Browsing: India

Mumbai: With monsoon approaching and fears of flooding in the chronically waterlogged Parel railway station area mounting, BMC has launched a crackdown on contractors working on the Sewri-Worli Elevated Road project, demolishing illegal site structures and slapping penalties of over a crore on agencies like MMRDA linked to the work.The action follows a high-level meeting held last week after ward officials raised concerns that construction activity, encroachments on footpaths and debris dumping along key stretches could worsen waterlogging in the low-lying Parel belt.The BMC starting last week demolished 5 contractor chowkies and 3 godowns erected on municipal footpaths in Parel.…

Delhi continues to endure scorching heat, with temperatures soaring to 46.5°C in some areas. NEW DELHI: The city continued to sizzle on Wednesday, with isolated heatwave conditions recorded in parts. The mercury touched 46.5°C in North Delhi’s Ridge, 46.3°C in northwest Delhi’s Mungeshpur and 44.5°C — 4.1 notches above normal — at Safdarjung, the city’s base station.No respite is in store. A heatwave warning was extended till May 26 and an orange alert is in place till then. Isolated to citywide heatwave conditions are likely to persist, with the maximum temperature expected to hover between 43°C and 47°C, Met officials…

Hyderabad: In view of the reopening of schools and educational institutions across the state, the transport department is conducting a special enforcement drive to ensure the safety of students.Special inspections will be carried out on vehicles operating without fitness certificates, vehicles carrying students beyond the permitted seating capacity, and vehicles not complying with prescribed safety standards. Strict action will be taken against such violations. Vehicles operating without a valid fitness or carrying overloaded students will be seized immediately.Cases will be registered against vehicle owners, drivers, and the managements of the educational institution concerned under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles…

Chennai: India retained its position as the world’s second-largest electric two-wheeler market in 2025 after China, amid single-digit growth, as reduced subsidies and tighter localisation requirements weighed on demand, according to the latest Global EV Outlook report by the International Energy Agency.Global electric two-wheeler sales rose 15% year-on-year to nearly 10mn units in 2025, accounting for about 14% of worldwide two-wheeler sales. China remained dominant, with sales surpassing 7mn units and electric models accounting for more than 55% of the country’s two-wheeler market. Chinese electric two-wheeler sales grew 10% during the year.India’s electric two-wheeler sales, by contrast, expanded at a…

The jeweller allegedly chased him briefly, but the man managed to cross the road and flee towards Pallav Crossroads Ahmedabad: In a theft planned over several days, an unidentified man diverted the attention of a jewellery store owner and stole a gold bangle worth Rs 1.5 lakh in the Naranpura area on Tuesday.According to the FIR filed by Ketan Patel, who owns Ambika Jewellers near the Naranpura Telephone Exchange, told police that the accused first visited the shop on May 7, pretending to be a customer interested in purchasing gold jewellery.He told police that the man, aged between 30 and…

Bhubaneswar: State cabinet has approved scrapping the requirement for separate permission for retail fuel outlets selling petrol to also sell diesel, a move aimed at easing business and removing regulatory hurdles. Chief secretary Anu Garg said the cabinet cleared repeal of “The Odisha High Speed Diesel (Dealers’ Licensing) Order, 1979” through a fresh notification titled “The Odisha High Speed Diesel (Dealers’ Licensing) Repeal Order, 2026”.The decision follows advice from the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas to states and UTs to do away with the retail sale licence requirement for high-speed diesel to promote ease of doing business.Officials said…

A still from the 1986 Malayalam film ‘Amma Ariyan’ Pune: Two films connected to the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) have found a place at the 79th Cannes Film Festival this year, bringing together vastly different generations of Indian cinema on one international stage.Shadows of The Moonless Nights, directed by FTII student Mehar Malhotra, has been selected for La Cinef, Cannes’ competitive section for student filmmakers from leading film schools across the world.Meanwhile, the restored version of Amma Ariyan (1986) by FTII alumnus John Abraham, not to be mistaken for the action star, has been screened in Cannes…

Panaji: The Bombay high court on Wednesday again permitted temporary de-sealing of an alleged illegal sealed structure at Arpora for maintenance of aquarium fish on payment of costs.Benz Amusement Parks Pvt Ltd filed an application in the high court seeking de-sealing for maintenance of the fish in the aquarium. They stated that their premises house approximately 84 aquariums accommodating more than 10,000 live fish and added that the sealing of the premises has prevented the staff from accessing it .They also said that aquatic life housed in the premises require constant care with feeding, oxygenation, filtration, monitoring of water quality…

Patiala: Traffic and commerce across the northern region face major disruptions next month after agrarian and transport unions announced a coordinated border blockade of Himachal Pradesh to protest a controversial entry tax.Their coalition will shut down 55 checkpoints along the Punjab and Haryana borders of HP for four hours on June 1, escalating a regional dispute over transit levies. The 11am-to-3pm blockade is a direct challenge to the Himachal Pradesh govt’s special road tax and revised entry fees on commercial and tourist vehicles.Surrounding states argue the levies harm regional tourism and the transport sector, resulting in “double taxation” for commercial…

Patna: Bihar’s ‘Dial-112’ Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) has provided emergency assistance to more than 55 lakh people since its launch on July 8, 2022, emerging as a major success in emergency policing and citizen support, according to Bihar Police Headquarters (PHQ).Addressing a press conference at PHQ on Wednesday, additional director general (technical services and communications) Amit Lodha said, “The service can be accessed round the clock from anywhere in the state via call, SMS, the Dial-112 India app, SOS or web portal. It integrates police, fire brigade, ambulance and child helpline services under one number.”Lodha said one of the…