Category: Travel

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday laid the foundation stone for a new metro line in Gurugram that will connect 27 stations across the city. The 28.5-km-long corridor will run from Millennium City Centre via Cyber City up to Dwarka Expressway at an estimated cost of ₹5,500 crore. Key stations will include Subhash Chowk, Hero Honda Chowk, Udyog Vihar, and Palam Vihar. The project is expected to be completed within four years. Khattar, speaking at the event organised by Gurugram Metro Rail Limited at Gurugram University Campus Auditorium, said the metro line would give Gurugram a distinct identity. He also announced plans for metro extensions, including Rejangla Chowk–Dwarka Sector-21, Sector-56–Pachgaon, and the Namo Metro Corridor linking Delhi-Karnal, Delhi-Neemrana, and Gurugram-Noida via Faridabad. The Union government will also provide 10,000 buses at concessional rates nationwide, out of which 450 will go to Haryana, including 100 for Gurugram. Khattar highlighted India’s rapid metro expansion, noting that the network has grown from 248 km across 5 cities in 2014 to 1,066 km in 24 cities today, with another 970 km under construction. “Once completed, India will emerge as the world’s number one country in metro service,” he said. To address last-mile connectivity, Khattar said an app-based system would link transport facilities to metro stations, ensuring safety and allowing fare payments through metro cards, thereby reducing parking hassles. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who presided over the ceremony, said the metro service will reduce traffic congestion, cut travel time, lower pollution, and create jobs. He noted Gurugram’s transformation into one of India’s top economic hubs, hosting over 250 Fortune 500 companies and most of Haryana’s 19 unicorns. “Once a small village, Gurugram today is known worldwide as the Millennium City and ranks third in per capita income in India, after Chandigarh and Mumbai,” he said. Haryana Industries and Commerce Minister Rao Narbir Singh termed the project a historic milestone for Gurugram’s development, emphasising its role in easing traffic, curbing pollution, and boosting industrial and business activities. Gurugram MLA Mukesh Sharma added that the new line will connect old and new Gurugram, making daily travel more convenient and giving the city a modern transport backbone.

An Abu Dhabi-bound IndiGo flight was forced to return to Kochi early on Saturday after developing a technical snag mid-air, according to PTI sources. The flight, 6E-1403, carrying over 180 passengers and six crew members, had departed Kochi at 11:10 pm on Friday but was diverted back, landing safely at 1:44 am on Saturday. Passengers were later accommodated on another IndiGo aircraft, which took off for Abu Dhabi around 3:30 am. A fresh set of crew members operated the onward flight as the original crew had exceeded flight duty time limits. Sources added that passengers reached their destination safely with minimal disruption. Flight tracking platform Flightradar24.com showed that the affected aircraft was an Airbus A320 neo. IndiGo has yet to issue an official statement. Earlier Incident: Bird Strike on Nagpur-Kolkata Flight This incident comes just days after another IndiGo flight, operating from Nagpur to Kolkata, had to return to Nagpur following a bird strike soon after take-off on September 2. The flight, with about 160–165 passengers on board, landed safely. In a statement, the airline confirmed: “IndiGo flight 6E 812 operating from Nagpur to Kolkata encountered a bird strike soon after take-off. As a precautionary step, pilots decided to turn back and the flight landed safely at the Nagpur airport.” The aircraft was grounded for mandatory inspection and maintenance, and the flight was cancelled for the day. IndiGo said it provided refreshments, alternate arrangements, or a full refund to passengers to minimise inconvenience.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s Secretary and Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey on Monday announced the postponement of the Char Dham Yatra and Hemkund Sahib Yatra until September 5, in view of the red and orange alerts issued by the Meteorological Department. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said several districts are under red and orange alerts, and the next 24–48 hours will be crucial. “Our entire district administration, NDRF, SDRF, and all departments are on alert. We are also monitoring the Nanak Sagar Dam, which is currently 5 feet below the danger level,” Dhami said. The CM added that relief efforts are underway for families whose homes were damaged, with relocation to safer places and relief camps being set up. Road clearance work is also in progress. Dhami chaired a review meeting with senior officials and directed district-level officers to remain on round-the-clock alert. He emphasized strict vigilance on landslide-prone routes, waterlogging preparedness in plains, and ensuring all safety measures for the public. “The State continues to face challenges due to excessive rainfall, and the coming few days are going to be more difficult,” he cautioned.

An Indore-bound Air India flight (AI-2913) returned to Delhi on Saturday morning after its pilots declared a Mayday, reporting a suspected fire in the aircraft’s right engine shortly after take-off. The Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Delhi airport declared a full emergency, and fire and rescue teams were placed on standby. The Airbus A320neo, carrying more than 90 passengers, landed safely around 6:15 a.m. “All passengers and crew members disembarked safely,” Air India said in a statement. The affected aircraft has been grounded for detailed engineering inspection, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been informed. The flight had been airborne for over 30 minutes before returning. Following procedure, the cockpit crew shut down the right engine before making the emergency landing. Air India later arranged an alternate aircraft to carry passengers onward to Indore. In a separate incident, an Air India Express flight (IX-2610) from Chennai to Andaman was forced to return to its origin on Monday after severe weather prevented landing at its destination. The aircraft circled the airport but, due to deteriorating conditions, diverted back to Chennai, where it landed safely. Alternative arrangements were made to accommodate the affected passengers.

Dehradun: Predicting extremely heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next two days, the Meteorological Centre has issued red and orange alerts for most districts of Uttarakhand. Following the warning, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday directed officials to remain on high alert round the clock. A red alert has been sounded for Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, and Haridwar on Monday, warning of extremely heavy rain at some locations and heavy to very heavy rainfall at others. For September 2, the Met office has issued an orange alert for Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, and Bageshwar, forecasting heavy to very heavy showers. In view of the weather warnings, schools have been closed in several districts, including Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, and Champawat. Chairing a review meeting with senior officials, CM Dhami described the coming days as “challenging” and instructed authorities to take all necessary steps to ensure public safety. He asked State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman to monitor the situation from the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), citing the heightened risk of landslides and waterlogging. The CM also took stock of ongoing relief and rescue efforts in disaster-affected areas and directed the commissioners of both Garhwal and Kumaon divisions to expedite rehabilitation work. He further instructed officials to keep a strict vigil on river water levels, with round-the-clock monitoring. Meanwhile, rain-related tragedies have already claimed lives. In Tehri district, two youths, including a woman, died on Sunday after being struck by falling stones while traveling on a two-wheeler along the Rishikesh–Gangotri National Highway near Narendranagar. The victims were identified as Ankit Jain (25) from Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajni Rawat from Kotdwar, Pauri. According to the SEOC, the body of Ramesh Ram, who went missing on Saturday evening in the Munsiyari area of Pithoragarh, was found near Leti Chalthi Barsaati Nala in Kotalgaon. In another incident, a body was recovered from the debris of houses damaged in a landslide in Pausari village, Bageshwar, on Friday. Two people are still missing from that incident.