Eight road workers dead as avalanche hits Himalayan region
#ManaAvalanche Search and rescue operations at the Mana Avalanche site concluded today with 46 workers being rescued successfully who are currently being given necessary medical treatment. However, despite relentless efforts, day & night, through inclement conditions by the… pic.twitter.com/TjxeKJvY7g
Reports indicated that the stricken workers had been living on-site in reinforced steel containers suitable for extreme conditions. 'These metal shelters saved most of them. They had just enough oxygen to survive until we rescued them,' a senior rescue official told the Times of India. The outlet noted that over the past several years, avalanches in northern India have trapped more than 140 people, including tourists, mountaineers, trekkers, and soldiers.
The mountain region is one of the most treacherous in the country for road network development. In November 2023, 41 workers were stranded in an under-construction tunnel after a portion of the 4.5km passage between Silkyara and Dandalgaon collapsed in northern Uttarakhand. All 41 workers were eventually rescued by emergency teams after a 16-day operation.
In a separate development, rescue efforts are currently underway in the southern Indian state of Telangana, where eight construction workers are trapped 14km inside a large irrigation tunnel, after a section of the roof collapsed. The relief operation entered its tenth day on Monday, with no contact yet established with the trapped workers.
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Russia Today
25-07-2025
- Russia Today
India just laid track through Kashmir – and the message is loud
On June 25, 60-year-old Muhammad Fakhrudin Bhat fulfilled a dream nearly four decades in the making: his first-ever train journey out of the Kashmir Valley to India's capital, New Delhi. As he boarded the newly inaugurated Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express – launched with great fanfare by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier that month – Bhat looked on in awe. The sleek, orange train glided gracefully through summer-kissed mountains, verdant valleys, blooming orchards, and dense pine forests, a moving panorama of Kashmir's natural beauty. 'It felt like something long dreamed and a visual treat to pass through the mountains and greenery, in a train,' Bhat said, recalling his maiden journey from Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, to Katra, a town renowned as the base camp for the Vaishno Devi Temple, one of Hinduism's most revered shrines. What would typically take at least seven hours by road – often more in heavy traffic – was completed in just three hours. In Katra, passengers traveling to New Delhi have to pass security checks before boarding another train. The journey that took two days of road and rail travel from Delhi to Srinagar can now be completed in just 13 hours, which has brought joy to the faces of locals and visitors. For over four decades, Bhat had heard talk of connecting Srinagar to the rest of India by rail. The deadlines kept stretching for years. However, last month, he experienced it firsthand, traveling to Delhi to visit his daughter's family. 'It was exciting – a completely new experience,' he said, smiling. 'I booked my tickets 20 days in advance just to make sure I got a seat.' For Bhat, every glance outside the panoramic windows was a revelation. 'This was not just a ride, but a testament to hope arriving on the rails after forty years of waiting,' he said with a wide smile. 'This will transform tourism and trade in the region. The economy will witness a boost. Kashmiri apples, handicrafts, and other goods can now reach the main markets more swiftly and affordably, while all-weather connectivity will also help during harsh winter months when roads are often blocked,' said Masooma Jan, a resident who deals with the organic fruit new train route is a part of the 272km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link that connects Kashmir with the rest of India's railway network. The route involves 36 tunnels, totaling nearly 119km, and 943 bridges, passing through rugged, seismically active mountains with peaks exceeding 15,000 ft. The rail link is a $5.5 billion engineering marve; it also features the Chenab Bridge, which, according to Indian officials, is now the world's tallest: 359 meters above the riverbed, even taller than the Eiffel Tower. The journey of building railways to Kashmir began in 1892, long before India and Pakistan gained independence from British rule, when the Dogra Maharajas of Jammu and Kashmir, then a princely state, first envisioned a railway line reaching their isolated land. The present project was conceptualized by New Delhi in the mid-1990s but was delayed due to the region's political and security instability. The project gathered steam only in 2002, when the it was declared a national priority. The final leg of the rail link – between Katra and Sangaldan – was completed in early 2024, bringing trains to the valley via one of the world's most challenging terrains. The linking of the remote and mountainous Kashmir Valley to the rest of India by train marks one of the country's most extraordinary infrastructure achievements. The entire project proved to be a challenge for India's engineers and government due to the extreme Himalayan terrain and geological instability. 'At one point, this seemed impossible, but today it is a reality, and there is a lot of rush in bookings. The train journey is affordable and also makes the otherwise cumbersome road journey easy for locals as well as outsiders,' said Adeeba Ishtiyaq, a business management student from Kashmir who studies in Delhi. The scale of the engineering effort is staggering. 'This is a great relief for people who always felt cut off,' Adeeba said. A month after its launch, the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat train is witnessing unprecedented demand. Railway officials told RT that tickets are sold out one month in advance. At the grand inauguration of the rail link, India's prime minister described the bridge and rail link as 'living symbols of India's strength.' He emphasized that this rail link fulfilled a multi-generational dream, recalling that current Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had been a schoolboy when the foundation stone was laid in 1983-84. Highlighting the Chenab Bridge specifically, Modi called it 'new India's resolve and pride' and said it removes the need for Kashmiris to travel abroad to see wonders like the Eiffel Tower. He also promised that the train would integrate the region – economically, culturally, and strategically – and pledged $5.5 billion worth of additional public projects in the Chenab Bridge at the heart of the new rail link was built with over 30,000 metric tons of steel; it is designed to withstand extreme weather, seismic activity, and even explosions. Dr. Madhavi G. Latha, who was one of the engineers who contributed to the construction of the bridge and has been involved in its work for the past seventeen years, said 'the bridge is a civil engineering marvel.' 'All glory of the planning, design, and construction goes to Indian Railways and AFCONS. Thousands of people have significantly contributed in different ways to the construction of this iconic bridge. There are millions of unsung heroes to whom I salute today. My role as a geotechnical consultant to AFCONS was to help in developing slope stabilization schemes and the design of foundations on slope,' she added. Propelling the vision of # Chenab Bridge is the world's highest railway arch bridge will give a boost to socio-economic development of the J&K region while improving its connectivity with other parts of #BemisaalBharat. The construction, which officially began in 1994-95, was not just delayed by technical challenges, but also geopolitical and environmental ones: landslides, earthquakes, heavy snowfall, political tension, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, Indian engineers pressed on with what has now become a flagship example of infrastructure in difficult terrain. During Kashmir's harsh winters, when the temperature falls below freezing, heavy snowfall frequently blocks the Jammu-Srinagar highway, cutting the region off from the rest of the country. The winter-proof Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat ensures reliable rail travel even in heavy snow. 'These custom-built trains come equipped with heated windshields, triple insulation, and winter-ready water systems, designed to operate in the region's sub-zero conditions,' said Mukhtar Ahmad, a civil engineer based in the region. He added that the arrival of the Vande Bharat Express in Kashmir has been a moment of pride for residents and engineers alike. The officials have noted that the rail link will also streamline troop movement. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah hailed the project and said that it is not just 'steel and concrete.' 'It is the realization of generations of aspirations and will be of immense benefit to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.' Local entrepreneurs are optimistic: shortcuts mean fresher products, new job markets, and expanded trade routes. The train ensures all-weather access, breaking through winter's chokehold.
Russia Today
03-06-2025
- Russia Today
Over 500,000 people affected by floods in Himalayan region (VIDEOS)
Heavy floods in the Himalayan region of India have caused at least 36 deaths and affected more than 500,000 people, the authorities and media said on Monday. Landslides, floods, and lightning storms have hit the northeastern region, media said. The authorities reported that more than a thousand tourists trapped in the state of Sikkim were evacuated on Monday. Army rescue teams saved around 500 people stranded in flooded areas in the state of Meghalaya, Reuters reported. Persistent heavy rainfall in several regions has caused transport disruptions, including road, rail, and ferry services. Three army personnel were killed and nine others went missing after a landslide struck a military camp in Chhaten in Sikkim on Sunday, Hindustan Times reported. The state of Assam has reported the highest number of fatalities, as well as 15 rivers rising above the danger mark, according to the Times of India. 'We are facing a lot of challenges. I have a child, their bed is submerged in water. What will we do in such a situation? We keep ourselves awake throughout the night,' ANI quoted Silchar resident Sonu Devi as saying. In the northeastern state of Manipur, over 19,000 people have been impacted by floods after several rivers overflowed and embankments were breached due to heavy rainfall over the past four days. #IndianArmy#EasternCommand#IndianArmedForces#NationFirst#WeCare#FloodRelief#OpJalRahat2 Incessant rains and consequent landslides and floods at many places in the #NorthEasternStates saw troops of #IndianArmy and #AssamRifles swiftly responding to assist the… The death toll from floods and landslides in Arunachal Pradesh has risen to ten, and in Mizoram, mudslides have caused the blockage of 212 roads, according to an official bulletin cited by AP. At least five people have died due to landslides, house collapses, and other rain-related incidents in Mizoram, including three Myanmarese refugees, according to a Hindustan Times report. VIDEO | The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched rescue and relief operations in Sikkim as the northeastern state reels under landslides and floods following heavy rainfall in the region. The IAF has rescued first batch of civilians stranded from Chaten, North Sikkim.…
Russia Today
26-04-2025
- Russia Today
‘Our hearts bleed today': How terrorist attack shook fragile stability in Kashmir
On Tuesday morning, life was vibrant in the Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, surrounded by pine-covered mountains and snow-kissed peaks where the air was crisp, clean, and chilled, Manju Tripathi, 37, a tourist from Gujarat, recalls. By afternoon, everything had changed, as a volley of bullets rang in the air after a group of terrorists who emerged from nearby forests fired indiscriminately at tourists, killing 26 people, including a local tour guide. At the time, officials estimate that 1,000-1,500 tourists were present in the high-altitude, lush meadow, which is only accessible on foot or by horseback. 'We had left the Baisaran Valley and were in Pahalgam, having lunch at a restaurant, when we heard about the attack. Everyone was panicked and there was chaos all around,' Tripathi told RT at the airport from where she was rushing back to her home state along with a group of her family members who had come for a week-long visit to Kashmir. Tripathi said that the family cut short their trip in fear and left for their home. 'We could never have imagined that this would happen in Kashmir, which everyone assured was peaceful now,' she said. 'We had seen and heard about the beauty of Kashmir on social media and thought this was the mini-Switzerland.' Shubam Dwivedi, 29, got married on February 12. He was in Pahalgam with his wife to enjoy the time, little suspecting that this would be his last vacation. 'We could identify his body from the video on social media. Shubham's wife told us that terrorists asked his name before shooting him,' Saurabh Dwivedi, his cousin, said as the family mourned the loss. The family was a group of 11 people who has arrived in Kashmir on April 18 and were supposed to depart on April 23. 'While the rest of the family was a little away, Shubam and his wife were at Baisaran at that time. We feel devastated,' his father, Sanjay Dwivedi, said, adding that his son and daughter-in-law were having snacks on the meadow when he was attack in Pahalgam marks the deadliest assault on civilians in Kashmir in recent years. While the region has a history of violence for decades, the insurgency erupted in the early 1990s, but direct attacks on tourists have been relatively rare. In 1995, six foreign tourists were abducted in Pahalgam by the terrorist group Al-Faran. One was killed, another escaped, and the remaining four were never found. In 2000, 32 people, including 21 Hindu pilgrims, were killed at Nunwan in Pahalgam by terrorists. The latest attack's scale and targeting of civilians highlight a concerning shift in terrorist tactics. In February 2019, 40 Indian paramilitary troopers were killed in an attack on a highway that India blamed on Pakistan and triggered a war-like situation between the two countries. In June of last year, terrorists ambushed a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in the Reasi district in southern Jammu, killing nine people and injuring several others. 'This is something that I have never seen in my life in Kashmir. This incident has shaken the core of us,' said Sami Ullah, 30, a resident of Srinagar associated with the travel business. 'This incident will devastate the livelihood of millions in Kashmir.'In August 2019, the ruling government led by the BJP stripped the region of its limited autonomy by abrogation Article-370, a seven-decade old law which gave exclusive citizenship rights to the permanent residents of the region and barred outsiders from securing jobs, land and scholarships. New Delhi reasoned that the move was aimed at bringing development and peace to the region and wiping out insurgency. Due to the improvement in the security situation, Kashmir has witnessed a significant surge in tourism in recent years. Government figures show that last year 23 million tourists visited the region. In 2018, 16 million tourists visited the region. The government's efforts to promote the region as a safe travel destination led to record tourist arrivals, which were expected to spike this year and helped to give a boost to the local economy in the hospitality, transport, and handicraft sectors. However, the deadly attack has turned the vibrant tourist spot into a ghost town now, which has been emptied, and hotels are now lying vacant as most tourists are either leaving or have already left the region. The Srinagar International Airport has been witnessing a crowd of people who are fleeing the region by cutting short their stay. 'We mourn with the families of the victims who were killed. Our hearts are heavy and eyes are wet,' said Abdul Rasheed, a boat rider in the main city of Srinagar, as dozens of boats lay in rows empty near the banks of the lake waiting for visitors. 'Our hearts broke into pieces when we saw everyone leaving in panic. We are ashamed of what has happened, our hearts bleed today. This scar will remain etched forever and has cost the livelihoods of the poor people,' he said. The killings sparked a shutdown in the region, where hundreds of locals and politicians took to the streets to condemn the incident. 'We condemn this. These attacks hit the local lives and bring economic disaster,' said Shabir Ahmad, 25, a taxi driver in Srinagar. 'Is this the paradise on earth? This is hell on earth where such things happen. This has taken away our peace and prosperity.' The attack happened days after Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir's speech in which he referred to Kashmir as the 'jugular vein' of Pakistan, potentially signaling a hardline stance. The attack also coincided with the Indian visit of US Vice President J.D. Vance and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia. In the past, similar attacks have also occurred during high-profile visits, such as in 2000, during then-US President Bill Clinton's trip to India, when 35 Sikh men were killed in the southern village of Chittisingpura, suggesting a pattern aimed at drawing international attention. The international community's response to Kashmir has always been influenced by broader geopolitical interests, but there has been widespread global condemnation of the latest attack. Experts say sustained engagement in resolving the underlying issues has been limited and needs to be addressed. 'The recent attack underscores the need for a more proactive international role in facilitating dialogue between India and Pakistan, to address Kashmir's political problem so that such incidents do not repeat,' said Idrees Ahmad, a researcher based in Kashmir. 'The region needs peace and stability so that everyone can feel safe who visit,' he added. Manoj K Channnan, a former army official, says this was a calculated strike. 'This wasn't just an attack on civilians – it was a calculated strike on India's credibility, timed with the visit of US Vice President JD Vance. Today, Kashmir faces a new breed of militancy. Intelligence estimates indicate the presence of around 60 foreign terrorists in the Valley. Half of them are linked to The Resistance Front (TRF) – a proxy outfit for Lashkar-e-Taiba, operating under a softer, more local-sounding label to dodge global scrutiny.' He says that beyond the tactical fallout, this attack has strategic consequences for the Kashmir Valley. 'In recent years, tourism has picked up dramatically… Kashmir felt hopeful again. Now, that confidence is cracked. Tourists will cancel bookings, airlines will scale back flights, and hotels and houseboats will see empty rooms. The economic loss to local Kashmiris will be staggering, and once again, they will face the impossible dilemma of surviving in a conflict economy,' he added. Haseeb Drabu, former finance minister in the region, shares these concerns. 'The revival of trade and commerce, which accounts for 40% of the local economy, has been suddenly and brutally cut short, and the livelihood of lakhs of families has been seriously impaired.' He added the economic shock will persist and linger on for months, if not years, to come.
