Page 122 - Delhi

Bike Taxi ban: Drivers write to Delhi L-G citing livelihood threat

A section of bike taxi drivers has sought Delhi LG V K Saxena's intervention in helping them stave off a Delhi government ban which proscribed them from plying on city roads in absence of a policy. The Delhi government had earlier in the week banned app-based taxi services such as Rapido and Uber in view of absence of a policy for plying of bike taxis on city roads. In a memorandum they handed over to LG's office, the drivers said the Delhi government was adamant on banning their services. "We will face difficulties in meeting household expenses, getting our children educated and getting our parents treated," read the memorandum. The Supreme Court had on Monday stayed a Delhi High Court order that essentially allowed Rapido and Uber to operate in the national capital by asking the Delhi government not to take any coercive action against them till a new policy was formulated. A vacation bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal at Supreme Court granted liberty to the two .

Kejriwal calls NCCSA farce; L-G office claims CM's statement misleading

The first meeting of the National Capital Civil Service Authority, constituted through an ordinance by the Centre, has been summoned by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on June 20 even as he called the panel a "farce". The NCCSA, which was formed on May 19 by the Centre to bring back executive control over matters related to services to its domain, is likely to discuss disciplinary proceedings against an officer during the meeting. The Delhi CM is the chairman of the authority. According to an official statement, Kejriwal said even before its first meeting, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar have "colluded" to turn the NCCSA into a "farce" authority. Reacting to the allegation, an official of the LG Secretariat said it is "shocking that false and misleading statements comprising patently wrong assertions and half-truths are being issued as official statements of the Chief Minister's Office." No immediate reaction was available from the chief .

MCD invites e-tenders for allotment of 64 authorised parking lots for 3 yrs

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has invited e-tenders for 64 authorised parking lots, an official said. These parking lots include six under the clusters of Furniture Market, Jail Road and New Krishna Park. The other parking sites are NBCC Place, Lodhi Road, Mohan Singh Market, RK Puram, Sangam Cinema, RK Puram and Outside Vasant Square Mall. "The MCD has invited tenders for allotment of 64 authorised parking sites (including six under the clusters) falling under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on payment of monthly license fee," the official said. The allotment of parking sites would be for a period of three years. "The authorisation of allotment of authorised surface parking sites under the jurisdiction of MCD on monthly license fee basis in two bid system (technical and financial) for a period of three years and further extendable to another period of two years subject to satisfactory performance of the firm and as decided by the competent ...

International Health, Fitness Festival to kickstart from Friday in Delhi

The three-day International Health, Sports and Fitness Festival (IHFF) will be held at the Pragati Maidan here on Friday. The highlights of the festival are the 'Steadfast Nutrition Pro Show' and the 'Sheru Classic Pro Qualifiers' among India's biggest bodybuilding championships, powered by Steadfast Nutrition, a sports and wellness nutrition brand, the event organisers said. "The pro show, a milestone event for Indian bodybuilding and the second-ever in India, will give winners a direct entry into Mr Olympia USA, the world's most prestigious bodybuilding tournament," Aman Puri, founder, Steadfast Nutrition said. He said the championships will witness the participation of 600 athletes from India and abroad. By supporting these events, Steadfast Nutrition wants to move closer to its vision of making India the world's sports capital by 2050. Currently, only cricket, football and hockey dominate the discourse around sports. Bodybuilding is neglected even though it is becoming ...

Light rains to bring relief from scorching heat in Delhi, says IMD

Delhi residents are expected to get some relief from the scorching heat in the next few days with light rains and thundershowers in the offing, the weather office said on Thursday. The national capital is expected to receive light rains under the influence of Cyclone Biparjoy, which is gaining steam in the Arabian Sea, private forecasting agency Skymet Weather had said earlier this week. Delhiites woke up to an overcast sky as the minimum temperature settled at 29.1 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's average. The maximum temperature settled at 37.7 degrees Celsius, one notch below the normal. The relative humidity was 51 per cent at 5.30 pm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The city is likely to receive light rains or thundershowers, accompanied by gusty winds, on June 18 and 19. Parts of Delhi, including Dwarka, received rainfall on Wednesday, despite there being no forecast for rains. The maximum temperature is expected to be between 35 degrees .

DDA to complete work on IGI Airport drain by July, says Delhi LG's office

The crucial Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport drain being constructed by the Delhi Development Authority is expected to be completed by July and will bring respite from any possible waterlogging incidents in the area, an official statement said on Thursday. Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena inspected the progress of the work on the drain on Thursday, his seventh such visit, the statement issued by his office said. During the inspection, the LG was informed by officials that 95 per cent of the work, like broadening and deepening of drains, construction of a culvert beneath the passing railway track and construction of five water bodies in different sectors of Dwarka to absorb the rainwater during monsoons had been completed, it said. "Record efforts put in by the DDA along with the Railways and DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited) during the last eight months under consistent supervision and personal guidance of Delhi LG have ensured that the 2.5-Km-long, 20-metre-wi

Fire at coaching institute 'unfortunate': Kejriwal says no need to panic

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday expressed concern over the fire incident at a coaching institute in northwest Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar in which some students sustained minor injuries. Students of the coaching institute escaped though windows, and used ropes and ladders to climb down from the top floor. Kejriwal said there was no need to panic and the blaze was brought under control by the Delhi Fire Service. "This fire incident is very unfortunate. Some students sustained minor injuries while trying to escape. Rest of the students are fine. There is no need to panic, Fire brigade has controlled the fire. District administration is present on the spot," he tweeted in Hindi. A call about the fire was received at 12.27 pm and a total of 11 fire tenders were pressed into service, Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Service, said. In a video shared by the fire department, people, mostly students, can be seen rescued by the firemen through windows.

Kejriwal calls 1st NCCSA meet on June 20 to discuss action against officer

The first meeting of National Capital Civil Service Authority, NCCSA, constituted through an ordinance by the Centre, has been convened by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on June 20, sources in the government said. The meeting will discuss disciplinary action against an official, they claimed. The NCCSA was formed by the Centre through an ordinance on May 19, bringing back executive control over matters related to services to its domain. It was issued close on the heels of a Supreme Court verdict on May 11, whereby the elected government in Delhi was given executive control over the services matters, including transfer and posting of bureaucrats under it. The NCCSA headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also includes Delhi chief secretary as its member and principal secretary (Home) as its member secretary. The transfer and postings of IAS officers which were earlier decided by the services department under the jurisdiction of Lieutenant Governor, will now be dealt by the .

Delhi gets taste of rain after hot day, more predicted later in week

Parts of Delhi, including Dwarka, received rainfall on Wednesday, despite there being no forecast for rains for the day. Delhiites are expected to get some relief from the punishing heat in the next few days with light rains and thundershowers in the offing, the weather office said. The maximum temperature is expected to be between 36 degrees Celsius and 39 degrees Celsius till June 20, it said. Delhi sweated under scorching heat on Wednesday with the maximum temperature settling at 40.9 degrees Celsius, one notch above the season's average, and the minimum temperature being recorded at 29.7 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal. The humidity levels oscillated between 43 per cent and 57 per cent throughout the day. The India Meteorological Department has forecast a partly cloudy sky for Thursday with the possibility of very light rain or thundershowers towards evening at one or two places. The city is likely to receive light rains or thundershowers, accompanied by gusty winds

DDA gives nod to sell 40 HIG flats to Delhi's PWD, says officials

The highest decision-making body of the Delhi Development Authority on Wednesday gave its nod to sell 40 HIG flats of the DDA to the city's Public Works Department (PWD), officials said. In a meeting of the authority, chaired by Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena, who is also DDA's chairman, it also approved the change of land use of land for the construction of a five-lane toll plaza (RFID system) at Ghazipur's old location. "Realising the ample facilities provided by the DDA at very attractive rates, the department has offered to buy 40 HIG flats at Jasola for use by its officials, as residential staff quarters," the DDA said in a statement. "Such bulk allotments to government's departments afford a golden opportunity to purchase readymade flats without going through the hassle of undertaking construction," it said. Also, to ensure a smooth flow of traffic at Delhi border points and help in maintaining road infrastructure in the national capital, the authority has approved the change o

Cracks in canal in Haryana hit water supply in Delhi: Saurabh Bhardwaj

Cracks in the Carrier Lined Channel, a canal which carries water from Haryana to Delhi, have affected supply in the national capital which may impact around 30 lakh people, the city government said Wednesday. Delhi Water Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said the cracks developed between Khubru and Kakroi near Sonepat in Haryana. The matter is being pursued with the Haryana government and it will take 48 to 72 hours to repair the canal, he said, adding that though the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is rationing water, a large population in Delhi will be in inconvenience because of the peak summer season. "Presently, there is a deficit of around 20 per cent in raw water supply from Haryana to Delhi. This may cause water scarcity problems to almost 30 lakh population in Delhi," Bhardwaj tweeted. According to the Delhi Economic Survey, the city receives 612 MGD of raw water from Haryana and 253 MGD from Uttar Pradesh through the Upper Ganga Canal. The rest is drawn from ranney wells and tubewells ...

Delhi's water crisis to be resolved within 2-3 years: CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi's water crisis will be resolved within the next two-three years with the government taking steps to enhance the water supply capacity by up to 300 million gallons a day (MGD), Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said. According to official estimates, around two crore residents of the capital need approximately 1,300 MGD of water for drinking and daily needs. But the Delhi Jal Board can supply only around 1,000 MGD, leaving many areas grappling with a shortage. Kejriwal said the DJB's water supply capacity has increased from 850 MGD in 2015 to 1,000 MGD now and that he has set an ambitious target to further enhance it to a range of 1,200-1,300 MGD within two to three years. Once this goal is achieved, Delhiites will no longer face water shortages, he added. To accomplish this, the government plans to install tubewells in areas with high water-tables, enabling the extraction of water on a large scale. Additionally, an innovative approach will be adopted to recharge groundwater b

Portion of under-construction Dwarka Expressway collapses, man dies

The site where the incident occurred is where construction of an elevated portion of the Link Road is underway

Delhi govt to install over 90,000 smart street lights, PWD to maintain it

The Delhi government will install more than 90,000 smart street lights on all roads maintained by the Public Works Department (PWD) in order to eliminate dark spots and bolster women's security. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal granted in-principle approval to the smart street light policy on Tuesday. To ensure uninterrupted functioning of the lights, he stressed on having a robust central monitoring system. In the event of any fault in street lights, the control room will be promptly alerted, triggering immediate replacement measures, according to a statement from the chief minister's office. Kejriwal said the Delhi government is doing whatever it can to strengthen women's security. Smart street lights will play a pivotal role in eliminating dark spots and instilling a sense of safety among citizens, particularly women, he added. The proposal to install 90,953 smart street lights was presented before the chief minister by PWD Minister Atishi during a high-level meeting at the Delhi

Delhi's peak power demand crosses 7000 MW, highest in this season

The scorching heat in the national capital pushed the peak power demand above 7000 MW on Tuesday for the first time this summer, discom officials said. The realtime data of State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) Delhi showed that the peak demand was 7098 MW around 3.29 pm. Power discoms -- BRPL (BSES Rajdhani Power Limited) and BYPL (BSES Yamuna Power Limited) -- "successfully" met the peak power demand -- 3103 MW and 1615 MW, respectively in their areas, said a BSES spokesperson. Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) has successfully met the power demand of 2055 MW peak demand so far, said a company spokesperson. Delhi reeled under hot weather conditions on Monday with the maximum temperature settling at 41.2 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature on Tuesday is also expected to remain around 41 degrees Celsius. This month, Delhi's peak power demand has seen huge variations. It has increased from 4390 MW on June 1 to Tuesday's 7098, an increase of 2708 MW or 61 per cent, the

Delhi govt to ask bike-taxi aggregators Ola, Uber to stop operations

The Delhi government on Tuesday said it will ask bike-taxi aggregators to stop operations in the national capital till a policy is notified, a day after the Supreme Court stayed a High Court order that had allowed them to ply. Transport Commissioner Ashish Kundra said the government will write to aggregators and also appeal to them through the media to comply with the apex court order or face action. The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the High Court order that allowed bike-taxi aggregators Rapido and Uber to operate in the national capital. The SC's ruling is binding on all, Kundra said. "The submission of the department in the court was that we have already floated a draft scheme and the scheme is going to be finalised soon. In absence of any scheme and regulatory framework, the companies are overstepping their mandate by offering such services in absence of any permits or registration from the Transport Department," he told PTI. Kundra said the companies are free to give their .

Delhi govt to bring settlement scheme for water bills of 1.1 mn people

The Delhi government will bring a one-time settlement scheme for the water bills of 11.7 lakh domestic consumers who have arrears, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat, Kejriwal said the government plans to implement the scheme from August 1 and the consumers will receive the corrected bills after that. "There has been a severe accumulation of water bills. During the COVID-19 pandemic, meter readings could not be taken. Meter readers filed false readings and therefore, people received wrong bills. There are 27.6 lakh domestic meters in Delhi and of these, 11.7 lakh bills have arrears and they have not been submitted. The arrears are to the tune of Rs 5,737 crore," he said. Explaining the scheme, the chief minister said it will be divided into two sub-heads -- one will cover those who have two or more correct readings and the other will cover those who have one or no correct meter reading. "Had we gone about ...

Mumbai, Delhi most unfriendly Indian cities for non-natives: Report

According to the survey, no Indian city made it to the 'friendly' list. However, Delhi and Mumbai were included on the 'unfriendly' list

MSP demand: Delhi-Chandigarh highway remains blocked, farmers to meet

Farmers blocking the national highway in Pipli in Haryana's Kurukshetra district over the demand for MSP for sunflower seeds will hold a meeting on Tuesday to mull their future course of action after two rounds of talks with the district administration failed to yield any outcome. Farmers have blocked the highway (NH-44) near Pipli, which connects Delhi with Chandigarh, and some other routes since Monday afternoon after holding a mahapanchayat on the issue. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said they held a meeting with the district administration twice on Monday night but the talks did not yield any outcome. He said a local committee of farmers that was constituted on Monday and the leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) would hold a meeting on Tuesday to chalk out their further course of action. Tikait said the issue of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sunflower crop is not only affecting farmers in Haryana but the entire farmer community "as we are demanding a M

LIVE: A fire broke out in factory in Bawana Industrial Area in Delhi

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