Page 3 - Lucknow

Lucknow's Ekana Stadium receives Rs 28.42 crore property tax notice

The Lucknow Municipal Corporation has issued a Rs 28.42 crore property tax notice to the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Cricket Stadium, also known as Ekana stadium, officials said on Sunday. The notice comes ahead of the Women's Premier League matches scheduled this month and the Indian Premier League matches in April, raising concerns over their smooth conduct. The stadium administration has termed the notice "unjust" and plans to meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to seek relief. According to a statement from Additional Municipal Commissioner Pankaj Srivastava, Zone 4 of the municipal corporation issued the notice on Saturday. The amount includes Rs 5.45 crore in tax due since December 1, 2020, and an outstanding balance of Rs 22.97 crore, the statement said, adding, the decision has been taken as per legal provisions and will be strictly enforced. Srivastava clarified that only the sports grounds and stadiums of government-aided or recognised non-aided .

KIIT suicide row: Nepal PM steps in; accused held - what we know so far

A third-year BTech student from Nepal was found dead in her hostel room, with allegations surfacing that she was harassed and blackmailed by her 21-year-old batchmate from Lucknow, Advik Srivastava

GATE, JAM 2025: Prayagraj exam centres shifted to Lucknow amid Maha Kumbh

IIT Roorkee has changed the exam centres in Prayagraj to Lucknow for the upcoming GATE and JAM exams 2025 due to the ongoing Maha kumbh mela. The exams is scheduled for February 1 and 2

Omaxe to invest Rs 2,800 cr in real estate projects under BeTogether brand

Realty firm Omaxe Group on Monday said it will invest Rs 2,800 crore to develop projects under a new brand BeTogether. In a regulatory filing, Omaxe said the new brand is dedicated to reshape urban and economic development through collaborative real estate projects. "The current projects being undertaken by BeTogether would entail a total investment of over Rs 2,800 crore," it added. Under the new brand BeTogether, the company will focus on joint ventures, collaboration and development through the Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) model. BeTogether's project portfolio currently includes the joint venture initiative, 'BeTogether Centre Point Vrindavan'. In addition, the brand is partnering with the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) on several PPP projects to upgrade bus terminals in key cities, like Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Kaushambi, Ayodhya, Amausi, and Prayagraj. In the last 37 years, Omaxe has established a strong footprint in 31 cities in 8 states of North a

Five members of family found dead in Lucknow hotel, accused arrested

Five members of a family were found murdered inside a hotel here early on Wednesday, police said. The accused has been arrested, a senior police officer said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Central Lucknow, Raveena Tyagi, said the incident took place at Hotel Sharanjit in Naka area of the state capital. "The accused, identified as Arshad (24), allegedly killed five members of his own family. Following the gruesome act, the local police promptly apprehended the accused from the crime scene," Tyagi said. The deceased have been identified as Alia (9), Alshia (19), Aksa (16) and Rahmeen (18) -- all sisters of Arshad. The fifth is Asma, the mother of the accused, according to police. The DCP said Arshad, 24, is a native of Agra, adding the preliminary inquiry has revealed that he took the step because of domestic disputes. The forensic teams have been deployed at the crime spot to collect evidence while a detailed probe has been launched into the matter, she said. "Inquiry is a

Uttar Pradesh PCS prelims conclude with only 42% candidates turnout

The PCS prelims, hit by large-scale protests at the beginning, were concluded on Sunday, with only about 42 per cent of the candidates appearing. Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) Secretary Ashok Kumar said the exams were conducted peacefully under the watch of police and other agencies. "The PCS Pre exam was completed peacefully on Sunday. For the fairness of the exam, a double-layer system was put in place in which the police and the agency were conducting separate investigations," he told PTI. He said all exams were conducted under the watch of CCTV and live streamed and candidates' iris and other biometrics were screened to filter out proxies. "Every candidate of every centre was monitored from the control room set up in the commission. This monitoring was done through CCTV cameras installed in 1,331 centres across the state. As soon as any candidate was seen roaming around, we immediately alerted the concerned centre about what the particular candidate was doing,

JPC on Waqf Ammendment Bill to continue to hear expert opinions today

The discussions are likely to focus on gathering insights and feedback from these experts as part of the ongoing process to review and amend the Waqf Act

Case filed, strict action assured: Lucknow DCP on Congress worker's death

Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai alleged that the state government and police officials were responsible for the death of a Congress worker who lost his life during the party's protest

UP to surpass 1 bn tourist visits, generating Rs 3 trn revenue: Minister

Uttar Pradesh Jal Shakti and Namami Gange Minister Swatantra Dev Singh said on Wednesday that the state is on track to surpass one billion tourist visits, generating Rs 3 lakh crore in economic activity. Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a 180-foot-tall Shiva temple being constructed by the Ram Janki Temple Trust, Singh credited this surge in tourism to the development of corridors across various religious sites and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. "So far, 60 crore tourists have visited the state due to corridor development. Additionally, we estimate around 45 crore visitors for Prayagraj's Maha Kumbh. With these numbers, Uttar Pradesh will surpass one billion tourists," Singh said. The minister highlighted the shift in public sentiment towards religion and safety in the state. "After Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Yogi took charge, people's faith in the Sanatan Dharma has grown immensely. There is also a

Himachal Guv's convoy meets with accident in Lucknow, several injured

However, the Himachal Pradesh Governor reached his destination safely and the situation was normal

SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood asks UP govt to send political delegation to Sambhal

Samajwadi Party MLA Iqbal Mehmood has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to send a political delegation to meet the families of victims of the November 24 violence in Sambhal district. Talking to reporters on Wednesday evening, the Sambhal MLA alleged the BJP wants to divide people and as a result, the country is lagging behind. On Wednesday, a delegation of Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi on its way to Sambhal was stopped by Uttar Pradesh Police at Ghazipur border here amid a ban on the entry of outsiders in the district. Last week, several Samajwadi Party (SP) MPs were stopped from entering the district. "The government should send its political delegation here to meet families of victims and send out a message that everyone should live together with unity," Mehmood said. He said the BJP should follow RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's advice that there is no need to look for shivling in every mosque. "It should be followed to avoid spread of hatred in society and increase brotherh

UP Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities Act appears to be draconian: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act appeared to be "draconian". The observation by a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan came while it was hearing a plea filed by a man who has challenged a May 2023 Allahabad High Court order dismissing his application seeking to set aside proceedings against him pending before a district court in Kasganj in a case registered under the Act. "This Act appears to be draconian," the apex court observed. "We will consider it," the bench said while admitting the appeal. While hearing the matter in November last year, the SC had sought responses from the Uttar Pradesh government and others on the plea and said, "By way of ad-interim order, no coercive steps be taken against the petitioner qua Gangster Act." On Wednesday the petitioner's counsel said he has been booked in the case under the provisions of the 1986 Act on allegations of illegal mining in the Ganga

Rahul to visit violence-hit Sambhal today amid ban on entry of outsiders

A Congress delegation led by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit the violence-hit Sambhal on Wednesday, with police and administration geared up to stop them before reaching the district. Prohibitory orders, including a ban on the entry of outsiders, are in place in Sambhal. Last week, several Samajwadi Party (SP) MPs were stopped from entering the district. Curbs under Section 163 (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which were set to expire on Sunday, have now been extended till December 31 in Sambhal. Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia on Tuesday wrote a letter to the police commissioners of Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad and the superintendents of police of Amroha and Bulandshahr districts, urging them to stop Gandhi at the borders of their districts keeping in mind the "communal sensitivity" of Sambhal. Gandhi will be accompanied by five other Congress MPs

Air India Express announces launch of 4 new routes from Bhubaneswar

Air India Express on Tuesday announced the launch of four new routes from Bhubaneswar as a part of the airline's expansion plan in eastern India. These services will connect the Odisha capital to Jaipur, Lucknow, Kochi and Patna, the airline said in a statement. This expansion reinforces Bhubaneswar's connectivity to key regional and cultural centres across India, it said. The services to Jaipur and Kochi will commence on January 3, 2025, followed by the launch of flights to Lucknow on January 4 and Patna on January 15, the statement said. Bookings are now open. The Bhubaneswar-Jaipur flight will operate four days a week - Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, while the Bhubaneswar-Kochi and Bhubaneswar-Patna flights will operate daily. The Bhubaneswar-Lucknow flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Additionally, the airline showcased Odisha's cultural heritage with its 'Ikat livery', beautifully displayed on one of its newest aircraft, the airline statement

Newly elected BJP, RLD MLAs in UP administered oath by Assembly Speaker

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana on Friday administered the oath to the newly elected BJP and RLD MLAs. Voting for the by-elections in nine seats of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly was held on November 20 and the results were declared on November 23. In the by-elections, six MLAs of the BJP and one of its alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) were elected. The Samajwadi Party stood victorious in two seats Karhal and Sisamau. On Friday, newly elected MLAs Ramveer Singh from Kundarki, Deepak Patel from Phulpur, Surendra Singh from Khair, Sanjeev Sharma from Ghaziabad, Dharmaraj Nishad from Katehari, Suchismita Maurya from Majhawan (all BJP) and Mithlesh Pal of the RLD from Meerapur took oath in the Assembly. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was present on the occasion, congratulated the winning candidates and called it a victory of the state's development and people's faith. Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, Uttar Pradesh BJP

Rahul Gandhi arrives in Lucknow, set to attend events in Raebareli

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari told that despite his busy schedule, Rahul Gandhi, who is also an MP from Raebareli, will be visiting Raebareli to fulfil his duties as an MP

IndiGo flight redirected to Jaipur due to security-related alert: Official

Station House officer (SHO) of Jaipur Airport Police Station, Sandeep Basera also confirmed that the 175 passengers were safely boarded back onto the plane after the plane was inspected

Guv's house name should be changed from Raj Bhavan to Seva Bhavan: Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday took a dig at the government and said the name of Uttar Pradesh governor's residence should be changed from Raj Bhavan to 'Seva Bhavan'. Yadav posted on 'X' a 10-second video of some construction activities going on outside the Raj Bhawan and asked whether the work was being carried out with all approvals. "It is hoped that the new construction of the Rajbhavan must have been started only after getting the map of the new construction approved with all the standards," the SP chief said in the post in Hindi. "Until the construction is completed, Lucknow Development Authority or any other responsible department should display the map of this changed construction near the place where the construction is going on, for the public to see. So that the public gets inspired that every construction should be legal," he added. Taking a jibe, he further said that the government should replace the word 'Raj' with the democratic word 'Seva', that is,

News highlights: Congress releases second list of nine candidates for Haryana polls

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Lucknow building collapse: Toll rises to 8, CM visits injured at hospital

The death toll in the building collapse here has climbed to eight with rescuers pulling out three more bodies from the debris, officials said on Sunday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will visit Lok Bandhu Hospital here to meet those injured in the incident, after returning from Ambedkar Nagar, Director, Information, Shishir said. Joint Commissioner of Police Amit Verma said there is minimum possibility of someone still being trapped inside. A three-storey building housing godowns and a motor workshop collapsed in the Transport Nagar area here on Saturday, leaving 28 people injured. Five bodies were recovered from the spot. As the rescue operation continued overnight, teams of National Disaster Response team (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) recovered the bodies of three people, who were identified as Raj Kishore (27), Rudra Yadav (24) and Jagrup Singh (35), Relief Commissioner G S Naveen said. The eighth body was recovered around 3 am on Sunday, officials said. Joi