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Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Chilly and rainy August in Bengaluru leaves residents savouring the cosy weather
On August 18, Bengaluru experienced cooler-than-usual weather across its major weather stations, data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicated. Residents said on social media that they are bundled up in sweaters and socks amid chilly weather in Bengaluru. (Sant Arora/HT/Representative image) At Bengaluru HAL Airport, the maximum temperature was 24.6 degrees Celsius, which is 3.8 degrees Celsius below normal, while the minimum stood at 18.9 degrees Celsius, 0.7 degrees Celsius below average. ALSO READ | Bengaluru cylinder blast: Mother and daughter succumb to injuries, death toll rises to 3 Similarly, Bengaluru International Airport recorded a maximum of 24.6 degrees Celsius, also 3.8 degrees Celsius below normal, and a minimum of 20.4 degrees Celsius, slightly 0.3 degrees Celsius above the seasonal norm. Meanwhile, Bengaluru City saw a maximum of 24.4 degrees Celsius, again 3.8 degrees Celsius lower than usual, with a minimum of 19.5 degrees Celsius, 0.6 degrees Celsius below normal. ALSO READ | More than 100 Karnataka shepherds protest at Bengaluru's Freedom Park. Here is why Many residents also echoed the same and shared cosy vibes on social media. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya spoke on the perks of Bengaluru weather while he was on a visit to Delhi, replying to a resident's post about how unusually cold it felt despite the temperature being around 21 degrees Celsius. 'Let's be grateful that our city has this great weather. It's punishing hot here in Delhi, despite rain in the night yesterday,' he wrote. 'Peak Bengaluru weather after many years - several months of cool temperatures now, overcast skies, an ever present hint of a rainfall,' another resident posted on X. 'It is sooo cold in Bengaluru for weeks now if not months. Literally wearing socks & sweater all day & night. Bhaisaab. There was no summer here this time. It's like we jumped from winter to a week of bit sunny weather & boom! Back to winters,' one more said. ALSO READ | Bengaluru couple beaten with cricket bat after child touches neighbour's cattle feed: Report 'chilly, cold n wintery weather here in bengaluru,' read another post. Another social media user wrote: 'Chilling vibes in Bengaluru today! 21°C and cloudy – perfect weather for a cozy night in or a hot coffee stroll.' However, not everyone was pleased with the chilly rainy weather. 'Really fed up with this weather in #Bengaluru , it's raining every day since beginning of the month with no or less sun shine and drop in temperature. Any update when can we get to see bright blue sky with plenty of sunshine,' a resident shared.
Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Chaos express: At Chandigarh railway station, traffic, crowd control a train wreck
On a sweltering June afternoon, 63-year-old Kanwaljeet Singh tightly gripped his wife's hand as the couple made their way to the Chandigarh railway station. Their auto-rickshaw had dropped them nearly 100 metres away from the entrance to avoid paying the pick-and-drop charges. Panting and puffing, the elderly couple barely made it on time to catch their train to Amritsar. In the absence of personnel to control the traffic movement, and the pick-and-drop charges due to which auto and cab drivers avoid driving up till the entrance, passengers have a harrowing time at the Chandigarh railway station. (Sant Arora/HT) They were not alone. Another young family, with small children and three huge bags, also found themselves jostling the crowd, navigating the crumbling pavement and braving through the honking traffic. The pick-and-drop charges were introduced after the contract of traffic maintenance was awarded to a private operator in 2024. For personal vehicles, the initial 10 minutes are free, followed by ₹ 50 for over 10 minutes and ₹ 100 for over 30 minutes. Commercial vehicles have to shell out ₹ 30 even for a brief drop. To avoid paying it, commercial vehicle operators refuse to take passengers up to the entrance. 'We are given a slip at the entrance and have to pay at exit but the whole system is so poorly managed that it only increases the traffic chaos,' said Babu Khan, an auto driver who operates near the station. Even the few vehicles that go inside are allowed only up till a certain point, unlike VIP vehicles that are allowed right up to the entrance. 'But the question is why do passengers have to pay extra for minimal things like pick and drop,' asked Kanwaljit. Basic infrastructure missing It's been two years since the ambitious ₹ 511.12 crore redevelopment project, under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, to turn Chandigarh Railway Station into a world-class facility started. But the station still lacks basic facilities such as escalators, fans and water coolers. Ram Lal Chhangaji, 55, a passenger from Bikaner, Rajasthan, said, 'I have a knee injury due to which I have difficulty in walking. The absence of wheelchairs, ramps and lifts make it difficult for people like me. Is this what a world-class facility looks like?' Currently, the station sees the movement of 82 trains and over 37,000 passengers on a daily basis across its six platforms. Alarmingly, even during peak rush hours, when Vande Bharat and other trains arrive and depart, there are barely any personnel to manage the swelling crowd. When contacted, senior divisional commercial manager Naveen said, 'People pay for parking at the airport as well. So why not at the railway station? For dropping passengers within 10 minutes there are no charges. For the redevelopment work, we are taking all the safety and precautionary measures and we expect it to be complete by October, 2025.'
