Katra-Banihal Rail Link Project on Track to be Completed This Year: GM Northern Railway

Katra-Banihal Rail Link Project on Track to be Completed This Year: GM Northern Railway

Northern Railway General Manager Shobhan Chaudhuri has stated that the work on the Katra-Banihal section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla-Rail Link (USBRL) project is likely to be completed in the current year. “The work on the Katra-Banihal Section of the USBRL project to connect the Jammu region to Kashmir is ongoing, at a fast pace and is proposed to be completed in the current year. After completion of the deck of the iconic Chenab bridge, ballastless track-laying has also been accomplished. Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the Chenab bridge to inspect…

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Article 370 Hearing: Petitioner Questions CJI’s Remark on Absolute Transfer of Sovereignty

Article 370 Hearing: Petitioner Questions CJI's Remark on Absolute Transfer of Sovereignty

Six days after CJI DY Chandrachud observed that the integration of J&K with India was “absolute” and transfer of sovereignty was “complete” on signing of the Instrument of Accession (IoA), senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan on Wednesday contested it, saying internal sovereignty of the erstwhile state was never lost. “There is some misunderstanding on the status of the merger agreement. The court had observed that after the Instrument of Accession, the surrender of sovereignty was absolute. Our submission is that as far as the Instrument of Accession is concerned, it deals…

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Soaring Rice Prices in Kashmir Put a Strain on Households

Soaring Rice Prices in Kashmir Put a Strain on Households

The price of rice, Kashmir’s most popular food grain, has virtually doubled since the government reduced its ration allocation limit, prompting Kashmiris to endure an unprecedented rise in its pricing that is putting pressure on the consumers. A popular brand of rice used in Kashmir that was formerly sold for Rs 2500 per quintal is now marketed at Rs 4500 per quintal, the price of rice in the open market during the past five months. Similar to how locally produced rice used to cost between Rs 2500 and Rs 3000…

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Mehbooba Mufti calls abrogation of Article 370 an Emotional Issue for Kashmiris

Mehbooba Mufti calls abrogation of Article 370 an Emotional Issue for Kashmiris

As the hearing against revocation of Article 370 continued in the Supreme Court, prominent Jammu and Kashmir leaders, who have opposed the Centre’s move, reached the apex court on Wednesday to listen to the arguments in the case. While talking to reporters outside the SC, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said that it was the “Idea of India” which was on trial. People’s Conference president Sajjad Gani Lone said that the trial was more about the sanctity of the promises made by Parliament than about Article 370 or J&K.…

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Omar Abdullah faces criticism for Neglecting Environment after sharing photo of Soil Erosion

Omar Abdullah faces criticism for Neglecting Environment after sharing photo of Soil Erosion

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah was criticised for neglecting environment during his tenure as after he shared a picture of soil erosion somewhere in the country during the recent heavy rainfall. The National Conference vice-president pointed at government apathy and wilful ignorance as the reasons for allowing huge structures on unstable land on hillsides. “Years of govt apathy and wilful ignorance while multi-storey concrete structures were built on unstable hillsides has lethal consequences. Who thought these buildings were a good idea? All hill states need to be…

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Devastating Toll: More Than 60 Lives Lost as Relentless Rainfall Ravages Himachal Pradesh, Shimla and Mandi Bear the Brunt

Devastating Toll: More Than 60 Lives Lost as Relentless Rainfall Ravages Himachal Pradesh, Shimla and Mandi Bear the Brunt

Amid incessant rainfall which triggered cloudbursts, landslides and road blocks, over 60 people have died in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand as the operations continue to rescue injured citizens and vehicles from under the debris. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that isolated but heavy rainfall is likely to continue over Himachal Pradesh in the next two days and over Uttarakhand and northeast India in the next 4-5 days. Due to the heavy rainfall, the water levels of Delhi’s Yamuna river breached the danger mark, for the second time this…

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CPI(M) slams Admin for obliterating Sheikh Abdullah’s Legacy, Says removal of his name from SKICC is ‘Unacceptable’

CPI(M) slams Admin for obliterating Sheikh Abdullah's Legacy, Says removal of his name from SKICC is 'Unacceptable'

CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami on Monday said that removing the Jammu Kashmir admin was obliterating the history of Jammu Kashmir. In a statement, MY Tarigami said removal of title ‘Sher’ from the name of Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) reflects that the government is more serious about obliterating the history of Jammu Kashmir than addressing the pressing issues like unemployment, health care, price rise and other such problems. Pertinently, the LG-led administration in Jammu Kashmir on August 13, in its official communique referred to ‘Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre’…

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India, China hold 19th round of Talks to Resolve Ladakh Standoff

India, China hold 19th round of Talks to Resolve Ladakh Standoff

India and China today conducted another round of military commander-level talks — the 19th round since June 2020. This round of talks was held at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Indian side. The meeting ended late in the evening, sources said, adding a formal statement detailing the outcome was expected in a day. The two sides look to end the ongoing impasse along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh where the two militaries have been locked in a stand-off since April 2020. Talks were conducted…

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Himachal Pradesh: 26 dead, several missing in rain-related incidents

Himachal Pradesh - 26 dead, several missing in rain-related incidents

At least 26 people have been killed and several feared missing as incessant rains wreaked havoc across Himachal on Monday. While a landslide at a Shiv temple in Summerhill locality of Shimla claimed nine lives, several others are still feared trapped under the debris. Four others were also reported dead in landslide in Phagli of Shimla. Six admitted to the hospital. Rescue operation underway. As per officials Nepalese labourers are among the victims here. In Solan district, seven members of a family were killed in a cloudburst. The deceased in…

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Tragedy Strikes: Seven Lives Lost in Himachal Cloudburst, Vehicles Buried Under Debris in Uttarakhand

Tragedy Strikes: Seven Lives Lost in Himachal Cloudburst, Vehicles Buried Under Debris in Uttarakhand

At least seven people were killed in a cloudburst at Jadon village of Kandaghat sub division in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan on Monday morning. Two houses and a cowshed had been washed away in the incident. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued red alerts for several Uttarakhand districts and predicted heavy rainfall in parts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. The IMD Uttarakhand said in a statement on Sunday, “Very heavy to extremely heavy rain/ thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and very intense to extremely intense spell is very likely to…

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