Page 3 - Delhi

AAP announces candidates for November 30 MCD bypolls across 12 wards

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday announced its candidates for the November 30 bypolls to the 12 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, a day ahead of the conclusion of nomination submission. The list was approved by Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj. A keen contest between the ruling BJP and AAP is likely during the polls. While it serves as an opportunity for AAP to regain lost ground in the MCD, the BJP will look to further strengthen its tally in the 250-member civic body. According to the list, AAP's Ram Swaroop Kanojia will contest from Dakshin Puri, Anuj Sharma from Sangam Vihar A, and Eeshna Gupta from Greater Kailash. Geeta Rawat has been named AAP candidate from Vinod Nagar, while Babita Ahlawat will fight from Shalimar Bagh B. Seema Vikas Goel has been fielded from Ashok Vihar, Harsh Sharma from Chandni Chowk, and Muddasir Usman Qureshi from Chandni Mahal. Rajbala Sehrawat will contest from Dwarka B, Anil Lakra from Mundka, Rajan Arora from Naraina, and Neelu Kes

Delhi's air quality turns 'severe' as smog blanket shows no sign of lift

Residents report health discomfort as pollution levels show no signs of easing, with AQI readings above 400 at multiple stations; GRAP Stage-II measures continue across Delhi-NCR

Delhi doctors restart blood flow post death for organ donation, 1st in Asia

Doctors at a Delhi hospital have successfully restarted the blood circulation of a 55-year-old woman after her death to enable organ donation, marking a pioneering achievement in Asia, officials said on Saturday. The procedure, conducted at HCMCT Manipal Hospital in Dwarka, is the first of its kind in Asia, where blood circulation was restarted post-mortem to retrieve organs. Geeta Chawla, who had been bedridden and paralysed due to Motor Neuron Disease, was brought to the hospital on November 5 with severe breathing difficulties. As her condition worsened, the family decided not to place her on life support. She passed away at 8:43 PM on November 6. Honouring her wish to donate her organs, the medical team performed a rare and complex procedure known as Normothermic Regional Perfusion (NRP). Using an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator (ECMO), the doctors successfully restarted blood circulation in her abdominal organs, even after her heart had stopped and she had been declared dead

Manohar Khattar launches DRAP, UiWIN to clear dumpsites by September 2026

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday launched two flagship initiatives the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP) and the Urban Investment Window (UiWIN) in a major step towards building sustainable and investment-ready cities across India. The move marks a major leap in India's urban transformation, with DRAP targeting the elimination of legacy waste dumpsites by September next year, and UiWIN aiming to unlock private and multilateral investments to fuel infrastructure growth in cities, in line with the vision of 'Viksit Bharat.' The Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs inaugurated DRAP, UiWIN, and other key initiatives during the two-day 'National Urban Conclave 2025' in the capital. Speaking at the event, the minister highlighted that these initiatives would be pivotal in building cleaner, greener, and more liveable cities, aligning with the broader vision of 'Viksit Bharat @2047.' He pointed out that by 2047, India's urban population will account for

Massive fire guts several huts near Delhi's Rithala metro station, 1 dead

A massive fire broke out in a cluster of huts near Rithala metro station in Delhi's Rohini late on Friday night, Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said. The DFS said it received a call regarding the blaze at around 10.56 pm, following which 15 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Firefighters are currently engaged in dousing the flames. Preliminary information suggests that several huts have been gutted. Meanwhile, police sources said that several LPG cylinders were said to have exploded, intensifying the blaze and triggering panic among residents. Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from the area even as locals scrambled to save their belongings and move to safer places. Police have cordoned off the area, and additional fire tenders have been kept on standby to prevent the fire from spreading further. "Our teams are working to douse the flames. We have asked the police to keep the onlookers away," said a DFS officials.

Somnath Bharti declared absconder by court in connection with 2021 case

An MP-MLA Court in Rae Bareli has declared former Delhi Law and Justice Minister Somnath Bharti an absconder for failing to appear before it in connection with a 2021 case. "Somnath Bharti failed to appear for hearing in a 2021 case on Tuesday, following which Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Dr Vivek Kumar on Thursday declared him an absconder. The court has issued a non-bailable warrant and a notice under Section 82 (proclamation for person absconding) of the Criminal Procedure Code," Special Public Prosecutor Sandeep Kumar Singh said on Friday. He added that the court has fixed November 13 as the next date of hearing. Singh said a case was filed against the former minister in 2021 for allegedly misbehaving with police at the Delhi Irrigation Department's guest house. However, Bharti later secured a bail and the case has been pending ever since in the MP-MLA Court. Despite the court's repeated orders for his in-person appearance, Bharti has not been appearing in court, Singh

Air India to restart Delhi-Tel Aviv direct flights from January 2026

The Israel Ministry of Tourism on Wednesday said there will be an enhancement in connectivity with the resumption of Air India's direct flight service between New Delhi and Tel Aviv, which is set to relaunch on January 1, 2026. This is expected to provide a stimulus for tourism and economic exchange between the two nations, the Israel Ministry of Tourism said in a statement. The restored route will see five weekly flights operating from Sunday to Thursday, utilising the advanced Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The flight from Tel Aviv will depart at 11:40 am and arrive in Delhi at 8:50 pm, while the flight from Delhi will depart at 7:00 am and arrive in Tel Aviv at 9:55 am, facilitating easy onward connections. Adding to this positive momentum, Arkia Airlines, an Israeli carrier, has also expressed a strong interest in reopening its direct route to India. Arkia's recent high-level meeting with the Indian Ambassador further underscores the enormous potential and desire to strengthe

Chandigarh, Delhi have highest share of services in GVA: NITI Aayog report

The report used 22 major states/UTs for the analysis. At the all-India level, the share of services in GVA stood at 54.5 per cent in 2023-24

Delhi cloud seeding trials were purely experimental, says MoES official

The recent cloud seeding trials in New Delhi were purely an experiment, said M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), on Sunday, stressing that such tests are essential to assess their feasibility before making them operational. Such experiments can end in success or failure, he said. Ravichandran was at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune to attend the 11th WMO Scientific Conference on Weather Modification. Last month, the Delhi government, in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, conducted cloud seeding trials in parts of the national capital, to ease the city's air pollution crisis. However, the Congress has criticised the move, saying getting slight improvement in a limited area for a day or two as is now being claimed is a cruel joke. Responding to a query concerning the cloud seeding trials, Ravichandran called them purely an experiment and said such experiments tend to have either positive or negative outcomes. Everybody is trying different t

Priyanka urges PM Modi, Delhi CM to act on pollution; BJP hits back

Flagging the issue of air pollution in Delhi, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to intervene and take immediate steps for clearing the "filthy smog" people are breathing. The BJP hit back at the Congress general secretary, claiming she never spoke up about Delhi's pollution situation during the rule of her party or Aam Aadmi Party but has chosen to comment when the BJP government is working round the clock to fight both air and water pollution. In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi said that while returning to the Delhi air from Wayanad first, then Bachwara in Bihar is truly shocking. The pollution enveloping this city is like a grey shroud thrown over it, she said. "It's really about time all of us get together regardless of our political compulsions and do something about it. The central and state governments need to act immediately, we will all support and cooper

AAP, BJP clash over Yamuna pollution in Delhi after Chhath festival

The Aam Aadmi Party and the ruling BJP in Delhi sparred over the pollution in the Yamuna on Sunday, with the opposition party's Saurabh Bharadwaj alleging the river has returned to its polluted state after the Chhath festival. The BJP was quick to hit back, saying the opposition has scored a self-goal by "admitting" the Yamuna has "returned" to the same condition the AAP government had left it. Days after Chhath Puja ended, AAP's Delhi unit chief Bharadwaj visited the Vasudev Ghat on Sunday and alleged that workers were dismantling the pipeline that had secretly supplied filtered water to the "fake river the BJP had created" for the festival. In a video, he was seen holding the Yamuna's black water in his palms. "After being caught red-handed, the BJP government is now erasing every trace of the fake Yamuna it created," he said. Bharadwaj had earlier alleged that a section of the river was filled with clean water at the Vasudev Ghat for Chhath Puja. "At the Vasudev Ghat, the BJP i

Unity Group, Parsvnath to earn ₹120 cr yearly rent from new mall in Delhi

Realty firms Parsvnath Developers and Unity Group will earn an annual rental income of about Rs 120 crore from their new operational shopping mall in the national capital. In 2023, Parsvnath and Unity Group formed an equal joint venture to develop a mall with 5 lakh square feet of leasable area. Last month, they opened the mall 'Unity One Elegante' at Netaji Subhash Place, Delhi. "We have leased 100 per cent of the retail space in our mall," Unity Group Director Harsh Bansal told PTI. When asked about the rental income, he said it would be around Rs 10 crore per month and Rs 120 crore annually. Bansal said the joint venture firm has to give nearly Rs 20 crore as lease rental to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Parsvnath Developers Chairman Pradeep Jain noted that there is a huge demand for quality retail space across the Delhi-NCR market. In a regulatory filing last month, Parsvnath said a special purpose vehicle, 'Unity Parsvnaths LLP', a joint venture with Unity Group, has

Delhi traffic curbs, diversions issued for 'Sekhon IAF Marathon' on Sunday

The Delhi Traffic Police on Saturday issued an advisory regarding traffic restrictions and diversions in view of the 'Sekhon Indian Air Force marathon' 2025 scheduled to be held in the national capital on Sunday. The marathon, organised by the Indian Air Force for armed forces personnel and civilians on Sunday, will begin and conclude at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The half-marathon (21.097 km) will start at 5.30 am, the 10 km run at 6.30 am, and the 5 km run at 7.30 am. Over 10,000 participants are expected to take part, police said. According to the advisory, traffic movement will be regulated from 4.45 am to 10 am on the marathon routes to ensure the smooth conduct of the event. The movement of emergency vehicles will remain unaffected. Diversions will be implemented at key points, including Bhisham Pitamah Marg, Lodhi Road, Aurobindo Marg, Subramaniam Bharti Marg, Janpath, Mathura Road, and Rajesh Pilot Marg, among others. Additional deployment of traffic personnel will be m

PWD to seek corporate support to adopt and maintain Delhi's flyovers, roads

The Public Works Department (PWD) is planning to approach major companies based in the national capital to encourage them in participating in its adoption scheme for flyovers, foot overbridges and road stretches, officials said. The move aims to improve the upkeep of Delhi's infrastructure. Under the initiative, private firms can adopt public infrastructure-taking responsibility for its maintenance, beautification, and cleanliness-in return for limited advertising rights on the adopted structures. "We plan to directly approach the private companies which have offices in the national capital for our adoption policy of flyovers," a senior PWD official told PTI. The official further said that PWD will hold meetings and write to a few companies soon, and based on the feedback, it will move forward. In July this year a decision was taken in a high-level meeting chaired by the PWD Minister Parvesh Verma to prepare large infrastructure proposals that align with the Public Private Partners

No double-engine govt in Bihar, Delhi controls everything: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday attacked the NDA dispensation in Bihar over unemployment and migration issues, and claimed that there is "no double-engine government" in the state as "everything is controlled from Delhi". Addressing her maiden poll rally at Begusarai in the Bihar polls this year, she alleged that the NDA government at the Centre and in the state have been indulging in "divisive politics" and propagating "fake nationalism" to divert people's attention from real issues. Asserting that the "right to vote is the biggest" blessing of the Indian Constitution, Vadra said that the NDA government has weakened people's right to vote by conducting SIR, which deleted 65 lakh voters" from the electoral rolls in the state. "There is no double-engine (government) in Bihar, but only a single engine...everything is controlled from Delhi. Neither are you being heard nor is your CM Nitish Kumar respected," the Congress MP claimed, while addressing the rally. She also ..

Delhi govt removes one-year cap on NOC for overage deregistered vehicles

In a decision aimed at providing relief to lakhs of owners of overage vehicles, the Delhi government on Thursday lifted the one-year limit on NOC applications for deregistered vehicles. This move will primarily benefit owners of diesel vehicles aged over 10 years and petrol vehicles over 15 years old, allowing them to obtain an NOC to re-register their vehicles in other states outside the Delhi-NCR region, irrespective of how long ago their vehicle's registration expired, an official statement said. The Delhi government has decided to keep in abeyance the restrictive clause from the "Guidelines for Handling End of Life Vehicles in Public Places of Delhi, 2024" which limited the application for NOC to only within one year of a vehicle's registration expiry, said an official statement. We found that the one-year deadline for NOC was creating an unintended logjam, leaving lakhs of vehicles stranded in Delhi. These vehicles were neither being scrapped nor could they be moved out, leadin

Can cloud seeding really clean Delhi’s air? | Delhi air pollution | Delhi aqi

Every winter, Delhi turns into a gas chamber — and this year, the government’s pinning hopes on cloud seeding to wash the air clean.

Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor' as govt seeks cloud seeding trial

The capital's AQI today morning was 305 with haze and cloudy skies, as authorities prepare for the first cloud seeding experiment to trigger artificial rain and reduce air pollution

Delhi gears up for first cloud seeding experiment to fight air pollution

The experiment, in collaboration with IIT Kanpur and the IMD, aims to trigger artificial rainfall and curb worsening air pollution as the capital braces for its peak winter smog season

Missing AQI data may have hidden Delhi's 'severe' Diwali pollution spike

This Diwali brought a shocking lapse to Delhi's pollution story: 173 hours of air quality readings vanished from across 31 monitoring stations, with 163 hours lost during peak pollution