Connect with us
Wednesday,30-July-2025
Breaking News

National News

‘Railways To Run 13,000 Trains, Including 3,000 Special Ones, For Maha Kumbh 2025,’ Announces Ashwini Vaishnaw

Published

on

Prayagraj: Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said the Railways would run about 13,000 trains, including 3,000 special ones, for the convenience of devotees during the Maha Kumbh.

The Union minister, who reached Prayagraj by train from Varanasi to review the Railways’ preparations for the mega event, expects about 1.5 to 2 crore passengers to reach the city by train during the mela.

The Maha Kumbh will commence on January 13 on the occasion of Paush Purnima and conclude on February 26 on Mahashivratri.

Statement Of Union Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

After inspecting several stations under the Northeast Railway, Northern Railway and the North Central Railway in Prayagraj, the minister told reporters, “I also inspected the new bridge built over the Ganga, which will soon be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A new bridge has been built over the Ganga here after 100 years.” “I personally inspected five stations. The holding areas at these stations, where the devotees will be able to sit till their trains arrive, are very good. Colour coding has been used in the holding areas and tickets so that the devotees can reach the right platform,” Vaishnaw added.

The minister further said that the mobile UTS (Unreserved Ticket System) would be used in Prayagraj for the first time.

The system was used during the Rath Yatra in Puri, he said.

“For the Maha Kumbh, the railway track on the Prayagraj-Varanasi route has been doubled. The Phaphamau-Janghai section has been doubled. A second entrance has been built at the Jhansi, Phaphamau, Prayagraj, Subedarganj, Naini and the Cheoki stations,” Vaishnaw said.

Control Room Set Up At Every Station

A control room has been set up at every station that will send live feeds to the master control room at the Prayagraj station.

CCTV camera feed from Maha Kumbh Nagar and the police will also be received at the master control room.

The minister said work at the Prayagraj station was done using the experience gained during the Ram temple consecration programme in Ayodhya and the Rath Yatra in Puri.

Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw On Holding Areas

Vaishnaw also said more than 23 holding areas had been built at various stations in Prayagraj, apart from 48 platforms. Similarly, 21 foot overbridges have been built and arrangements made for 554 ticketing kiosks.

The Indian Railways spent more than Rs 5,000 crore on preparations for the Maha Kumbh in the past two years, Vaishnaw said.

Railway Board CEO Satish Kumar and other senior officials accompanied Vaishnaw during the review.

Maharashtra

Mumbai 26 July 2005 Floods: When City Was Submerged With 944 mm Of Rain In 24 Hours Leaving 914 Dead, Thousands Displaced

Published

on

Every year, the monsoon season disrupts life across Indian cities with heavy rainfall, waterlogging and traffic chaos. But July 26, 2005, stands out as a day that etched itself into Mumbai’s history as one of its darkest and most devastating.

On that day, Mumbai received an unprecedented 944 mm of rain in just 24 hours, nearly half of its annual average. Between 8 am and 8 pm alone, 644 mm poured down. It remains the eighth-highest 24-hour rainfall ever recorded anywhere in the world. The city, unprepared for such intensity, was brought to a grinding halt.

Internet Flooded With Old Visuals, Still Haunting Mumbaikars

Several netizens took to social media to share haunting visuals from the 2005 Mumbai floods, recalling the day when the city came to a complete standstill. Many described it as an unforgettable chapter in Mumbai’s history, marked by chaos, resilience and unity.

While some reflected on the overwhelming scale of the disaster, others remembered how the crisis revealed the undying spirit of Mumbai, with strangers helping each other and communities coming together in the face of adversity.

Mumbai’s Lifeline Took Serious Hit, 52 Local Trains Damaged

As floodwaters rose, roads vanished beneath torrents of water. Local trains, the city’s lifeline, stopped completely, with tracks submerged and 52 trains damaged. Thousands were stranded in stations, schools and offices overnight. Low-lying areas like Dharavi and the Bandra-Kurla Complex were heavily inundated, while vehicles were swept away or immobilised.

The scale of disruption was staggering. Over 37,000 auto-rickshaws, 4,000 taxis, 900 BEST buses and 10,000 trucks and tempos were either damaged or rendered unusable. Even the skies were no refuge. For the first time ever, Mumbai’s airports shut down, with Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and the Juhu airstrip closed for more than 30 hours. More than 700 flights were cancelled or delayed, creating nationwide ripples in air traffic.

Over 900 Killed, Property Worth ₹5.5 Billion Destroyed

The economic loss was estimated at Rs 5.5 billion (around 100 million USD). But the cost in human lives and suffering was far greater. According to official reports, 914 people lost their lives, many due to drowning, electrocution and landslides. More than 14,000 homes were destroyed, leaving thousands without shelter, food or drinking water.

Communication networks also failed. Around 5 million mobile users and 2.3 million landline connections went dead for several hours, hampering emergency rescue operations. Emergency services were overwhelmed, as the city grappled with a disaster it had never imagined.

The 2005 floods served as a harsh wake-up call, exposing Mumbai’s vulnerability to extreme weather. In the years since, the government has worked on improving disaster preparedness, such as creating specialised disaster management units, upgrading early warning systems and installing floodgates and dewatering pumps at critical points.

Yet, even two decades later, as visuals from 2005 resurface each year, a haunting question persists: Is Mumbai truly prepared to face another flood of that magnitude?

Continue Reading

National News

Congress Leader Jairam Ramesh Slams PM Modi’s ‘Boasted Friendship’ With Donald Trump, Cites US Engagement With Pakistan

Published

on

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “much boasted friendship” with US President Donald Trump is now proving to be “hollow” and cited several overtures the latter recently made to Pakistan.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh also alleged that Indian diplomacy was failing in the light of the US partnering with Pakistan.

“The abject failure of Indian diplomacy, especially in the past two months, is revealed most tellingly by four facts. These expose the tall claims made by the Prime Minister and his drum-beaters and cheerleaders,” he said in his post.

Ramesh said that since May 10, 2025, Trump has claimed 25 times that “he personally intervened to stop Operation Sindoor, threatening India and Pakistan that if they didn’t bring the war to a halt, they would not have a trade agreement with the USA.” On June 10, 2025, he claimed, Gen Michael Kurilla, the head of the US Central Command, hailed Pakistan as a phenomenal partner of the US in countering terrorism.

On June 18, 2025, Trump held an unprecedented luncheon meeting with Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in the White House, Ramesh noted.

“Two months earlier, Munir’s inflammatory, incendiary, and communally provocative remarks had provided the backdrop to the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks on April 22, 2025,” he said.

Just yesterday, the Congress leader claimed that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and thanked Pakistan for its partnership in countering terrorism and preserving regional stability.

“The PM’s clean chit to China on June 19, 2020, has already cost India heavily. His much boasted friendship with President Trump is now proving to be hollow,” Ramesh said in his post.

Continue Reading

National News

Government Cracks Down on OTT Platforms Over Obscene Content

Published

on

New Delhi, July 25, 2025 — In a significant move targeting explicit digital content, the Government of India has taken steps to block several over-the-top (OTT) platforms accused of streaming obscene and vulgar material. Platforms such as ALTBalaji, ULLU, and a few others have come under the scanner for allegedly violating Indian content regulations and societal norms.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, acting on multiple complaints from citizens and civil society groups, initiated the ban after conducting an internal review. Authorities stated that certain shows and web series available on these platforms contained content that was “sexually explicit,” “vulgar,” and “not suitable for public viewing,” especially in households with children.

The decision has stirred a wider debate around content regulation and creative freedom in India’s rapidly growing digital entertainment sector. While officials maintain that the step was necessary to uphold decency standards and protect cultural values, critics warn of overreach and censorship.

A senior official said, “This is not about targeting creative freedom. This is about ensuring that OTT content does not cross legal and moral boundaries. There are clear guidelines, and platforms are expected to adhere to them.”

The platforms affected reportedly failed to comply with warnings issued earlier regarding their programming. Despite advisory notices and reminders to filter or restrict adult content, several web series continued to feature nudity, explicit scenes, and suggestive themes without proper age-gating or viewer discretion tools.

In recent years, OTT platforms have grown in popularity, especially among younger audiences, with many bypassing traditional film and TV regulations. The government had previously introduced a self-regulation framework for digital content providers, but critics say enforcement has been lax, leading to the current clampdown.

Some media rights advocates and artists expressed concern over the lack of transparency in the banning process and called for an independent review mechanism. Others, however, welcomed the move, stating that unchecked access to graphic content could have a detrimental effect on social behavior and minors.

As of now, the banned platforms remain inaccessible in India. The Ministry has hinted at further actions if other OTT providers do not align their content with the prescribed code of ethics and IT rules.

This development marks a turning point in India’s digital media regulation and sets the stage for possible stricter content monitoring across streaming platforms in the future.

Continue Reading

Trending