Shally Seth Mohile And Dev Chatterjee

Stories by Shally Seth Mohile And Dev Chatterjee

Indians Want Offbeat Travel Choices

Indians Want Offbeat Travel Choices

Rediff.com   1 Jan 2022

On the itinerary: Luxury camping, tribal homestays, heritage cities.

24 New Cars To Hit The Road In 2022

24 New Cars To Hit The Road In 2022

Rediff.com   29 Dec 2021

'Some of the launches may get deferred due to the semiconductor shortage, which is unlikely to get resolved before the second half of 2022.'

PV makers to see cumulative earning loss of Rs 2,000 crore in FY22: Icra

PV makers to see cumulative earning loss of Rs 2,000 crore in FY22: Icra

Rediff.com   23 Dec 2021

Passenger Vehicle makers are likely to see their cumulative earnings at an operating level erode by Rs 1,800-2,000 crore in the year ending March 2022 on account of the shortage of semiconductors, rating agency Icra said at a webinar on Wednesday. The industry, it pointed out, is estimated to lose production of 500,000 units at the end of FY22 due to the chronovc shortage the chip, which is critical in safety, entertainment and the various other smart features of a car. "In absence of the chip crisis, the industry volumes are likely to have exceeded the all-time peak annual volumes." Icra has pared its growth estimates for the PV market from the earlier 10-14 per cent to 8-11 per cent now in FY22.

Automakers in India gear up to launch affordable EVs

Automakers in India gear up to launch affordable EVs

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2021

India's electric mobility goal, which has so far been riding on two wheels, is all set to graduate to four wheels. At least, the journey has begun. Hyundai Motor India said it would invest Rs 4,000 crore till 2028 to launch half-a-dozen electric vehicles (EVs) in India. It would eventually straddle premium and mass segments. The first of these - the electrified version of an internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered model - will go on sale as early as next year.

Omicron Cancels Christmas, New Year Parties

Omicron Cancels Christmas, New Year Parties

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2021

'We are not organising any large celebrations on New Year's Eve to avoid last-minute changes in guidelines.'

4 out of every 10 Maruti cars sold in villages

4 out of every 10 Maruti cars sold in villages

Rediff.com   21 Dec 2021

'Bharat has been leading, but it cannot carry India as the bulk of the sales come from India in terms of volume and profitability.'

Wanted: Skilled, blue-collar job seekers at electric two-wheeler firms

Wanted: Skilled, blue-collar job seekers at electric two-wheeler firms

Rediff.com   20 Dec 2021

For every one experienced candidate being recruited by e-two wheeler companies, 10 have no prior experience; recruitments are for skilled, low-end jobs, not for managerial or supervisory roles.

Weird case of why L&T lost 14 large orders in India

Weird case of why L&T lost 14 large orders in India

Rediff.com   14 Dec 2021

Larsen & Toubro (L&T), India's largest construction and engineering player, has lost as many as 14 large orders in the country because companies that don't possess adequate technical expertise and experience, of late, have won the projects by bidding lower, claimed A M Naik, non-executive chairman of L&T. But the company has made up for the losses by winning projects overseas, where it has acquired a sizeable market share amid tough competition from large global players, he said.

Reliance Infra: How this Anil Ambani firm plans to prune group debt by Mar

Reliance Infra: How this Anil Ambani firm plans to prune group debt by Mar

Rediff.com   7 Dec 2021

The Reserve Bank of India's action against Reliance Capital comes at a time when the Anil Ambani group was planning to make a comeback with the group company, Reliance Infrastructure, raising funds from the promoter family. As part of the comeback plan, Reliance Infrastructure received Rs 550 crore fund infusion from the Anil Ambani family. A month earlier, Reliance Power, a listed subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure, also raised funds from its parent by issuing preferential allotment of shares thus increasing the stake of Reliance Infrastructure in the company.

Tatas to buy residual stake in AirAsia India

Tatas to buy residual stake in AirAsia India

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2021

Tata Sons is all set to acquire a residual stake of 16.33 per cent in AirAsia India from its joint venture (JV) partner AirAsia Berhad for $19 million (or Rs 142 crore) by early next year. The valuation is in accordance with the previous transaction under which AirAsia Berhad had sold its 32.6 per cent stake, said a banking source. Tata Group had increased its stake in AirAsia India at a valuation of $115 million.

Tata Motors knocks out peers in SUV ring

Tata Motors knocks out peers in SUV ring

Rediff.com   22 Nov 2021

Tata Motors, India's third largest passenger vehicle maker, took pole position in the competitive sport utility vehicle (SUV) market in October, reveals the data from industry sources. Riding high on the Punch - the sub-compact SUV offering launched on October 18 - the Tata group flagship sold a record 23,381 units in October, higher than 20,022 units sold by archrival Mahindra & Mahindra, 18,538 units sold by Hyundai Motor India, and 15,931 units sold by Kia Motors India. Utility vehicles - that include SUVs and multipurpose vehicles - accounted for almost one in every two passenger vehicles sold in India in the first seven months of the current financial year, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

Tatas, Adani, Ambanis in scramble for super app

Tatas, Adani, Ambanis in scramble for super app

Rediff.com   8 Nov 2021

The groups plan to take on well-entrenched players like Amazon, Flipkart, and Paytm by merging their offline businesses with e-commerce initiatives.

Future Retail independent directors drag Amazon to CCI

Future Retail independent directors drag Amazon to CCI

Rediff.com   8 Nov 2021

Amazon violated FDI norms, allege Future Retail independent directors.

Pre-owned car sellers see brisk volume growth as chip crunch persists

Pre-owned car sellers see brisk volume growth as chip crunch persists

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2021

Even as the semiconductor shortage has limited the demand for new cars, the pre-owned car segment is seeing a surge. A preference for personal mobility, availability of multiple organised online platforms, including e-commerce channels, aggregators, and classifieds, have been fuelling growth. The growth rate of the pre-owned car market is expected to be 1.5x that of the new car market over the next five years.

Business travel takes off again on a wing and a prayer

Business travel takes off again on a wing and a prayer

Rediff.com   2 Nov 2021

Business executives are finally dusting off their long-unused suitcases to resume travel, thanks to a good vaccination rate, a drop in fresh cases, and an easing of travel restrictions. It comes as a huge relief for the ravaged aviation, travel and hospitality sectors. "We are witnessing a 40 per cent recovery on pre-covid volumes from our business travellers, signalling the return of corporate confidence in air travel," said Indiver Rastogi, president & group head, Global Business Travel, Thomas Cook (India) & SOTC.

We eat OATS for breakfast: Rajiv Bajaj takes a dig at Ola Electric

We eat OATS for breakfast: Rajiv Bajaj takes a dig at Ola Electric

Rediff.com   29 Oct 2021

As a 75-year-old septuagenarian, Bajaj Auto has adapted itself as a nod to competition, regulations, and changing buyer preference. It will continue to do so, said its managing director Rajiv Bajaj at the launch of the all-new Pulsar 250. This was in response to a question on the company's preparedness for disruption by electric two-wheeler start-ups.

Hotels roll out red carpet for year-end vacationers

Hotels roll out red carpet for year-end vacationers

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2021

After a better-than-expected Dussehra weekend, hospitality firms are hopeful of ending the year on a positive note by doing good business over Christmas and the New Year. Typically, year-end bookings kick in two to four weeks before the season begins. Owing to pandemic-related uncertainties, hotels are seeing a significant reduction in the booking window, with travellers waiting till the last minute to make hotel reservations.

Chip woes dent festive mood for auto firms

Chip woes dent festive mood for auto firms

Rediff.com   25 Oct 2021

The first leg of the 35-day festive period, which ended with Dussehra, failed to bring any cheer for auto companies. While makers of passenger vehicles struggled to meet demand due to the persistent shortage of semiconductors, a recovery in demand remained elusive for two-wheeler manufacturers despite offers and schemes. The overall season, which ends two days after Diwali, is unlikely to bring any turnaround in either the supply or the demand scenario, said dealers and officials at auto companies.

Dish TV vs Yes Bank: Another corporate battle looms

Dish TV vs Yes Bank: Another corporate battle looms

Rediff.com   18 Oct 2021

Even as the corporate battle over Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) has reached the Bombay high court, another Essel Group firm - Dish TV India - is gearing up for a legal battle with YES Bank by planning to move the National Company Law Tribunal to appoint six of its nominees on the board of the loss-making company. While Dish TV said YES Bank has acquired 26 per cent stake by invoking the pledged shares of Essel Group promoter, it also said YES Bank must make an open offer to shareholders of the company, according to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) takeover code. This, as YES Bank is seeking to take control of the company, said Dish TV.

Carmakers stare at nearly 500,000 units of booking backlog

Carmakers stare at nearly 500,000 units of booking backlog

Rediff.com   6 Oct 2021

Ahead of the peak festive season, India's passenger vehicle makers are staring at a cumulative order backlog of nearly 500,000 units as chip shortage continues to cripple production. The crisis is forcing companies to change their production plans frequently and take a call on the variants they can manufacture based on the availability of semiconductors. The booking numbers are not a true reflection of demand, said manufacturers.