Latest news with #Rajasthani


New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Kacheguda-Jodhpur service long-cherished dream of Hyderabad Rajasthanis, says Vaishnaw
HYDERABAD: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy on Saturday flagged off a new daily express train service from Hyderabad (Kacheguda) to Jodhpur (Bhagat Ki Kothi) in Rajasthan. The new train (17605), starting Sunday, will depart from Kacheguda at 11:50 pm and arrive at Bhagat Ki Kothi at 8 pm the following day. On the return journey, the train (17606) will leave Bhagat Ki Kothi at 10:30 pm and reach Kacheguda at 3:40 pm. Speaking on the occasion, Ashwini Vaishnaw said that a daily train service between Hyderabad and Jodhpur had been a long-cherished dream of the Rajasthani community living in Hyderabad. He noted that the service could not be launched earlier due to infrastructure constraints. However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has witnessed significant progress in rail infrastructure, including the laying of new tracks and construction of new stations. This, he said, has enabled the launch of the direct daily service. Kishan Reddy emphasised that Telangana has seen unprecedented infrastructure development in recent years. 'Forty railway stations in Telangana are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Of these, the Prime Minister recently inaugurated the upgraded stations at Begumpet, Warangal, and Karimnagar,' he said. He also noted that the state's entire rail network has now been electrified. The event was attended by South Central Railway (SCR) General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, BJP Telangana president N. Ramachander Rao, and other dignitaries. Earlier in the day, Vaishnaw met with officials to discuss strategies for doubling the capacity of railway operations in the Hyderabad region. Along with Kishan Reddy, he reviewed plans to further enhance rail infrastructure and connectivity across Telangana. Highlighting Hyderabad as a focal point for railway development, Vaishnaw instructed the SCR general manager to increase the number of trains operating in the city from 600 to 1,200 per day. 'With the ongoing redevelopment of Secunderabad railway station, officials have been directed to plan a multi-hub model, where several stations across the city will serve as regional connectors—linking the east, west, north, and south,' he added.


News18
4 hours ago
- Business
- News18
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Flags off Jodhpur Train At Kacheguda Railway Station In Hyderabad
Last Updated: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and G Kishan Reddy also inspected the 'Railway Manufacturing Unit' at Ayodhyapuram near Kazipet. Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 19 (ANI): Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and on Saturday, flagged off the Jodhpur train at Kacheguda Railway Station in Hyderabad in the presence of Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy. After the event, Kishan Reddy stated that the train, which will run daily from Hyderabad to Jodhpur, was the long-pending demand of the Rajasthan community residing in Hyderabad. He also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, 'This dream has been fulfilled on the orders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and I thank him for it." 'The Rajasthani community living in Hyderabad, Telangana, had been demanding a daily train from Hyderabad to Jodhpur. They had told me several times, the Rajasthan CM and MPs had also requested this, and today all those dreams have come true…Today, a daily train from Hyderabad to Jodhpur has been launched, and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw himself inaugurated it…," he told reporters. Later in the message on X, Reddy recalled that several representations were received from members of the Rajasthani community who have been settled in Hyderabad for years. 'Acting on their long-standing request, the Hon'ble Minister for Railways approved the service swiftly". Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and G Kishan Reddy also inspected the 'Railway Manufacturing Unit' at Ayodhyapuram near Kazipet. After inspecting the unit, Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the efforts of PM Modi. 'It was a big dream of Telangana to have a coach manufacturing unit in Kazipet. PM Modi has made efforts for many years to fulfil this dream. This is a mega factory for manufacturing railway coaches…It is a modern factory. We are using modern technology here. Rs 500 crores have been invested here…We will start the manufacturing process here in 2026. This factory has big potential; coaches, along with engines, can be manufactured here. Metro can also be manufactured here…" About the Author Get the latest updates on car and bike launches in India — including reviews, prices, specs, and performance. Stay informed with breaking auto industry news, EV policies, and more, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:


Time of India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
PIL in SC seeks FIR against Raj, MNS workers for ‘mob violence'
Mumbai: A public interest litigation filed in the seeks registration of an FIR against (MNS) leader and his party workers for indulging in "mob violence" by assaulting people from other states who are unable to speak Marathi and urges that such illegal activities need to be curbed with an iron hand. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It also seeks the derecognition of MNS. "Such activities of Raj Thackeray and his so-called political workers, if not stopped forthwith, will in no time assume the character of complete lawlessness. Resultantly, people will be prone to take the law into their own hands, which would be inconceivable in a civilised society that respects the rule of law," states advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay. Citing the April 16 and 17 GRs that introduced Hindi as a third language in primary schools, Upadhyay in his petition states that Thackeray, "in desperation to occupy some seats" in the forthcoming BMC elections, decided to "encash the opportunity". He has been making "fiery speeches" against Hindi-speaking people from UP, Bihar, MP and Rajasthan who settled in Maharashtra, particularly in Mumbai, Thane and Pune. His speeches "instigate people to come on the street, and something which started as opposing Hindi has led to Marathi being imposed on people who do not speak Marathi or have come from other states". Following withdrawals of the GRs, at a July 5 rally, Thackeray "justified that people who do not speak Marathi should be hit below their eardrums". At his instance, his "goons/political workers" were assaulting and beating up such people and even dismantling/destroying their business establishments/shops, etc. After a Rajasthani businessman from Mira Bhayander was beaten up, Thackeray "publicly proclaimed these are trailers. .." Upadhyay alleges Thackeray's "love for Marathi is seasonal". Upadhyay further states that "Raj Thackeray thinks that by invoking Marathi pride, he and Uddhav Thackeray could do wonders by consolidating Marathi votes" for winning BMC elections. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The love and affection of Raj Thackeray is not for the Marathi language but with an eye on Mumbai municipal corporation elections, and these tantrums are blown out of proportion with an oblique and ulterior motive of gaining advantage" in the elections. Stating that since acts of Thackeray and his party workers constitute cognisable offences, including "endangering the sovereignty, integrity, and unity of India," on July 10, Upadhyay wrote to the PM, home minister, Maharashtra chief minister, Election Commission of India, and State Election Commission to ensure an FIR is forthwith registered and MNS's recognition is withdrawn. "However, no action was taken. .. with the result that people were living under the constant shadow of fear of being assaulted, beaten up, insulted, and humiliated by Raj Thackeray and his political workers." Therefore, he said, he approached the SC.


Time of India
18 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Janpath: A people's path now forgotten
If somebody writes an epitaph to Sangita, it should be headlined 'Happy Soul'. Nothing fazes her. No challenge is too big. A fan of James Bond's 'never say die' spirit, just like him she thrives on adrenalin rush as she fields every curveball life throws her way. Sangita is a person with multiple disabilities. A patient of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Sangita is a wheelchair user and hearing aids user. For the past 10 years, she has been whizzing past life in a wheelchair, notching professional milestones. She believes nothing is insurmountable, certainly not limitations imposed by disabilities. Sangita has three decades of experience in the media, content and communications industry across verticals and industries. She has been associated with the development and disability sector and featured in the first Directory of Development Journalists in India published by the PII. She has also functioned as a media representative of the Rehabilitation Council of India and has conducted various S&A programmes for bureaucrats. Sangita is the founder of Ashtavakra Accessibility Solutions Private Limited, a social enterprise dedicated to the inclusion of the disabled. LESS ... MORE The history of Janpath is older than you or me. Older than modern Delhi itself, in some ways. Once the beating heart of Lutyens' Delhi, Janpath was more than a road—it was a rhythm. A pulsating, living artery of craft, culture, and commerce that brought together locals, domestic tourists, international backpackers, and curious drifters, all drawn to its kinetic charm. If Delhi was a body, Janpath was the nerve that lit it up. The name Janpath—literally, The People's Path—wasn't just poetic branding. It was an ethos. In a city known for high walls, power corridors, and social silos, Janpath was democratic. You could be a diplomat's daughter or a first-time traveller with a shoestring budget, and you'd still end up sipping cold coffee from Depaul's and buying a pair of handmade earrings from a Rajasthani vendor who'd swear they were silver. Everyone bargained. Everyone lingered. Everyone returned. Before it became Janpath, the road was part of Queen's Way during the British Raj, constructed as a ceremonial boulevard alongside the grand Central Vista. But while Rajpath (now Kartavya Path) stayed tethered to officialdom, its sister street—Janpath—broke free. It became the people's republic of small pleasures. Each kiosk on Janpath was a time capsule of regional identity. Gujarat sent its mirrorwork. Kashmir sent its pashmina. Nagaland sent beads and cane. Rajasthan sent block prints. West Bengal sent terracotta. Everything that you'd otherwise need to travel the country to collect—Janpath brought it all to one crowded street. It was India's pop-up museum of the handmade, the homespun, the street-smart. My association with Delhi—and with Janpath—is older than I am. My parents lived in Delhi in the '60s, and we returned each year during the school holidays. Some of my earliest memories involve the scent of sandalwood wafting through the stalls, the gleam of copper bells, the feel of cotton kurtis hanging loosely on metal rods, and the sound of languages—so many languages—mingling in the air. Later, as a student at Delhi University, Janpath became a ritual. A midweek escape. A happy place. We'd hop on a bus with 20 rupees in our pockets and the whole day ahead. Wandering. Laughing. Browsing. Then ending the day with a snack from a nondescript joint or a creamy cold coffee from Depaul's, which, like Janpath itself, seemed to never change. Years later, as Managing Editor of India Now, the India Brand Equity Foundation's flagship publication, I had the chance to walk those lanes again—but this time professionally. I was reporting a feature story on legacy markets of Delhi and their role in India's cultural soft power. Naturally, Janpath was on the list. I retraced my steps through the market, unearthing generational tales from each store. It was a walk down memory lane—with a journalist's notepad in hand. Stories of a grandfather or great-grandfather setting up shop when the market came up, of ministers' wives and international dignitaries in search of 'authentic India', and of tourists from across the world came pouring out. It took me several visits to Janpath to piece their stories. I remember scribbling notes furiously while sipping Depaul's iconic coffee and thinking: this place deserves to be on the world map. But something had already started to slip even then. The store owners also spoke of declining footsteps and revenue. Then came the silence. Not the silence of nostalgia, but of absence. My sojourns to Janpath ended abruptly when I became a wheelchair user. A broken footpath, a single step, a crowded walkway—these small obstacles become walls when you move on wheels. Inaccessibility crept in like a slow disease. Not because Janpath had changed all at once, but because the city hadn't cared to change with me. Delhi has always had a complicated relationship with accessibility—beautiful on the surface, brutal beneath it. And yet, my love endured. Like many things in life, it became long-distance. I'd drive by Janpath just to feel close. I'd leave the engine running while my driver dashed into Depaul's for my regular. I'd sit parked illegally, scanning for traffic cops, heart swelling with the familiar noise and scent of that place. A fragment of a former routine—but one that kept the memory alive. Because Janpath was still alive. Until it wasn't. I visited recently. I wheeled in with hope—and yes, I ended up shopping. I found those handcrafted juttis you never find online. I haggled over oxidized jewellery. I tried on funky trendy and dirt cheap shades at the same stall I'd known all my life. It was a hot, muggy day, but the joy was real. And I still ended the visit with a cold coffee, thick with nostalgia and slightly over-sweet. But something had shifted. The iconic bookstore in Janpath's cul-de-sac corner–now a closed chapter. Several stalls—gone. Whole sections—dusty, dirty and dead. Piles of garbage waiting forlornly. Janpath now wears decay like a borrowed coat. The grit that once gave it character now just feels like neglect. What was once a wild, colourful jungle of creativity now feels like a museum no one curates. A place caught between its legacy and its future, waiting for someone to care. A makeover is no longer a matter of taste—it's a matter of survival. Because cities have short memories, and public spaces don't preserve themselves. Once lost, Janpath won't come back in the same form. And if we're not careful, we'll wake up one day to find it replaced by some sanitised arcade that sells nothing handmade, tells no stories, and caters to no one except global brands and real estate profits. And accessibility? Perish the thought. Someone has attempted a tactile path—but it's as if the contractor installed it with their eyes closed. It winds awkwardly through the market—starting nowhere, ending nowhere. It loops awkwardly around obstacles, and ends in a dead end – a closed door literally. A tragicomic token gesture, more insult than inclusion. It's not just about wheelchair access; it's about dignity. About making sure everyone can participate in the city's pleasures. We can wait a little longer for Sugamya Bharat. But can we at least get a Swachh Bharat in the meantime? Clean streets. Working drains. Thoughtful footpaths. Basic respect. Janpath was never about perfection. It was about possibility. About bumping into strangers, discovering something unexpected, and walking away with more than you bargained for. It was—and still can be—a space where culture is lived, not just displayed. Today, it stands on the edge. Beloved Janpath, I rue your ruin. But I haven't given up on you yet. You gave us so much—memories, music, mayhem, and meaning. You were our informal embassy of Indian identity. A market of the people. A street of stories. Thank you—for a happy day. For many happy days. Nostalgia works like dopamine. But preservation works like love. Let's show Janpath some. Before it's too late. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.


The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Three held in Bowenpally for trafficking opium from Rajasthan to Hyderabad
Three interstate drug peddlers were apprehended by the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) on Friday for smuggling opium from Rajasthan to Hyderabad. Officials seized 3.25 kg of the contraband, two vehicles and four mobile phones from their possession during a raid in Bowenpally. The accused were identified as Savlaram Bishnoi, 43, Hapuram Bishnoi, 38, and Lalaram Bishnoi, 41, all natives of the Jalore district in Rajasthan. 'The prime accused, Savlaram, has reportedly been running the racket with his brother for over a decade, targeting members of the Rajasthani community settled in Hyderabad by pushing false claims that opium boosts strength, vitality, and sexual health,' explained an officer from EAGLE. According to him, a tip-off received over 45 days ago led to an intensive technical surveillance effort, which eventually tracked a consignment leaving Bhinmal in Rajasthan in an SUV. Officials later identified another SUV being used as a pilot vehicle. On July 18, both vehicles were intercepted in Bowenpally, where the accused were waiting to deliver the drugs to local customers. 'Opium abuse has led many into addiction, poor health, and financial ruin. This gang exploits migrants from their home region with pseudo-medicinal claims to sell addictive substances,' explained the officer. The investigation revealed that Savlaram had previously worked as a welder in Hyderabad and began drug peddling when his agricultural income proved insufficient. His brother Gangaram was arrested in 2019 by the Bowenpally police in a similar case. Since then, he has been helping Savlaram operate from Rajasthan. Hapuram, a relative, had joined the operation recently after being promised a commission. Lalaram, who runs a welding shop in Adilabad, has been helping in storage and logistics. EAGLE said the gang earned up to ₹4 lakh per kg of opium sold. The seized consignment, worth around ₹17 lakh, had been handed over to the authorities for further action.