Keyword : Delhi

Govindacharya demands action against BJP over advertisements

Even as Delhi went to polls on Saturday, KN Govindacharya, convener of Save Democracy Front   and former ideologue of BJP, has sought postponement of the elections as the BJP has violated

Now, aam aadmi has many ‘collars’ and millions of expectations

In the 2009 biographical sports drama ‘Invictus’, South Africa’s president-elect Nelson Mandela (played by Morgan Freeman) humbly accepts the reasonability of a question posed to

Why Chaturvedi’s shift to AAP govt won’t be easy

What can be seen as Delhi’s new government’s first major step in ensuring a corruption-free system , the name of the whistleblower officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi  has been proposed for

Delhi CM Kejriwal holds janata darbar in Ghaziabad

There was not much of crowd but then it was first after the second term in office. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal held a ‘janata darbar’ at Aam Aadmi Party`s Kaushambi office in G

AAP: The party with a difference – of opinion

Familiarity breeds contempt, and so does success and the story that is unfolding of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is the case in point. It is also a case that proves again that in politics nobody is an

The capital cart: Travails of e-rickshaw drivers

Shree Bhagwan Jaiswal pushed the pedals of his cycle rickshaw in Old Delhi for more than 20 years. As the sole breadwinner of his family – he is a father of four – there was no way out.

Kejriwal`s Delhi: The powerless capital

After the most stunning election victory in memory, Arvind Kejriwal may seem to be most powerful chief minister in the country. Actually, he has less power than all the rest of the CMs. That is bec

Dream of principled politics is now a nightmare, says Bhushan’s letter to Kejriwal

The war of words in Aam Aadmi Party is refusing to ebb down. AAP leader Prashant Bhushan has written a letter to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal that accuses him of turning AAP a "high co

No seizure of old diesel vehicles for two weeks in Delhi

Seeking suggestions on better implementation of its order on diesel vehicles in Delhi, the National Green Tribunal has stayed for 2 weeks its order to impound diesel vehicles more than 10 years old

Don’t be complainant and judge, Prashant Bhushan tells AAP’s disciplinary panel chief

The lawyer has spoken. Aam Aadmi Party leader Prashant Bhushan on Monday sent a strong re

Display Kejriwal’s picture and get your wish granted

If vehicle owners in Delhi display a picture of Arvind Kejriwal, then some demands of theirs could be accepted. Well, this is what we deduce from his address to the auto drivers and giving in to th

Delhi war raises issues of decency in governance & insulating officials

The powerful have to have a necessary quality, restraint. But in the Delhi drama, most lacking aspects are restraint and decency in governance. The tussle between Delhi chief ministe

Panagariya for job creation by industries and hiring firm sees positive growth

In his first blog published on the newly launched portal of NITI Aayog on Monday, vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya had said that due to limited potential of the agriculture sector in bringing prospe

Delhi war singes officials and distrust may hit govt, but politicians in denial

Nothing can escape without consequences and people in power pay more than the aam aadmi. As war in Delhi’s state secretariat heats up, deep distrust is building up among the officials.

LG has power to appoint & transfer steno to officer, says Jung’s letter to CM

Delhi is erupting.  After meeting president Pranab Mukherjee and home minister Rajnath singh on Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has written a letter to CM Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday

Delhi officials plead for peace but AAP raises heat with a terror tweet

There seems to be no attempt being made to create an atmosphere of congeniality that will go a long way in building trust that is necessary to make an administration to perform as one unit. In Delh

Notification on Delhi power structure issued, LG is the boss

The union home ministry on Friday issued a notification clarifying distribution of power between Delhi`s lieutenant governor and the chief minister. According to the MHA notification

Kejriwal’s public meeting in Delhi’s Central Park to trigger fresh war of words

Expect chaos in Delhi today (Monday) that will herald another war of words over who rules the national capital. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is holding  ‘Jan Samvaad’ (publ

Kejriwal out to spoil BJP’s anniversary party and it is not a wise strategy

The battle is political and should be fought in a sustained manner. However, the timing of Arvind Kejriwal’s belligerence on Delhi power sharing issue during the first anniversary celebration

Impatient centre makes its case a suspect

Is centre making its case weak by rushing to the supreme court on governance in Delhi based on suspect logic? The legal tussle between the Centre and the Delhi government over the home ministry not

Radioactive leak detected at IGI airport

A radioactive leak from a consignment, meant for medical use, was detected at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, Delhi on Friday morning. One of the four packets of low-

Jung and Kejriwal battle erupts again over cops

Even as both the parties have approached courts for clarification on division powers, the issue of hiring of five personnel of Bihar Police in Anti Corruption Branch of Delhi government has trigger

Brace up for drought year as monsoon is going to be ‘below normal’ to ‘deficient’

India`s northwest region which includes Delhi, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are going to be affected by ‘below normal’ to ‘deficient’ monsoon.  The Indi

Maggi Noodles off Big Bazaar shelves, all states to conduct tests

Maggi noodles are turning out to be noose for brand Nestle. Latest to join the issue is Big Bazaar. The Big Bazaar on Wednesday removed Maggi noodles from its stores. This comes after the Delhi gov

Consumers taken for a ride as govt fails again on Uber and Ola licence issue

All app-based cab services were banned in the national capital after a driver of Uber, the US-based online cab service provider, was accused of raping a 27-year-old financial consultant woman passe

Mumbai stores keep out Maggi as Delhi puts others brands under scrutiny

Even while Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan was taking credit for suo moto action of the government (for the first time after independence) in a matter like Maggi noodles, one Mumbai retailers` organ

Delhi law minister`s arrest is vindictive, says AAP legislator Jarnail Singh

A law minister slapped with charges of cheating is embarrassing and then being detained under additional charges is denouement. Delhi law minister Jitendra Singh Tomar has been arrested by the Delh

Civil services board may put a stop to Jung-Kejriwal official game

Another round of battle for supremacy is being waged in Delhi. The contentious transfer of ACB chief and Delhi home secretary has unnerved the officials of Delhi government. MK Meena was told not t

My degree is genuine, says Tomar as he is taken to Faizabad

“There is nothing wrong with my degree,” AAP leader Jitender Singh Tomar said on Wednesday. Tomar quit as Delhi law minister after his arrest on Tuesday and claims to have done his BSc

Kejriwal goes for Modi’s minimum govt & to end licence raj in Delhi

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has adopted Narendra Modi’s slogan of minimum government and maximum governance in a different way.  His government has decided to do away with licen

Delhi garbage cleared but the stink will persist

The streets of Delhi may get cleared in the next few days but the mess of finances and administrative ambiguity will continue to emit foul smell as they are not going to be cleared anytime soon.

Trust a display board and miss a flight at Delhi airport

 I was going home after six months. But instead of journeying to Kolkata, I undertook a pilgrimage. I say pilgrimage because of the series of tests I was put through before I reached home.

Govt staff beat Monday blues, in office before 9 in Delhi

Monday blues are a cliché in central government now. After the Narnedra Modi government’s directive and host of measures to ensure a different work culture, there seems to be remarkabl

Delhi is a capital of contradictions: Highest per capita income & fall in taxes

The national capital is a cradle of contradictions. Consider these numbers and the paradox hits you squarely. Delhi registered an all-time high per capita income of Rs.2.41 lakh in 2014-15, an incr

Intense politics forces PMO to clarify on denial of Kejriwal’s date with PM

Even administrative matters are being political colour and the Prime minister`s office (PMO) is being dragged into these issues, which seems strange, and somewhat silly. The PMO has been forced to

Beware! Delhi has six fake universities

The national capital Delhi and neigbouring state of Uttar Pradesh play host to maximum number of fake universities. The University Grants Commission has published a list of fake universities in the

Morning briefings: PM Modi`s meeting on land bill today, oppn CMs skip it

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting of NITI Aayog`s governing council, of which all chief ministers are a part, with the land acquisition Bill as the main agenda. However, the chief m

Evening digest: AAP legislator shot at in Delhi

In a bizarre incident, unidentified men opened fire at the office of AAP legislator Kailash Gehlot in Delhi on Friday but no one was hurt.  The Aam Aadmi Party legislator was then at his resid

Kejriwal’s faux pas on women’s panel deliberate?

Was that deliberate act or plain negligence in not sending Delhi Commission for Women file to the lieutenent governor? However, as the courts are busy hearing cases relating to division of power in

In Delhi turf war AAP’s case eroded by falsehood

Swati Maliwal, whose appointment to Delhi Commission for Women has triggered fresh turf war in the administration of the capital, is playing victim after trying to score political points.

Karnataka leads in students’ awareness campaign on Swachh Bharat in urban areas

Southern states lead in awareness campaign under Swachh Bharat mission in urban areas. According to the urban development ministry Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Andhra Prade

Plastic bag impedes human evolution

A plastic bag is impeding human evolution or say, making us irresponsible. How can a filthy but convenient product like a plastic bag affect human intelligence? Every city in India i

Delhi govt to enter e-gov age from Dec 1

The national capital will take enter e-governance in most complete and comprehensive manner from December 1 and take the position of a pioneer in e-office system. The Delhi governmen

Ports, many state capitals in India’s smart cities project

The government has included 24 state capitals in the list of 98 cities, which are to be developed as smart cities.  The list of smart cities was unveiled by Union minister Venkaiah Naidu today

Railways taps unreserved seats with booking app

Bringing smart solutions that deliver convenience, railway ministry introduced mobile-based application for booking unreserved tickets for travelling on New Delhi - Palwal section of northern railw

India fails to gain due to messy urbanization, says World Bank

Analyzing the patterns of India’s urbanisation, World Bank says that while India added seven multicity agglomerations between 1999 and 2010 for a total of 30 cities, Indian cities are not abl

Supreme court’s help sought to ease commuters problems in national capital region

The Centre has urged the Supreme Court to direct Delhi and its bordering areas like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan to fully implement the reciprocal common transport agreement that had been s

Delhi ACB probe into complaint of govt ads being given to Sisodia’s kin

Delhi’s anti corruption branch (ACB) is conducting a probe into complaints that Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia`s relatives were given contracts of the government advertisements.

Fear of law is not there in Delhi, says your chief minister

After Sunday’s politics over increasing incidences of rapes in Delhi, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced steps to check crimes against women in the national capital while sayi

Corruption-friendly Delhi rattles Kejriwal, ministers told to act

Stung by CMS-India Corruption Study-2015 report on the extent of graft in the national capital, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has asked his ministers to submit a detailed action plan within

Evening digest: Cabinet removes land cost from infra project costs to fast track approvals

In a spate of decisions, union cabinet has approved 10% stake sale in Coal India, initial public offer of Cochin Shipyards, approved 3% interest subsidy for exports, empowered roads ministry to rev

Delhi citizens to get time-bound services

Delhi assembly on Thursday passed the Delhi (Right Of Citizen To Time Bound Delivery of Services) amendment bill, which will make government officials liable to automatic deductions from their s

Delhi govt services to go online under e-District

 Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal launched e-District project on Monday, which will enable people to access various government services online. Delhi government has identified 27 s

Morning briefing: Parliament business to be smooth as Cong decides to be constructive

The Congress has decided it will not obstruct non-contentious legislative business in parliament but strongly raise issues of public importance in both houses. A Congress strategy meeting chaired b

Evening digest: Odd & even number vehicles on alternate days in Delhi due to pollution

In a major step to counter the deadly pollution levels in the national capital, the Delhi government has decided to allow odd and even number vehicles to be on the roads on alternate days, starting

Curbs on vehicles a proper way to reduce pollution?

This could a radical measure to reduce alarming air pollution in Delhi. Delhi government on Friday restricted plying of private vehicles bearing odd and even registration numbers to alternate day

Delhi pollution: Curbs on vehicles gets 15 days test run

Public wrath is being expressed on the social media and the politicians have been gate-crashing on the issue of Delhi government`s move to curb movement of private vehicles in the capital due to ba

Kejriwal’s restriction on cars gets support of chief justice and judges carpool idea

The Kejriwal government`s experiment to restrict the number of private cars on Delhi roads got a boost with supreme court`s new chief justice TS Thakur, supporting the measures to improve air quali

Morning briefing: Arvind Kejriwal likely to meet Rajnath Singh today on car curbs plan

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to meet home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday to deliberate on the proposed odd-even registration number private vehicle formula.Amid debates over

Morning briefing: Rs 10,000 cr sanitation programme is total failure, says CAG report

In the past five years, almost Rs. 10,000 crore has been spent on rural sanitation with not much to show for results, says a report of the Comptroller and Audit General of India (CAG). It was table

Morning briefing: Swaraj to make statement in parliament today on India-Pak talks

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj is set to make a statement in both houses of Parliament today on her two-day visit to Pakistan and the resumption of bilateral talks. “I will make a st

Public transport in Delhi insufficient, says HC and may end odd/even rule

Saying that Delhi’s public transport is insufficient to cater to the public and that the people are inconvenienced, the Delhi high court today asked the state government why it was necessary

“#OccupyYamuna”? Before Sri Sri’s extravaganza, it was Akshardham

Going by the activities over the years in the riverbed and floodplains in Delhi, there seems to be a veritable #OccupyYamuna campaign going on. Sri Sri Ravishankar’s

Sri Sri Uvach: don’t politicize destruction of Yamuna

Facing a barrage of allegations and a case in National Green Tribunal (NGT), Art of Living Foundation head and noted spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has appealed to all “to not politici

Art of Living event is violence on environment: Bharati Chaturvedi

Noted environmental activist Bharati Chaturvedi has said that she considers the construction activities in preparation for the world culture festival in the Yamuna river plains, an act of violence

NGT allows Sri Sri to hold event, fines AoL Rs 5 crore

Giving a go ahead to the Art of Living (AoL) foundation to hold the

Won’t pay fine: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

A defiant Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, in an interview to

NGT threatens to withdraw permission if AoL doesn`t pay fine

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has threatened to revoke permission for the

Yamuna is dirty because Modi hates Kejriwal!

It may sound odd but the Yamuna, the venue of the three-day long World Cultural Festival being organised by Art of Living Foundation of Sri Sri Ravishankar, is flowing dirty because prime minister

Kejriwal unveils plans to revamp Delhi

Delhi would soon have a large fleet of high-end buses, laced with technology to check unsafe driving and to ensure passenger safety, to address the problem of heavy rush in the metro and scanty tra

I didn’t call the army: Kejriwal

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has said his government was not responsible for calling the army for making pontoon bridges over the Yamuna river for the World Culture Festival of

And the show goes on – with Modi on WCF dais

Activists, courts, and finally even the rain could not stop Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s World Culture Festival. Prime minister Narendra Modi too ignored alerts about its rickety dais and attended

Twitter weighs in on AoL controversy

The three-day World Culture Festival has begun on the flood plains of the Yamuna. The controversies surrounding the event failed to upset the participants and spectators who have gathered at the ve

Protestors at World Culture Festival venue allegedly heckled by cops

Around 4.30 on Friday evening a band of 20 protestors led by voluntary organisation Sweccha gathered opposite gate number one of the World Culture Festival (WCF). They were protesting with black ba

Girls, interrupted

Beware of pickpockets’ is written in white against a dirty betel-leaf-stained wall as you walk up the dark, dank staircase of brothel number 64 on Garstin Bastion Road or GB Road, Delhi&rsquo

Online protest will not help Yamuna: Kapil Mishra

Lashing out at some of the detractors of the World Culture festival, organised by the Art of Living (AoL) foundation, Delhi water resources and tourism minister Kapil Mishra has said that nowaday

RFP for Delhi Wi-Fi project soon

How would you describe the last one year in terms of rolling out e-governance services and various ICT interventions in Delhi? The government of national capital ter

21 more mohalla clinics to start functioning in Delhi from Thursday

Following the success of Mohalla clinic, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will inaugurate 21 more Aam Aadmi Mohalla clinics on Thursday. The clinics will house an OPD and patients will have acc

Delhi, Mumbai may contribute in global urban consumption growth

Two Indian cities – Delhi and Mumbai – will likely be contributing significantly to global urban consumption during a course of 15 years, as per a

Say bye-bye to traffic and pollution in Delhi, hopefully

The pollution in Delhi is poised to come down significantly with the opening of a stretch of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway. 53 km stretch of the 136 km of the expressway conne

Odd-even II: Women drivers again exempted

Women drivers have again been exempted from the second round of odd-even scheme that starts from April 15 and ends on April 30th. Gopal Rai, Delhi’s transport minister, said on Wednesday that

No pan masala, gutkha in Delhi for a year

The Delhi government has banned all forms of chewable tobacco, including gutkha, pan masala, khaini and zarda. The sale, purchase and storage of all forms of chewable tobacco have b

Surge pricing ban may continue even after odd-even period

Cracking the whip on app-based taxi operators, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has announced that it would ensure the ban on surge pricing even after the odd-even period is over. On A

AAP government takes on greedy private schools

Love them or hate them, but you just can’t ignore the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government! After scrapping 62 arbitrary quotas for admission to private unaided recognised scho

Massive fire destroys National Museum of Natural History

A massive fire has destroyed artefacts at the National Museum of Natural History in the capital late night on Monday. The museum is located in the FICCI complex, Mandi House. Accordi

Second phase of odd-even comes to an end

The second phase of the odd-even scheme of the Delhi government draws to an end on April 30. With majority of Delhi residents having given a thumbs up to the first phase of the scheme that took pla

Illegal battery recycling in Delhi causes high lead level: Study

Delhi’s polluted air has been in the headlines for months. Now a team of researchers from University of Michigan have found that illegal battery recycling business in the capital city is addi

Gwalior, Allahabad, Patna and Raipur among world’s 10 most polluted cities

The South Asian region has shown an increase of five percent in air pollution level in more than two-thirds of its cities. Delhi has some reason to cheer after the release of the Wor

AAP to give tough fight to BJP, Congress in Delhi civic bypolls

Arvind Kejriwal led-Aam Aadmi Party [AAP], which is contesting the municipal elections for the first time, is all set to give a stiff challenge to the BJP and the Congress in the Delhi civic bypoll

AAP makes huge splash in MCD bypolls, bags 5 seats

Arvind Kejriwal led-Aam Aadmi Party [AAP],  which contested the municipal elections for the first time, has won five seats in the Delhi civic bypolls. Congress managed to grab four while BJP w

AAP government pushes for Delhi’s full statehood

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led-Delhi government will soon hold public consultation on its draft bill for

And unquiet flows the Yamuna

Like a child, the Yamuna gushes down the Yamunotri glacier, its free flowing and crystal clear waters cutting through mountains and valleys. The youthful Yamuna generously nurtures life on its wa

Light showers cool Delhi, but hot weather to be back

 Delhiites breathed a sigh of relief as light rainfall drenched the national capital region in the late afternoon on Monday. The mercury settled at 42 degrees Celsius in early aftern

Kejriwal warns discoms over power cuts

In wake of frequent power cuts and power outages, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) took out a notification on Monday addressing power companies to compensate consumers for outages

Delhi tops list in number of years lost to air pollution to 6.3 years

A recent study conducted by Indian institute of tropical meteorology (IITM), Pune shows that exposure to fine particulate matter in India reduces human life expectancy by about 3.4 ±&

Parliamentary secretary has always had ambiguous status

Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP government in Delhi is in trouble. The bill, which would retrospectively legitimise the appointment of 21 MLAs as ‘parliamentary secretaries’, has been turne

Should AAP government have appointed parliamentary secretaries?

Should AAP government have appointed par

[Statehood demand] is not realistic: Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit

Veteran Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, during her three consecutive terms as Delhi chief minister, often blamed the multiplicity of authorities in the national capital as an obstacle to develo

Dexit dilemma

Delhi’s maverick chief minister Arvind Kejriwal would not like to be clubbed with the far-right leaders of Europe, but as the Brexit referendum results came out, he too sounded as jubilant as

“Kejriwal is acting like an anarchist”

As a young BJP MP, Kiren Rijiju had once favoured full statehood for Delhi. On November 21, 2006, he along with party senior Santosh Gangwar had expressed “deep concern over not according

Delhi full statehood: Fiscally arguable, politically impossible

It seems Greece’s referendum on Grexit last year inspired Arvind Kejriwal to announce h

A glimpse of Delhi’s ‘mini Tibet’

Majnu ka tilla or New Aruna Nagar Colony, situated on the banks of river Yamuna near Kashmere Gate, is a refugee camp housing Tibetan people. The Tibetan colony was established in 1960.

Marriage registration to become easier in Delhi

 Couples may find it easier now to register their marriages as the Delhi government’s revenue department has granted its sub-registrars the power to complete the formalities. Until now,

Is this AAP’s Battle of Zama?

A bit of history first. Hannibal, a military commander from Carthage, is considered one of the greatest military commanders in history, particularly for crossing the mighty Alps with men &n

NBCC will soon achieve turnover of Rs 10,000 crore

NBCC (formerly National Buildings Construction Corp), a Navratna PSU, has been growing from strength to strength. Its CMD Anoop Kumar Mittal tells Pankaj Kumar that it

Surge in chikungunya cases in India

 There has been an unprecedented surge in the cases of chikungunya cases, reported the national vector borne disease control programme (NVBDCP), the central nodal agency for the prevention and

An average of one crime reported each day against foreigners: NCRB 2015 report

As many as 365 cases of crime committed against foreigners were registered in India in 2015, reveals the latest report by national crime records bureau (NCRB). Of these, 271 cases were registered a

UP tops in human rights violation cases: NHRC

 NHRC’s 2012-13 annual report, which was put in the public domain earlier this month, shows that cases of human rights violation increased to 107,655 from 95,174 in 2011-12. As

Chikungunya: Quite a bite

It was 9.50 am on a sultry Friday when a 42-year-old lean man with droopy eyes waited for his turn along with 150-odd patients outside Safdarjung hospital’s fever clinic, as his body temperat

Delhi in deep waters

The waterlogged roads and huge traffic jams witnessed in Delhi in August hogged the headlines in the media, with the high court judges hitting out at the Delhi government. Even the US secretary of

72 percent Delhi MLAs underperforming: Praja report

About 72 percent Delhi MLAs are underperforming, 33 percent MLAs have hardly participated in the deliberations and three MLAs have never raised any issue in the assembly, says a report by Praja fou

IIT study has all answers to Delhi’s pollution woes

As the residents of Delhi and its adjoining satellite towns gasp for breath due to exceedingly high pollution levels, an IIT study that was submitted to the Delhi government in the beginning of thi

India now needs a new national capital

Delhi is sick. It is wheezing and coughing. Its roads are packed with vehicles

The pawn is gone: Najeeb Jung quits

Najeeb Jung, a key player in the battle between the Narendra Modi government at the centre and Delhi’s Arvind Kejriwal government, sprung a surprise and quit as lieutenant governor on Thursda

Delhi provides more land for car parks than housing for poor

Planning to buy a car, then better have a place to park it. The government has proposed that buyers of new cars or motorcycles will need to prove that they have parking space. The proposal could no

Haphazardly parked auto-rickshaws and commuters` travails

Nitin Kumar, an IT professional, usually leaves for office with a broad smile on his face but as soon as he reaches Noida City Centre metro station to catch a Gurgaon-bound metro, he starts losing

The Equator Equation, or the geography of emissions

The smog that snuffed light and fresh air out of Delhi and other northern parts of India for almost a fortnight is still fresh in memory. Combustion of various types, like fire crackers and burning

“Actions to target emissions near the equator might be most effective”

It is a known fact that ozone formation occurs when NOX, CO and VOCs react in the presence of sunlight and that more ozone is formed in tropical regions. How does this study move beyond thi

Dream city Delhi

Anand Kumar, from Palwal, a small town in Haryana, had gone to bustling Bombay in the late 1980s as a teenager in search of work. “I had thought I’d drive a taxi or something, it would

The mind, the heart, and two great cities

I am made of both Delhi and Mumbai.  Intellect will tell you sharply that Mumbai and Del

When dhandho leaves Mumbai

Mumbai is a proud city. There are two kinds of pride. The first kind is fairly common, more so in India. It’s inherited from one generation to another, it’s transmitted by mere associat

Humans of Delhi: Dilwalon ki Dilli

I came to Delhi from Kanpur in 2003 for higher studies. Since

Humans of Mumbai: Bombay meri jaan

I came to Mumbai from Sikar [in Rajasthan] to make a living. Mumbai gives me better work opportunities as compared to other cities. Here, I manage to save about Rs 40,000 per month, whereas in my h

What makes Manish Sisodia the man in charge of Delhi

"Mai hoon Manish Sisodia aapke saath, aur ye hai Zero Hour show..." With these words, the present deputy chief minister of Delhi had burst upon the airwaves on his signature All India Rad

When did you celebrate Republic day last time?

 When did I celebrate Republic day last time? I am thinking about it while negotiating my way through a pin bend curve and the next one created by iron barricades that the police had put up on

Delhi in your lungs

Sohan Lal, a traffic constable with Delhi police, is often short of breath, suffers bouts of wheezing and coughing, and sometimes complains of chest pain. He’s only 33 and was recruited after

Huh! Turning Delhi into London, Paris

Politicians are magicians. Don’t snigger. It’s true. They are determined to turn Delhi into either London or Paris, minus of course the swish of the cape and the wave of the magic wand.

Why Delhi – or for that matter any Indian city – can’t become London

A stretch of road running about a couple of kilometres in east Delhi is very much the core of deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s constituency. In recent months, the civic authorities (whi

Kathputli Colony: Destiny’s puppet

Kathputli Colony in Delhi is preparing to stage a final performance – a vanishing act. For over half a century it has been home to over 3,500 street performers – puppeteers, mag

Commissioning a powerhouse

The pale yellow room on the second floor of Vikas Bhawan near Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, ITO, is bustling with people, mostly women. Everyone is at work; some are calling for people waiting outside,

Few public toilets for women in Delhi: Survey

One in every three public toilets in Delhi do not have separate provision for women, according to an ActionAid India survey of public toilets in Delhi. The survey carried out in December

DJB unveils Yamuna river project

Delhi Jal Board, in collaboration with University of Virginia on Thursday unveiled the Yamuna River Project with a symposium cum exhibition as a part of the overall effort to map out an expansive,

Where centuries meet

To say that footfall in museums is declining will be a faulty assumption. Even with a vast array of digital platforms now available to view, study and learn about archaeological collections

Ajay Maken fails to charm Delhi

The dismal performance of the Congress in the Municipal Corporations of Delhi elections forced party chief Ajay Maken to announce his resignation, ending an energetic effort to revive the

Nearly half of the elderly have been mistreated: Report

 Nearly 1 out of 2 elderly people have been mistreated in India, said a report. HelpAge India’s latest report ‘How India treats its Elderly’ is a national survey of

Why #NotInMyName can’t be in my name

 It was big. It was energetic. It was emotional and soul awakening. It was the need of the hour. Its message was loud and clear. But #NotInMyName cannot be in my name. The #NotInMyNa

British-era Section 144 may have lost its relevance

 Despite prohibitory orders being imposed in Haryana, including Panchkula, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, violence broke out after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim was convicted in a rape ca

Stepping up the stepwells

The air is cool and humid. Early morning drizzle has weakened the scorching June sun. Amidst the lush greens of the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, the 16th century stepwell called Rajon ki Baoli is

AAP retains Bawana seat, party celebrates after two years

Hundreds of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers broke into boisterous celebrations at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Monday after the party retained the Bawana seat.

Indians would live a lot longer if air quality improves

If India reduced its air pollution to comply with the WHO’s air quality standard, its people could live about 4 years longer on average, or a combined more than 4.7 billion life years, said

Firecrackers ban in Delhi-NCR: Shopkeepers and traders worry about losses

The supreme court on October 9 has banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi and NCR till November 1 in view of the air pollution in the capital following Diwali celebrations. While some are welcomi

Delhi smog as human rights violation: NHRC notice to centre, states

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken a serious view of the “life-threatening high pollution” in Delhi/NCR, and has sought reports, within two weeks, from various union

Odd-even formula back in Delhi

The odd-even formula of traffic rationing is going to be implemented in Delhi in an effort to tackle the smog that has made it difficult to breath in the national capital. The Delhi

Delhi’s air pollution answer may lie in distant Iceland

Had the situation not been so desperate, then the AAP government’s proposal to sprinkle water from helicopters would have been considered hare-brained. But, a more practical solution to tackl

How one building gets pure air right in the middle of Delhi

Walking along the row of multistory buildings swathed in a haze of pollution at the Nehru Place business hub in South Delhi, when you come across what looks like a forest, you are just outside

India needs more direct democracy

The decision to shut two liquor vends in west Delhi following a public vote is the result of a direct democracy being encouraged by Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

Chief secy controversy yet again exposes AAP’s political immaturity

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), for all its talk of high ideals, had an image problem right from its inception: that it was a motley crew of politically naïve people. When the going was good, this

Does AAP continue to suffer from political immaturity?

Does AAP continue to suffer from polit

Anshu Prakash case: Delhi now a perfect ground for politicking

The entire episode of the alleged physical assault on IAS Anshu Prakas

CM vs chief secretary: The issue is trust, not authority

The unfortunate event last week raises the question whether the supreme court decision on powers and accountability of the Delhi government will really settle matters. Even as the de

Delhi government: Rift between bureaucrats and politicians widens

The alleged assault on chief secretary Anshu Prakash has created a rift between political class and bureaucrats. Secretary, IAS association, Manisha Saxena has told to Governance Now that Prakash a

Happy schooling

The curriculum at schools can be quite intimidating for students, except perhaps for the brightest. The Delhi government hopes to change that by introducing happiness as a subject to be taught at i

Beggars of Kamla Nagar market

There is privilege in this world; yet most of us are not cognizant of the same; our own or even someone else’s. Then there is poverty in this world; yet most of us are not cognizant of the sa

Who is Atishi Marlena?

Atishi Marlena is among the nine AAP functionaries who were dismissed by the union home ministry asserting that their posts were created without the approval of the centre. Marlena, served as educa

India gifts HAL Do-228 aircraft to Seychelles

India has gifted a HAL Do-228 aircraft to the Republic of Seychelles at a ceremony in New Delhi on June 26.The aircraft was handed over by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to the President,

AAP vs LG: SC gives more power to Arvind Kejriwal

Ending the tussle between Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and lieutenant governor Anil Baijal, the supreme court on Wednesday ruled that the LG cannot act independently and must seek the advise of the cou

The death of 22-B

Name: Unknown, Age: 40-45 yrs, Height: 5’5” When they found him, no one knew his name. He couldn’t have told them, for he was dead. His body was f

What could have prevented starvation deaths?

On July 24 a horror story gripped the capital. Three minor girls died of starvation in East Delhi’s Mandawali. Since then speculations are rife over the role of the girls’ father, a ric

Delhi-Chandigarh highway to get solar powered e-vehicle chargers

Maharatna enterprise BHEL has decided to build a network of solar-based electric vehicle chargers (SEVC) on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway. The project is covered under the FAME scheme (faster adopti

“Let’s look at monuments not just as history but as art”

Swapna Liddle’s wide and warm smile is the kind of comfort one looks for on a cold January afternoon. Her love for Delhi, its monuments, its history, resulted in a doctoral thesis on 19th

PM flags off India’s first semi high-speed train

Indian Railways entered a new era as prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the country’s first semi high-speed train, Vande Bharat Express, from the New Delhi railway station.

Vande Bharat halts midway near Tundla

In a major embarrassment to the railways, the much touted Vande Bharat Express developed a technical snag at Chamraula, 15 kms from Tundla junction.   Prime Minister Narendra Mo

Delhi, NCR ranked most polluted cities in the world: Report

India`s national capital region (NCR) has been ranked as the world`s most polluted region in the world, said a report by NGO Greenpeace.    The latest data compiled

“We have delivered on 85% of our promises”

The BJP won the elections to the municipal corporations of Delhi in 2017 under the leadership of actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari. He is confident of repeating the victory in the upcoming L

Merry Mutable murals

Quarters for government officers are notoriously drab. For a long time, Lodhi Colony, in Delhi, was no exception. In 2016, art and colour came to the large walls with tall arched openings that

Missing the middle

Chandramouli Vashisht, 29, an engineer who lives in Madhu Vihar, in the middle-class Patparganj locality of east Delhi, says that during the last Lok Sabha election, he voted for the BJP, but the v

“Nationalism means performing your duty with due diligence”

Dr Harsh Vardhan, a union minister, is the genial face of the BJP old guard in Delhi. He is contesting again from the Chandni Chowk constituency, in the heart of the capital. He talked with Rah

Zero address voters

It’s 6 pm and there is no relief from the scorching heat. A serpentine line of 600-odd men extends for over half a kilometre near Yamuna Pushta night shelter. Ranging from ages 21 to 70, wear

Steaming up an oldie

Ramgotty, India’s second oldest steam engine, will soon be reliving its glorious past. The 157-year-old engine is being restored at the northern railway’s Shakurbasti diesel shed in Del

The Evolution of Modi

Gujarat was passing through a turbulent phase in the 1980s. The decade began middle class agitations against new reservation policies, and the caste friction turned communal under the watch of chie

Delhi air quality improves – to ‘severe’

With improvement in air quality on Wednesday, the capital seems to be emerging out of a nightmare, though the situation continues to be worrisome as the stubble burning in farms of neighbouring Pun

Darkness at Noon in Delhi: The worst may be over

Delhites on Monday woke to the predictable grey sky but it was marginally less grey than it was on Sunday. There was hope that the worst might be over, as the air quality index (AQI) improving to 3

How children have acquired disaster mitigation skills – and confidence

In the science laboratory of a modest government school, a team of young students give a demonstration of what is called ‘non-structural mitigation’. When earthquake-like jolts are give

Night of Shame: How Delhi Police cracked the Dec 16 case

This is an excerpt from `Khaki Files` (published in Ebury Press and Blue Salt by Penguin Random House India,

Why Delhi elections are more crucial than you think

The National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD) goes to polls on February 8, amid debates and protests for and against the amended citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC

Connecting the dots: Environmentalism, development and health

Every winter Delhi experiences some of the worst air pollution levels in the world. Concentrations of particulate matter – PM10 and PM2.5 – regularly hover around values of 400 to 500,

In Delhi, 672 candidates, chasing 1.47 crore votes

The national capital territory of Delhi (NCTD) is going to assembly elections on February 8, and the results will be out on February 11. Now that the candidates have filed their nominations, here i

Delhi votes in a crucial election

Delhi is voting today in a high-stakes assembly elections that have virtually been projected as a referendum on the CAA-NRC debate, which from the BJP dominated the high-decibel campaign. The rulin

Kejriwal’s AAP creates history in capital – again

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Arvind Kejriwal rewrote the political playbook of the country, by repeating the stunning performance of 2015, as it won 62 of the 70 seats in Delhi assembly, leavin

AAP to contest all Maharashtra local elections

Bolstered by Tuesday’s stupendous victory once again in Delhi assembly elections, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to contest all local elections in Maharashtra.

Delhi elections: accounting for intangibles away from banal nationalism and hyper nationalism

The party that came into existence on the intangible timeworn issue of corruption, transparency and increasing public investment through public savings is going on winning elections in Delh

People-to-people relations the real foundation of Indo-US friendship: Modi

On the second and last day of US president Donald Trump’s India visit, prime minister Narendra Modi said the real foundation of Indo-US friendship is people-to-people relations. Trump, meanwh

Uneasy calm in riot-torn Delhi

No untoward incidents have been reported from the parts of the capital that witnessed communal riots this week, but the peace Thursday morning was still tentative and a number of those hospitalized

Communication in the times of Corona

This article originally appeared on the ORF website: https://www.orf

India is learning to live with Covid-19

As the world’s most extensive and arguably strictest lockdown completes 50 days, India remains in double mind: there are good arguments for and against extending the movement restrictions. Th

3,543 ‘Shramik Special’ trains transport 48 lakh people in 26 days

Close to 48 lakh migrant labourers have been able to reach home from the cities they were working in, as the Indian Railways have run a total of 3,543 “Sharmik Special” trains from May

Fresh efforts to contain Covid-19 in Delhi

As the national capital continues to report a record number of Covid-19 cases, the centre and the AAP government have decided to make a fresh start to contain the spread of the outbreak.

Covid-19: India crosses 1 crore tests milestone

India has achieved a significant milestone as the number of Covid-19 tests conducted in the country so far has crossed the 1 crore milestone. This signifies the importance accorded to widespread te

Covid-19: India’s total recoveries leap up to 7.2 lakh

While India remains one of the most Covid-19-affected countries, its recovery rate continues to improve with the total number of patients who have returned home touching 7,24,577. 

Covid-19: Maharashtra tally ahead of all countries except four

If Maharashtra were placed on the worldwide tally of confirmed Covid-19 cases so far, it would rank fifth. In other words, its caseload is higher than every country except for the US, India, Brazil

Vote in the time of Covid: EC hosts global webinar

On completion of one year of the chairmanship of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), the Election Commission (EC) of India on Monday hosted an international webinar on the the

Delhi readies to contain COVID surge

A slew measures have been under way for a more effective response to the rise in COVID-19 infections in Delhi, with the union home ministry pushing for more testing as well as adding to the healthc

Now, mandatory Covid test to enter Maharashtra

From Wednesday, all passengers travelling to Maharashtra from the NCR of Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa – the four states with high numbers of Covid-19 infection in recent days – wil

Genius of Ghalib, equally at home in solving murder mystery

Murder at the Mushaira By Raza Mir Aleph / 344 pages / Rs 799

India’s air quality improves post-lockdown

Lockdowns following the outbreak of Covid-19 have been a blessing in disguise for air pollution around the world, and 63% India cities marked improvements over 2019. Still, air quality remains a co

India’s Second Wave crosses 2-lakh milestone

The Second Wave in India seems unstoppable. The number of daily new cases crossed the 2,00,000 figure on Thursday morning, which is the highest ever anywhere in the world. Most of the burden &ndash

First Oxygen Express arrives in Mumbai; those for Delhi, UP on their way

A Ro-Ro service carrying three tankers loaded with liquid medical oxygen (LMO) from Hapa in Gujarat reached Kalamboli in Maharashtra Monday. Meanwhile, an Oxygen Express train carrying four tankers

Oxygen: 20 cryogenic tankers imported, allocated to states

To address shortage of oxygen tankers in the country, the centre has imported 20 cryogenic tankers of 10 MT and 20 MT capacity and allocated them to states. The mapping of liquid medical oxygen (LM

‘Mumbai cases down due to BMC commissioner’s good work’

RP Singh, national spokesperson, BJP, has praised Mumbai municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal for actively engaging with people and effectively handling Covid-19 and said that a good administr

Learn from Mumbai model to manage oxygen supply: supreme court

Mumbai, once the epicentre of the pandemic in India, has emerged as a model for all others in mitigating the crisis. The supreme court on Wednesday said the central government should adopt and take

Delhi plans implement ‘Mumbai Model’ soon

A team of the Delhi government’s health department has visited Mumbai to learn from the city’s officials how to battle Covid-19 more efficiently, following the supreme court’s adv

The perils of metro roads – A Delhi/NCR context

The anxiety and chaos that we face on our city roads are endemic, dangerous, and deadly. It emerges from a combination of too many vehicles, road conditions, ineffective traffic controls, poor plan

Delhi has been getting hotter since 2020

A steep rise has been recorded over the past three years in pre-monsoon surface air temperature, land surface temperature and relative humidity in Delhi/NCR, whereas there is no such increase in re

It’s alert time for Delhi’s wintry ‘darkness at noon’

*   Delhi’s seasonal PM2.5 average during and after the pandemic shows about 20% improvement compared to the 2015-18 winters. But the progress has stagnated. *&nb

New excavation season to begin at Delhi’s Purana Qila

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is all set to begin excavation at Delhi’s Purana Qila again. The excavation will be led by Vasant Swarnkarand would be the third season of excavation

Should India look for another capital?

The Indian Metropolis: Deconstructing India’s Urban Spaces By Feroze Varun Gandhi Rupa, 840 pages, Rs 1,500 Feroze Varun Gandhi, a Membe

Why India needs a national urban policy

India’s Blind Spot: Understanding and Managing Our Cities By Devashish Dhar HarperCollins, 408 pages, Rs. 899.00 Indian policy has been

Long-term trend shows Delhi air quality improving

Delhi has witnessed a maximum number of days with ‘Good to Moderate’ Air Quality during the first four months of 2023, compared to the corresponding period of last seven years (barring

Delhi faces record-breaking floods

The Yamuna continued to remain well over the danger mark on Thursday, a day after its water level broke a 1978 record. Parts of north and east Delhi closer to the floodplains of the river were floo

Delhi records cleanest air in four years

Delhi has recorded its lowest average Air Quality Index (AQI) during July this year compared to the corresponding period of last four years. This month, the capital experienced all 31 days with `Go

Transport expert urges Fadnavis to call for all-party consensus to regulate car parking

With increase in the number of cars, burgeoning traffic and parking on both sides of Mumbai’s congested roads, city-based transport expert Ashok Datar has urged Maharashtra deputy chief minis

Air Pollution: What needs to be done to tame the silent killer

Air pollution in Delhi has been in headlines, as every year in recent times. Mumbai too has suffered from air pollution, despite being a coastal city. Apart from many other metros such as Bangalore

Visionary Talk: Amitabh Gupta, Pune Police Commissioner with Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance Now


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