day is observed every year on January 16 across the country.
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, the day celebrates visionary entrepreneurs who play a crucial role in economic growth, employment generation and technological advancement.
National Startup Day serves as a reminder that innovation, backed by determination and policy support, can reshape society and create global impact.
National Startup Day 2026 Theme
The official theme for National Startup Day 2026 is yet to be announced. However, the core focus areas are expected to revolve around:
- Innovation and emerging technologies
- Entrepreneurship and leadership
- Self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat)
- Startup India Mission
- Youth empowerment
- Job creation
How Startups Are Shaping India’s Future
India currently ranks as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, with over 1.59 lakh startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as of early 2025. Backed by 100+ unicorns, the ecosystem continues to grow rapidly.
Metro cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi-NCR lead this expansion, while Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are emerging as new innovation centres, adding diversity and scale to India’s entrepreneurial journey.
Startups across fintech, edtech, health-tech, e-commerce and deep-tech are addressing real-world challenges and gaining global recognition. Technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain and IoT are increasingly driving innovation, according to Startup India ecosystem reports.
Industry-Wise Startup Impact
DPIIT-recognised startups have generated over 16.6 lakh direct jobs across sectors as of October 31, 2024, strengthening India’s employment landscape.
- IT Services: 2.04 lakh jobs
- Healthcare & Life Sciences: 1.47 lakh jobs
- Commercial & Professional Services: 94,000 jobs
Through the Startup India initiative, the government continues to focus on skill development, funding access, ecosystem collaboration and global outreach.
Key Initiatives Under Startup India
- Capacity building and mentorship
- Outreach and awareness programmes
- Ecosystem development events
- International exposure and global linkages
- Collaboration between startups, corporates and institutions.
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January 16, 2026, 07:00 IST
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