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Fri, 28 June 2024
Govt orders inspection of all airports
Timeline Refresh
23:21 Govt orders inspection of all airports
The civil aviation ministry on Friday ordered a thorough inspection of the structural strength of all airports in the country, following the roof collapse incident at the Delhi airport that left one dead and at least six persons injured.
Following the incident that happened at around 5 am on Friday at Terminal 1, the operations at the terminal have been suspended and the flights that are to operate from there have been shifted to T2 and T3.
Sources in the know said that more than 100 flights that were to be operated from T1 have been cancelled by IndiGo and SpiceJet.
At a review meeting convened by Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, it was also decided that a 24x7 war room will be set up for efficient management of passengers at T2 and T3.
"The war room will ensure the full refund of cancelled flights or provide alternative travel route tickets," an official statement said.
Further, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been directed to issue a circular to all minor and major airports to conduct a thorough inspection of structural strength.
These inspections must be completed within the next 2-5 days and the reports are to be submitted to the ministry.
"Based on the findings, the need for increased safety measures and the development of long term policies to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents will be formulated at priority," the statement said.
Structural engineers from IIT Delhi have been asked to immediately assess the incident at the Delhi airport.
T1 has only domestic flight operations by IndiGo and SpiceJet. The airport -- which has three terminals T1, T2 and T3 -- handles around 1,400 flight movements daily.
Besides, an 'advisory has been released to all airlines to ensure that this situation does not lead to a steep increase in airfare. Airlines to maintain fare stability to avoid passenger inconvenience'.
Naidu held the review meeting with senior officials of the ministry, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). -- PTI
22:31 Rahul Gandhi talks to Soren, welcomes his bail
Welcoming the bail granted to former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was arrested out of political malice.
In a post on X, the Congress leader said he talked to Soren on phone and expressed happiness on his release.
'The arrest of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was done out of revenge and political malice,' Rahul Gandhi said in the post.
'We welcome the high court's decision to grant him bail -- expressed my happiness by speaking to Soren ji over the phone,' he said.
'Those who move with the spirit of protecting the Constitution, truth itself protects them,' he added.
The Jharkhand high court on Friday granted bail to the JMM leader in a money laundering case linked to land scam. The high court had on June 13 reserved its decision on Soren's bail plea. -- PTI
IMAGE: Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren being offered with sweets by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supporters after being released on bail, in Ranchi on Friday. Photograph: ANI Photo
21:52 Actor Prithviraj, wife pick up stake in Kochi FC
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran and his wife Supriya Menon have acquired a major stake in Kochi FC, a team which will compete in the upcoming Super League Kerala (SLK) Football Championship.
Season One of the 60-day SLK will start from August end this year and has six franchises including Kochi FC.
The six teams from Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Kannur and Malappuram will compete in the championship, SLK said in a statement.
SLK said Prithviraj expressed hope that the inaugural season of the League would significantly boost football activities at both professional and grassroots levels in football-enthusiastic Kerala.
He emphasised that it would create numerous opportunities for deserving and upcoming players, the release said.
Super League Kerala CEO Mathew Joseph highlighted that actor Prithviraj's involvement in the league will inspire and energise a significant number of youth.
"This event marks a unique fusion of entertainment and sports in Kerala during this 60-day sports extravaganza starting from the end of August this year," Joseph said.
Reacting to the development, Menon expressed her strong support for a premier sports event taking place in Kerala.
She added that her involvement, along with others, aims to inspire more female sports enthusiasts to attend the matches live at the stadiums, the release added.
The co-owners of Kochi FC team are Nasly Mohammed, Praveesh Kuzhipally, Shameem Backer and Mohammed Shyjal.
21:20 Delhi records highest rainfall in 88 years
Delhi recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall on Friday, the highest since 1936 for the month of June, and the weatherman predicted more spells over the weekend in the national capital.
The Safdarjung Observatory, the city's primary weather station, recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Friday, more than three times the June rainfall average of 74.1 mm and the highest for the month in at least 16 years.
Extreme weather events are happening in the national capital, as weather experts noted that during the entire monsoon season, Delhi receives nearly 650 mm of rainfall.
On the first day of heavy rain this season, the capital received one-third of its total monsoon rainfall on Friday.
According to the weather department data, after 1936, the city has recorded its highest rainfall in the last 88 years and the second highest in the period from 1901 to 2024.
The Safdarjung Observatory, recorded the highest rainfall on June 24, 1936, with 235.5 mm.
On Friday, Delhi recorded its second-highest rainfall. On June 30, 1981, the capital recorded 191.6 mm, making it the third highest, and on June 24, 1933, it recorded 139.7 mm of rainfall.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the weather station at Lodhi Road logged 192.8 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am, Ridge 150.4 mm, Palam 106.6 mm, Delhi University 139 mm, Pitampura 138 mm, Pusa 89 mm, Mayur Vihar 75 mm and Tughlakabad 70.5 mm.
The Met office has forecast generally cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms, accompanied by gusty winds, their speed reaching up to 30 to 40 kilometres per hour for Saturday, as the city will be on an 'orange' alert. The IMD has also predicted 'heavy' to 'very heavy' rainfall in Delhi over the weekend.
"The weather department also shared the total monthly rainfall data for June at the Safdarjung station for the period from 1901 to 2024, revealing that June 2024 recorded the third-highest rainfall in the last 124 years at 234.5 mm. The highest was in 1936 at 415.8 mm, followed by 1933 at 399 mm for the same period," according to the IMD.
Delhi recorded the maximum temperature of 32.5 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal on Friday, according to the IMD.
The relative humidity oscillated between 72 per cent and 100 per cent, according to an IMD bulletin.
The IMD issues four colour-coded warnings -- 'green' (no action needed), 'yellow' (watch and stay updated), 'orange' (be prepared) and 'red' (take action).
The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 32 and 25 degrees Celsius, respectively. -- PTI
20:41 Jaishankar, not Modi, will represent India at SCO summit
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Astana next week.
The summit, to be held on July 3 and 4, is expected to focus on the regional security situation and ways to boost connectivity and trade.
"The Indian delegation at the SCO summit will be led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing.
The situation in Afghanistan, the Ukraine conflict and boosting overall security cooperation among the SCO member countries are expected to figure in the summit.
The SCO, comprising India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, is an influential economic and security bloc that has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.
Generally, the Indian prime minister participates in the SCO summit.
In a phone conversation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi conveyed to Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev India's full support for the success of the summit.
Kazakhstan is hosting the summit in its capacity as the current chair of the grouping.
India was the chair of the SCO last year. It hosted the SCO summit in the virtual format in July last year.
India's association with the SCO began in 2005 as an observer country. It became a full member state of SCO at the Astana summit in 2017.
20:11 NEET: CBI arrests principal of Jharkhand school
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested the principal and vice principal of a school in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case, officials said.
Ehsanul Haque, the principal of Oasis School, was made the city coordinator of Hazaribagh for the medical entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, they said.
Vice Principal Imtiaz Alam was designated as the NTA's observer and the centre coordinator at the Oasis School, officials said, adding the CBI is also questioning five more people from the district in connection with the paper leak case.
The federal probe agency arrested Haque and Alam after detailed questioning, they said.
Both the accused came under scanner during a probe by the Bihar Police's Economic Offences Unit (EOU) which was investigating the case earlier. The team had found burnt question papers of NEET-UG during a raid at a hideout of the solver gang, officials said.
In a statement, the EOU had claimed the 'leaked' NEET-UG question paper was allegedly obtained from the Oasis School in Hazaribagh by the notorious Sanjeev Kumar alias Lutan Mukhiya gang.
It had said the investigators had matched a partially burnt question paper found from the Patna safe house with the reference question paper provided by the NTA, confirming the leak's origin.
However, it could not clearly establish who was behind the alleged paper leak, officials said.
According to them, the probe had also shown that laid down guidelines for opening the question paper boxes were not properly followed by the authorities in Hazaribagh.
In media interviews, Haque has maintained that the box carrying the question papers could not be opened because its digital lock, which was supposed to unlock automatically, had malfunctioned.
Following this, he contacted the NTA, which asked him to use a cutter to open the box, Haque has claimed.
The boxes carrying question papers have two locks -- a manual one that must be opened with a key and cutter and a digital lock that opens with a beep sound 45 minutes before the examination.
The CBI has registered six FIRs in the NEET-UG paper leak case which included its own FIR on a reference from the Union Education Ministry and five from the states where it took over investigation. The probe agency has taken over one case each in Bihar and Gujarat and three cases in Rajasthan. -- PTI
19:30 Delhi flooded: LG holds emergency meet, leaves cancelled
Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Friday took stock of the situation in Delhi after hours-long rain brought the city to a standstill and directed officials to set up an emergency control room and deploy static pumps to address waterlogging reports.
Chairing an emergency meeting, the L-G said all senior officers on leave should be asked to report back to duty immediately and no leave should be sanctioned for the next two months, according to his office.
In a post on 'X', Saxena said the heads of departments have been directed to ensure immediate steps to ease the situation and strictly implement measures to mitigate its recurrence.
'It is shocking that the Flood Control Order and desilting of drains that should have been issued and completed by 15.06.24 are yet pending. The Flood Control Order, normally issued after the Apex Committee meeting chaired by the Hon'ble CM is pending with the Hon'ble Minister,' he said in another post.
According to the L-G office, Saxena also took note of the lack of preparedness and an emergency response system in the national capital. He asked the officials to undertake the drain de-silting work on an emergency basis over the next week.
The L-G asked officials to set up an emergency control room for waterlogging complaints.
The control room should be manned round the clock by senior officials, it said.
In a series of directions, Saxena asked for functional static pumps with deployment of field staff by agencies, use of mobile pumps in low-lying areas like unauthorised colonies, regular traffic advisories on waterlogging and preventive measures by power discoms so that there were no open electricity wires and incidents of short circuit.
The Irrigation and Flood Control Department was directed to remain in touch with their counterparts in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to assess rainfall levels and water discharges from the Hathnikund barrage, officials said.
They said the L-G directed the revenue department to activate the disaster response cell under the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in case of excess rainfall and seek assistance from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for any emergency measures during the monsoon.
Senior officers of civic agencies like the Delhi Jal Board, Public Works Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Development Authority, Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the Delhi Police attended the meeting. Delhi government's Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar was directed by the L-G to convene a meeting to ensure that the Yamuna floodplains and major drains are cleared of all kinds of debris, officials added. -- PTI
19:00 'Kalki' earns Rs 191.5 cr in global BO on opening day, say makers
Nag Ashwin's 3D spectacle Kalki 2898 AD registered a record opening at the global box office, earning Rs 191.5 crore gross on day one of its release, the makers said on Friday.
Touted as a marriage of Hindu epic Mahabharata and science fiction, the big-budget film is produced by Vyjayanthi Movies and was released on Thursday in six languages: Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and English.
It features a star cast led by Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan, along with Disha Pattani, Saswata Chatterjee and Shobhana.
Vyjayanthi Movies shared the opening day figure of the movie on its official X page through a poster which stated that Kalki 2898 AD earned Rs 191.5 crore in gross box office collection (GBOC).
The film's day one earnings is the third highest opening day collection for any Indian film.
It is behind SS Rajamouli's RRR (Rs 223 crore) and Baahubali 2 (Rs 217 crore), which also featured Prabhas in the lead role.
On Thursday, trade pundits had predicted that the film might earn around Rs 200 crore globally on its opening day.
Previously titled "Project K", it is arguably the most expensive feature film in Indian cinema history at a reported cost of Rs 600 crore.
Large crowds were seem outside theatres in several cities, including Hyderabad and Mumbai. And the initial reviews were also favourable.
18:30 No surge pricing for Delhi flights, govt tells airlines
The Union civil aviation ministry on Friday asked airlines to ensure that there is no abnormal surge in airfares for flights to and from the national capital amid suspension of operations at Delhi airport's Terminal 1 following the roof collapse incident.
On Friday at around 5 am, a canopy at the old departure forecourt of the Terminal 1 (T1) partially collapsed, an incident that left one person dead and at least six others injured.
With the T1, which handles domestic flight operations of IndiGo and SpiceJet, being shut, there have been flight cancellations and operations have been shifted to T2 and T3 temporarily.
Against this backdrop, a senior official on Friday said the ministry has asked airlines to ensure that there is no abnormal surge in airfares for flights to and from Delhi.
In a series of posts on X, the ministry said airlines have been advised that cancellations and rescheduling of flights due to the incident may be done without penal charges.
"In view of the unfortunate incident at Terminal T1D IGIA, Delhi, all airlines are advised to monitor any abnormal surge in airfares to and from Delhi and take necessary action regarding the same," it said.
A source in the know said that following the T1 incident, IndiGo has cancelled 62 flight departures and 7 flight arrivals while SpiceJet has cancelled 8 flight departures and 4 flight arrivals.
Representational image
18:09 TVM-Mumbai Vistara flight gets bomb threat
A Thiruvananthapuram-Mumbai flight of Vistara received a bomb threat on Friday following which a search was being carried out, police said in Mumbai.
A note saying 'bomb on board' was found by a crew member, said an official of Sahar police station.
As the flight landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai around 3.15 pm, the airline informed the police, he said.
The passengers were informed about the threat after landing and a search of passengers and their luggage was underway though nothing suspicious had been found so far, the official added.
An airline spokesperson said in a statement that a "security concern" was noticed by its staff onboard Vistara flight UK 552.
"As per protocol, we immediately alerted the relevant authorities, and the aircraft was taken to the isolation bay after safely landing at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai where all customers have been disembarked," the statement added.
17:44 Hemant Soren released from jail after getting bail
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was released from Birsa Munda Jail on Friday after the high court granted bail to him in a money laundering case linked to a land scam, an official said.
As Soren stepped out of the jail, a large number of JMM supporters cheered and raised slogans in his favour.
Soren's wife Kalpana Soren, a JMM legislator, thanked the judiciary and people for their support.
"Hemant Soren was released from the jail after completion of legal formalities," the official said.
Soren, on his release from the jail, was seen waving at people and seeking blessings from his father and JMM supremo Shibu Soren.
A single bench of Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay granted bail to the former chief minister of Jharkhand earlier in the day.
"...The petitioner is directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties of the like amount each," said the order passed by Justice Mukhopadhyay.
Soren, the executive president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in connection with its investigation into the money laundering case.
17:34 Panel formed to probe Delhi airport roof collapse
Delhi airport operator DIAL on Friday said it has set up a technical committee to probe the roof collapse at the airport's Terminal 1 and the primary cause of the incident seems to be continued heavy rainfall.
In the incident, which happened at around 5 am on Friday, one person died and a few others sustained injuries.
DIAL said that due to heavy rains and winds through the night in Delhi, a canopy at the old departure forecourt of Terminal 1 (T1) partially collapsed.
'While the cause for the collapse is being assessed, the primary cause seems to be the continued heavy rainfall over the past few hours,' it said in a statement.
The Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) has set up a technical committee to investigate the cause of the incident and will give the report as soon as possible.
Following the incident, flight operations have been suspended at T1.
DIAL said it is working with all relevant agencies, including Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation (BCAS), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Delhi Police and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), to assess the situation and restore operations.
T1 is used for domestic flights operated by IndiGo and SpiceJet. -- PTI
17:22 Deputy NSA Vikram Misri is next foreign secretary
Deputy National Security Adviser (NSA) Vikram Misri was on Friday named as the next foreign secretary, according to an official order.
Misri, a 1989 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has been appointed to the post with effect from July 15, it said.
He will succeed Vinay Mohan Kwatra, who was in March this year given a six-months extension.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Misri, Deputy NSA in the National Security Council Secretariat, to the post of foreign secretary with effect from July 15, said the order issued by the personnel ministry.
It also approved the curtailment of Misri's tenure as the Deputy NSA.
16:53 Will take time for 228mm of water to recede: Atishi
Delhi Minister Atishi on a submerged city: "We have identified around 200 hotspots till the last rain. Out of these, 40 hotspots are under CCTV surveillance by PWD. You have to understand that if Delhi receives rainfall of 228 mm, then it will take time to decrease the water level. Right now, Delhi has received more rainfall than the capacity of the drains. That's why we are witnessing waterlogging at several places.
"We conducted an emergency meeting regarding the waterlogging issue due to the heavy rainfall. It was chaired by four ministers of the Delhi government. It was attended by all the senior officials of the Delhi government. We made several important decisions for the upcoming days."
IMD's Safdarjung airport observatory recorded 234.5mm rainfall between 1st June-28th June, the third highest in last 124 years, says the MET department.
16:12 Wasn't allowed to speak in Parl: Rahul posts video
The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned for the day on Friday as the opposition demanded a discussion on the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the medical entrance exam NEET.
Taking to X, LoP Rahul Gandhi posts a video and says, "Everybody knows the papers were leaked. The dreams and aspirations of students who studied to become doctors have been ridiculed.
"I had brought up NEET during a meeting with Opposition parties yesterday and everyone unanimously agreed that a one-day discussion on NEET is required. And we are committed to having that discussion peacefully in a very very accommodating manner.
"The INDIA Opposition bloc wants to have a constructive debate with the Government on the NEET exam and the prevailing paper leak issue.
"It is unfortunate that we weren't allowed to do so in Parliament today. This is a serious concern that is causing anxiety to lakhs of families across India.
"We urge the Prime Minister to debate on this issue and give the students the respect they deserve."
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET-UG was conducted by the NTA on May 5 with around 24 lakh candidates taking part in it. The results were announced on June 4 and almost immediately were followed by allegations of irregularities and question paper leaks in states such as Bihar.
15:56 AAP demands Rs 1 cr for Delhi airport victim
The AAP on Friday demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the kin of the person killed in the airport roof collapse incident.
Addressing a press conference, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Jasmine Shah said the BJP-led central government should come in forefront and explain the reasons for the incident.
"A very sad incident happened today. A portion of Delhi airport's T1 roof collapsed. Delhi International Airport and other airports in the country come under the central government's Airports Authority of India. Around eight people have been injured and one was killed in this incident," he said.
Shah demanded a high-level investigation into the matter.
"We demand that the kin of the deceased be awarded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh for those who were injured in the incident," he said.
Around 5 am, a canopy at the departure area collapsed, trapping several people and killing one whose identity is yet to be ascertained. PTI
Terrible traffic congestion on expressways in and out of Delhi
15:30 Delhi rains: LG holds emergency meet, no leaves
Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Friday took stock of the situation in Delhi after hours-long rain brought the city to a standstill and directed officials to set up an emergency control room and deploy static pumps to address waterlogging reports.
Chairing an emergency meeting, the LG said that all senior officers on leave should be asked to report back to duty immediately and no leave should be sanctioned for the next two months, according to his office. Saxena also took note of the lack of preparedness and an emergency response system in the national capital, the LG office said.
Senior officers of civic agencies like Delhi Jal Board, Public Works Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Development Authority, Irrigation and Flood Control department and the Delhi Police attended the meeting. Saxena noted that the de-silting of drains had not been completed and the Flood Control Order was yet to be issued.
He asked the officials to undertake the de-silting work on an emergent basis over the next week, the LG's office said.
The LG asked officials to set up an emergency control room for waterlogging complaints. The control room would be manned 24X7 by senior officials, it said. He also directed various agencies to deploy static pumps and field staff to drain water from roads.
The Irrigation and Flood Control department was directed to remain in touch with their counterparts in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to assess rainfall levels and discharges from the Hathnikund barrage, officials said. They said the LG directed the revenue department to activate the disaster response cell under the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in case of excess rainfall and seek assistance of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for any emergency measures during the monsoon. PTI
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar
14:56 Maha Budget: Rs 1500 for women, 3 free cylinders
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday announced a financial assistance scheme entailing a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 to eligible women in the age group of 21 to 60 years in the state Budget for 2024-25.
Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, said in his budget speech in the assembly that the scheme, "Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana", will be implemented from July, four months ahead of the state polls which are due in October.
An annual budgetary allocation of Rs 46,000 crore will be made for the scheme, he said. Announcing another welfare scheme, the finance minister said an eligible family of five will get three cooking gas cylinders free every year under the 'Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana'. -- PTI
Pic retweeted by @Supriya23bh
14:36 Rahul's chai pe charcha in Parl canteen today
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has tea INDIA alliance MPs including the Samajwadi party MP from Ayodhaya Awdhesh Prasad (in red cap).
The Opposition continued its strident pitch on the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination with the Congress and other parties demanding a discussion on the floor of the house. With the government insisting on first completing the motion of thanks to the presidential address both houses were adjourned with the Lok Sabha adjourned till Monday.
14:21 Water enters Kiran Bedi's home
Former Puducherry governor and IPS officer, Kiran Bedi, shares a video of water being mopped from inside her house. She writes, "We shift from one crisis to another. Scorching summer heat to water logging in #monsoon."
A video grab of the road outside Shashi Tharoor's home
14:20 Water enters ministers' homes in Lutyens' Delhi
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweets a video of a waterlogged road outside his home and writes, "This is the corner just outside my home in Lutyens' Delhi. Woke up to find my entire home under a foot of water -- every room. Carpets and furniture, indeed anything on the ground, ruined. Apparently the storm water drains in the neighbourhood are all clogged so the water had no place to go. And they switched off the electricity since 6 am for fear of electrocuting people. Warned my Parliament colleagues that I might not make it there without a boat. But the city managed to pump water out of the roads and I did arrive in time!"
People in Delhi woke up to a rain devastated city on Friday with a canopy at Delhi airport's busy Terminal 1 collapsing, killing one person, and many parts of the city inundated with water entering homes, submerging vehicles and leading to mile-long traffic snarls.
SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav was carried to his car by members of his staff as the area around his residence is completely inundated.
Congress MP Manish Tewari had shared a video this morning hitching up his trousers, holding his briefcase aloft and wading through ankle-high water, to get into his car. He wrote, "On the way to Parliament in the morning."
Aviation minister inspects the damage
13:53 Airport collapse result of PM's poll optics: TMC
The Trinamool Congress on Friday slammed the central government for the roof collapse at Delhi airport's Terminal 1, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantee was "crumbling".
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced that an investigation has been ordered into the roof collapse that left one person dead and six others injured.
"A Glimpse into PM Modi's 'Guarantee': Crumbling under his lies," the TMC said in a social media post.
"The roof at Delhi Airport's T1 collapsed, ..... which Modi hastily "inaugurated" in March, despite its unfinished state, just for election optics," the TMC said in its X handle post.
Naidu also said a thorough inspection of the structure at the airport would be carried out. Sources in the government said the roof that collapsed at Delhi airport's Terminal-1 (T1) was constructed during 2008-09 and that the work was contracted out by GMR to private contractors. T1 has only domestic flight operations by IndiGo and SpiceJet.
The airport -- which has three terminals T1, T2 and T3 -- handles around 1,400 flight movements daily. PTI
13:48 All fall down...
Railings installed along the road divider in Noida Sector 18 collapsed and fell on the road following heavy rainfall.
13:45 Dogs maul boy to death in Telangana
A six-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of dogs in Sangareddy district of Telangana on Friday, police said. The boy, son of construction workers from Bihar, Friday morning went to answer nature's call behind the camp where they stay when the dogs attacked him, police said. Death was instant for him. The boy's parents work at a construction site near Patancheru in the district, police added. PTI
Cong MP Manish Tewari wades through the water at his home
13:03 It's official: Monsoon has arrived in Delhi
The monsoon has finally arrived in Delhi after a long and severe heat spell in the city, the IMD announced on Friday. In an official statement, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into the entire Delhi region.
"The Northern Limit of Monsoon passes through 26 N/65 E, Jaisalmer, Churu, Bhiwani, Delhi, Aligarh, Kanpur, Ghazipur, Gonda, Kheri, Moradabad, Dehradun, Una, Pathankot, Jammu, 33 N/74 E," it added.
In the early hours of Friday, the monsoon's first rainfall lashed several parts of the national capital, causing waterlogging and traffic jams in many areas. The Safdarjung weather station recorded 153.7 mm of rainfall, which began around 3 am.
Last year, Delhi had welcomed the monsoon on June 26. In 2022, it arrived on June 30 and in 2021, on July 13. In 2020, the monsoon reached Delhi on June 25, according to the data. PTI
12:35 Lok Sabha adjourned till Monday over NEET row
Lok Sabha proceedings adjourned for the day amid opposition uproar over NEET issue.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a "respectful" and good discussion in Parliament on the issue of alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET exam as it concerns the country's youth and their future. Addressing reporters in Parliament complex, Gandhi said the NEET issue should be discussed before the Motion of Thanks on the President's address is taken up.
The NEET issue is the most important issue of the day, and the opposition parties have agreed that it should be taken up for discussion before anything else, the Congress leader told reporters.
"The youth are worried and they do not know what is going to happen. A message and assurance should go to the youth from Parliament that India's government and the opposition are together in raising the concerns of students," he said. Gandhi said the INDIA bloc thinks this is the most important matter.
"I request the prime minister that since this is an issue concerning the youth, there should be a good and respectful discussion on the issue concerning the youth," he said, urging them to join the discussion. He said the opposition members will hold the discussion respectfully.
A waterlogged road in Jangpura and RK Ashram.
12:27 Heavy rainfall leaves parts of Delhi without power
Due to heavy rains in Delhi, power supply was disrupted in several parts of the city on Friday morning, officials said. Power disruption was caused due to technical faults and precautionary shutdown in the city's waterlogged areas, the officials of power distribution companies (discoms) operating in Delhi said.
Residents of Dwarka, Jangpura and Laxmi Nagar said the power supply was cut as soon as it started raining in their areas.
A discom official said the rain caused damages to power lines, poles and other installations in different parts of the national capital causing the outages.
However, repair works to restore the supply were undertaken immediately, he added. In many areas, the electricity supply was temporarily discontinued to prevent incidents of electrocution, the official said.
Heavy rains lashed Delhi early Friday, waterlogging roads across the city and causing a portion of the roof of the Delhi airport's Terminal 1 to collapse. The Safdarjung weather station recorded 153.7 mm of rainfall, which began around 3 am. The India Meteorological Department defines very heavy rain, amounting to 124.5 to 244.4 mm of rain in a day. PTI
12:12 Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren gets bail
The Jharkhand High Court on Friday granted bail to former Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a money laundering case linked to land scam. The high court had on June 13 reserved its decision on Soren's bail plea.
"Bail has been granted to Soren. The court has held that prima facie he is not guilty of the offence and there is no likelihood of the petitioner committing an offence when on bail," Soren's senior counsel Arunabh Chowdhury told PTI.
Soren, the executive president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in connection with its investigation into the money laundering case.
The 48-year-old politician is currently lodged in Birsa Munda jail. During the hearing, ED's counsel SV Raju argued that if Soren is released on bail, he would commit a similar offence.
12:02 Nitish heads to Delhi for JD-U national executive meeting
Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U supremo Nitish Kumar on Friday left for Delhi, a day before the party's National Executive meeting scheduled to be held in the national capital.
Kumar will chair the National Executive meeting on June 29. According to party insiders Kumar, who is the party's national president, will also meet JD(U)'s Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs at his official residence in the national capital on Friday evening. The national executive meeting will be attended by party's all MPs, including union Ministers and JD-U leaders--Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh and Ramnath Thakur and senior leaders from Bihar and other states.
Party insiders said during the meeting, various topics including an analysis of the recently concluded Lok Sabha election and strategies for the assembly elections scheduled for 2025 will be discussed. Besides, the party's demand from the Centre for the special category status to Bihar will also be discussed, they said. PTI
11:28 LS adjourned, Speaker says NEET discussion later
And so it begins. Lok Sabha adjourned till noon.
LoP Rahul Gandhi raised NEET issue and demanded, along wth Opposition MPs, that the matter be discussed.
Speaker Om Birla insisted that discussion on Motion of Thanks to President's Address be taken up first. LoP says, "...We wanted to give a joint message to the students of India, on behalf of Opposition and Government - that we consider this an important issue. So, we thought that to respect students we will have discussion on NEET today, a dedicated discussion..."
11:22 Urge PM to hold respectful discussion on NEET: Rahul
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi says, "Yesterday, all the leaders of the opposition parties had a meeting and it was unanimous that today, we want a discussion on the NEET issue.
"There should be a discussion on NEET here in the House. I request the Prime Minister that this is an issue of the youth and it should be discussed properly and it should be a respectful discussion.
"We will do it respectfully. You should also join the discussion, you should also participate because this is a matter of the youth. A message should go from the Parliament that the Indian government and the opposition are talking about the students together."
The Congress is set to raise the issue of alleged irregularities in NEET exam in Parliament on Friday, with several of its members giving notices in both Houses to discuss the issue.
11:14 Passengers rescued from bus stuck in Delhi subway
A picture from the waterlogged Azad Market underpass in Delhi. Passengers are being rescued from a bus.
11:02 Will a discussion be allowed?
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, KC Venugopal and Ranjeet Ranjan give adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2024.
10:53 Oppn demands discussion on paper leaks in Parl
Following the paper leak controversy around the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical undergraduates and the cancellation of UGC-NET due to "lack of integrity," the opposition has been raising demands to discuss the issue of paper leaks in Parliament.
Congress MP KC Venugopal on Friday submitted an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha to discuss the unprecedented cases of paper leaks in the conduct of exams, including NEET-UG and UGC NET, and the failure of NTA.
Aam Admi Party leader Sanjay Singh has given a notice under Rule 267 to discuss the NEET issue in the Rajya Sabha. Meanwhile, Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain on Friday gave a suspension of Business Notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha to discuss cases of paper leaks in the conduct of exams, including NEET-UG and UGC-NET.
'I hereby give notice under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) of my intention to move the following motion for the suspension of business listed for 28 June 2024: "That this House do suspend all listed business of the day to discuss the unprecedented cases of paper leaks in conduct of exams, including NEET-UG and UGC NET and the failure of National Testing Agency (NTA)," wrote the Congress MP. -- ANI
10:41 Airtel hikes tariffs between 11-21 percent
Airtel has announced a price hike across all its pre-paid and post-paid. The change in tariff plans will go into effect from July 3rd across all circles and throughout India.
The most affordable plan of Airtel will now cost Rs 199 for a validity of 28 days, with 2GB data, unlimited calling and 100 SMS per day free, earlier its cost was Rs 179.It is important to note that the telecom provider has raised rates of all plans but plan benefits like call minutes, free data etc will remain unchanged.
The telecom service provider has announced the price hike across all plans including 3 pre-paid unlimited voice plans, 9 pre-paid daily data plans, 3 pre-paid data add-on plans and 4 post-paid plans.
According to the new tariff, an 84-day pre-paid plan costing Rs 509 will give 6GB data, 100 SMS and unlimited calling per day.
10:15 Lutyens' Delhi, home to VVIPS, completely waterlogged
Severe waterlogging in Lodhi Estate area after incessant heavy rainfall. The area is completely waterlogged and no vehicular movement is possible. Visuals outside the residence of SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav. Union Ministers and MPs live in this area.
10:14 Lutyens' Delhi submerged, SP MP carried to car
SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav was carried to his car by members of his staff as the area around his residence is completely inundated. Visuals from Lodhi Estate area.
Heavy rains lashed Delhi early Friday, waterlogging roads across the national capital and causing a portion of the roof of the Delhi airport's Terminal-1 to collapse. The Safdarjung weather station recorded 153.7 mm of rainfall, which began around 3 am. People posted videos and photos of vehicles stuck in inundated roads and long traffic snarls on social media.
Visual from Terminal-1 of Delhi airport
10:00 Flight delay in Delhi alerts from airlines
IndiGo says: Flight operations are impacted due to structural damage to Terminal 1, Delhi Airport because of adverse weather conditions. This has led to flight cancellations at Delhi as passengers are not able to enter the terminal. Passengers already inside the terminal will be able to board their planned flights, but those with flights later in the day will be offered alternatives. This unplanned situation has also led to operations across the network being impacted. Customers are advised to keep a track of and confirm their flight status before leaving for the airport.
SpiceJet: Due to bad weather (heavy rains), SpiceJet flights have been cancelled as Terminal 1 of Delhi Airport will remain partially closed for operations until further notice.
09:42 Kartavya Path waterlogged
Heavy rains lashed Delhi early Friday, waterlogging roads across the national capital and causing a portion of the roof of the Delhi airport's Terminal-1 to collapse.
09:39 Delhi comes to a standstill after heavy rain
Delhi and the NCR (National Capital Region) received incessant rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning beginning in the early hours of Friday. Several parts of Delhi were waterlogged in the first heavy rains that the national capital has received. Several vehicles were seen submerged as incessant rainfall caused severe waterlogging. In fact, there was waterlogging around the iconic Kartavya Path in Delhi as well.
In a post on X, the traffic police said, "Traffic is affected on Outer Ring Road in both carriageways from Shantivan towards ISBT and vice-versa due to waterlogging near Y-Point Saleemgarh and Nigambodh Ghat. Kindly plan your journey accordingly."
Traffic at ITO, Vir Banda Bairagi Marg, Dhaula Kuan were also affected due to waterlogging.
The India Meteorological Department defines very heavy rain as rainfall amounting to between 124.5 and 244.4 mm in a day.
On Thursday, parts of Delhi received spells of heavy rainfall, bringing much-needed respite from the sweltering heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted the weather for the next seven days in Delhi, predicting generally cloudy skies and varying intensities of rain accompanied by gusty winds.
As predicted by IMD for June 28, the forecast includes light to moderate rain or thunderstorms, with temperatures similar to the previous day and wind speeds reaching up to 35 km/hr.
09:17 One killed, five injured after portion of roof collapses at Delhi airport
Update: One person died and five were injured after a portion of the roof of the Delhi airport's Terminal-1 collapsed on cars, including taxis, amid heavy rain early Friday, Delhi Fire Services (DFS) officials said.
They said a search operation was conducted to make sure no one was trapped in the damaged vehicles. Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI) Usha Rangnani said traffic going to T-1 departure of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has been diverted at CISF check post, towards T-1 arrival. Three fire-tenders were sent to the airport after a call about the incident was received by the DFS around 5:30 am.
Besides the roof sheet, the support beams collapsed, damaging the cars parked in the pick-up and drop area of the terminal, the officials said. The injured persons were admitted to Medanta Hospital near the airport. One of the injured succumbed during treatment, they said.
09:08 13 killed, 4 injured after van collides with lorry in Karnataka's Haveri
As many as 13 people died and four others were injured after the van they were travelling in allegedly collided with a lorry at Gundenahalli cross in Byadagi Taluk early on Friday, police said.
According to police, the accident occurred around 3.45 am when the van collided with a lorry which was parked on the side of National Highway 48 in Byadagi in Haveri district.
A total of 17 persons were travelling in the van. Of them, eleven people died on the spot while two others were declared dead at a hospital, a senior police official said.
Among the four injured, two are admitted in the ICU of the hospital, he said.
"The victims were coming from Chincholi Mayamma Devasthana and heading to their native Yemehatti village in Shivamogga district. The lorry was standing on the side of the highway. The tempo traveller hit the lorry from behind," Anshu Kumar Srivastava, Superintendent of Police (Haveri) told PTI.
The bodies have been shifted to the mortuary and the injured have been admitted to Haveri Government Hospital, he said.
08:56 Delhi airport suspends flight departures at T1
Flight departures have been temporarily suspended at the Delhi airport's Terminal-1 following a roof collapse incident early Friday, according to an official.
"Due to heavy rain since early this morning, a portion of the canopy at the old departure forecourt of Delhi airport's Terminal-1 collapsed around 5 am. There are injuries reported and emergency personnel are working to provide all necessary assistance and medical aid to those affected," a DIAL spokesperson said in a statement.
As a result of this incident, the spokesperson said all departures from Terminal-1 are temporarily suspended and check-in counters are closed as a safety measure.
Flight arrivals have not been impacted.
"We sincerely regret this disruption and apologise for any inconvenience caused," the spokesperson said.
The Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), a consortium led by GMR Group, is the operator of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital.
Terminal-1 has only domestic flight operations. The IGIA airport has three terminals -- T1, T2 and T3. -- PTI
08:13 Roof collapses at Delhi Airport's Terminal-1, 6 hurt
Six people were injured after a portion of the roof of the Delhi airport's Terminal-1 fell on cars, including taxis, amid heavy rains early Friday, Delhi Fire Services (DFS) officials said.
They said a search operation is underway to make sure no one else is trapped in the damaged vehicles.
Besides the roof sheet, the support beams also collapsed, damaging the cars parked in the pick-up and drop area of the terminal, the officials said.
The injured persons have been hospitalised, they said.
Of the six, one was rescued from a car on which an iron beam had fallen, the officials said. Three fire-tenders were sent to the airport after a call about the incident was received by the DFS around 5:30 am.
An airport spokesperson said flight departures at Terminal-1 have been suspended following the roof collapse incident.
In a post on X, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said that he is personally monitoring the situation and the injured people have been shifted to hospital.
"Personally monitoring the roof collapse incident at T1 Delhi Airport. First responders are working at site. Also advised the airlines to assist all affected passengers at T1. The injured have been evacuated to hospital. Rescue operations are still ongoing," he said. -- PTI
01:27 Kerala govt issues warning on infectious diseases, mandates masks in hospitals
The Kerala Health Department on Thursday cautioned the public against various infectious diseases like colds, viral fevers, dengue, and H1N1 in view of continued rains in the state.
Amid rising cases of epidemics, the Health Department has made wearing masks mandatory for people visiting hospitals. The department also cautioned against bird flu and amoebic meningoencephalitis.
After chairing the meeting of the State Level Rapid Response Team (RRT), State Health Minister Veena George said that fever in children should be taken seriously.
She advised parents not to send sick children to school and to provide them with proper treatment and rest.
The minister said that the Health Department will formulate a special action plan for July as part of epidemic prevention.
"An action plan is formulated to prevent epidemics and ensure better treatment," she said in an official release.
The minister urged people to seek expert treatment if they experience prolonged fever or other symptoms such as shortness of breath with fever, excessive palpitation, chest pain, slurred speech, loss of consciousness, blood in sputum, or excessive fatigue.
The meeting of the Rapid Response Team also cautioned against bird flu.
"Those who keep pets and birds should be especially careful. Anyone who has handled dead birds or animals should report any signs of illness to health workers immediately," the release said.
Noting that influenza, colds, and coughs can be prevented through personal safety measures such as masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene, the Health Department stressed the importance of following these measures as H1N1 cases are increasing.
"Masks must be worn by hospital visitors," it said.
Caution should be exercised against amoebic meningoencephalitis.
"Bathing in stagnant water and diving in water should be avoided as much as possible as this disease has been reported in Kerala. Water in theme parks and swimming pools should be properly chlorinated to ensure that it is clean," it added. -- PTI
Amid rising cases of epidemics, the Health Department has made wearing masks mandatory for people visiting hospitals. The department also cautioned against bird flu and amoebic meningoencephalitis.
After chairing the meeting of the State Level Rapid Response Team (RRT), State Health Minister Veena George said that fever in children should be taken seriously.
She advised parents not to send sick children to school and to provide them with proper treatment and rest.
The minister said that the Health Department will formulate a special action plan for July as part of epidemic prevention.
"An action plan is formulated to prevent epidemics and ensure better treatment," she said in an official release.
The minister urged people to seek expert treatment if they experience prolonged fever or other symptoms such as shortness of breath with fever, excessive palpitation, chest pain, slurred speech, loss of consciousness, blood in sputum, or excessive fatigue.
The meeting of the Rapid Response Team also cautioned against bird flu.
"Those who keep pets and birds should be especially careful. Anyone who has handled dead birds or animals should report any signs of illness to health workers immediately," the release said.
Noting that influenza, colds, and coughs can be prevented through personal safety measures such as masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene, the Health Department stressed the importance of following these measures as H1N1 cases are increasing.
"Masks must be worn by hospital visitors," it said.
Caution should be exercised against amoebic meningoencephalitis.
"Bathing in stagnant water and diving in water should be avoided as much as possible as this disease has been reported in Kerala. Water in theme parks and swimming pools should be properly chlorinated to ensure that it is clean," it added. -- PTI
01:26 SGPC seeks fashion designer's arrest over yoga
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday said the Amritsar Police should arrest fashion designer and lifestyle influencer Archana Makwana for 'hurting the religious sentiments' of Sikhs by performing yoga at the Golden Temple complex, hours after she asked the apex gurdwara body to withdraw its complaint against her.
The Punjab Police booked Makwana recently on a complaint filed by the SGPC.
She has been booked under Section 295A (deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Makwana, however, has apologised for her actions and said she never intended to hurt anyone's religious sentiment.
On the International Day of Yoga on June 21, Makwana visited the Golden Temple and performed yoga in the 'parikrama' (circumambulation) path.
She released a video on Thursday, saying she had done no wrong and the SGPC should withdraw its complaint against her.
Meanwhile, the SGPC on Thursday said the Amritsar Police should arrest Makwana 'to unearth the anti-Sikh nefarious design under which she seems to have been working and her case be decided in the court of law'.
In a statement, an SGPC spokesperson said in her latest video, Makwana has claimed that no 'maryada'-related guidelines have been displayed by the Golden Temple management, while the fact is that a large screen is installed at the clock tower entrance gate through which she entered the complex.
"She is claiming that nobody stopped her from making videos or clicking photos, while the fact is that she was stopped at the entry gate on June 21 by the on-duty sewadar (volunteer) when she was filming her entry on a mobile phone, washing her feet in the 'Charan Ganga' (foot-washing area)," the SGPC said.
Makwana did not even pay obeisance at the Golden Temple or any Gurdwara Sahib inside the complex on June 21, the SGPC spokesperson claimed.
"Archana visited Sri Harmandar Sahib on June 20 as well, when she paid obeisance and did some 'sewa', but that does not give her the liberty to come the next day and violate the 'maryada' (conduct)," the SGPC said.
"On June 20, Archana was provided all possible guidance as sought by the staff of Darbar Sahib, but on June 21, she did not feel it necessary to seek any guidance and did an objectionable act inside the complex," the apex gurdwara body alleged.
In the video released on Thursday, Makwana said, "My intention was not bad. The FIR filed against me by the SGPC is baseless. It was not written anywhere in the temple that such acts are not allowed. I went there for the first time. Had I been told, I would have deleted those photos right away. I want the SGPC to withdraw its FIR or else, my legal team and I are ready to fight this case." -- PTI
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