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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Patwari writes to Gadkari seeking repair, probe into NH-3 crumbling stretch
Bhopal: Congress state president Jitu Patwari on Tuesday wrote to Union road transport and highways minister seeking immediate repair of the Ganesh Ghat section of the busy Agra-Mumbai National Highway (NH-3). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "I would like to draw your attention to the extremely worrying and dilapidated condition of the realignment portion of Ganesh Ghat located on Indore-Khalghat section of Agra-Mumbai National Highway (NH-3) in Madhya Pradesh," Patwari wrote in a letter. "The construction work of this section was completed in Nov 2024 at a cost of Rs 109 crore. Its length is 8.8 km and width is 10.3 meters and now it has been completely damaged after just 6 inches of rain. Hundreds of deep potholes have formed on it, many of which are so big that an entire car can fit into it," he wrote. Patwari said it was unfortunate that a reputed institution like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is contending that "potholes will definitely be there after the first rain". "This argument looks even more ridiculous when, after a deadly traffic jam in Indore some time back, NHAI had told in a court, why do people even leave their homes? This shows what their priority is regarding the safety and convenience of the people," Patwari argued. He further said bus and truck drivers travelling on this dilapidated section of Ganesh Ghat have reported that due to the potholes, the vehicles ahead have to suddenly apply brakes, which poses a serious risk of accidents. "At some places, even the patchwork material has completely disintegrated, which has further increased the risk of two-wheeler riders slipping. It is necessary to mention that there is one-way traffic of 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles on this new alignment every day, and due to these potholes, vehicles are taking an additional 30 to 45 minutes to cross this 8.8 km section," the Congress leader said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The construction company has to maintain the road for five years, but the quality of the patchwork done under maintenance is also under question. This clearly appears to be a major case of corruption where crores of public money have been wasted on poor quality construction," he said. Patwari asked for an immediate high-level enquiry into the corruption in this stretch of National Highway and initiation of strict action against the culprits. He also asked the Union minister to ensure immediate and quality repairs so that serious accidents can be prevented and inconvenience to lakhs of commuters is eliminated. Bhopal: Congress state president Jitu Patwari on Tuesday wrote to Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari seeking immediate repair of the Ganesh Ghat section of the busy Agra-Mumbai National Highway (NH-3). "I would like to draw your attention to the extremely worrying and dilapidated condition of the realignment portion of Ganesh Ghat located on Indore-Khalghat section of Agra-Mumbai National Highway (NH-3) in Madhya Pradesh," Patwari wrote in a letter. "The construction work of this section was completed in Nov 2024 at a cost of Rs 109 crore. Its length is 8.8 km and width is 10.3 meters and now it has been completely damaged after just 6 inches of rain. Hundreds of deep potholes have formed on it, many of which are so big that an entire car can fit into it," he wrote. Patwari said it was unfortunate that a reputed institution like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is contending that "potholes will definitely be there after the first rain". "This argument looks even more ridiculous when, after a deadly traffic jam in Indore some time back, NHAI had told in a court, why do people even leave their homes? This shows what their priority is regarding the safety and convenience of the people," Patwari argued. He further said bus and truck drivers travelling on this dilapidated section of Ganesh Ghat have reported that due to the potholes, the vehicles ahead have to suddenly apply brakes, which poses a serious risk of accidents. "At some places, even the patchwork material has completely disintegrated, which has further increased the risk of two-wheeler riders slipping. It is necessary to mention that there is one-way traffic of 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles on this new alignment every day, and due to these potholes, vehicles are taking an additional 30 to 45 minutes to cross this 8.8 km section," the Congress leader said. "The construction company has to maintain the road for five years, but the quality of the patchwork done under maintenance is also under question. This clearly appears to be a major case of corruption where crores of public money have been wasted on poor quality construction," he said. Patwari asked for an immediate high-level enquiry into the corruption in this stretch of National Highway and initiation of strict action against the culprits. He also asked the Union minister to ensure immediate and quality repairs so that serious accidents can be prevented and inconvenience to lakhs of commuters is eliminated.
Canada News.Net
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
League-leading Union set to take on last-place CF Montreal
(Photo credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images) It's a battle of first versus worst when the Philadelphia Union host CF Montreal on Wednesday in Chester, Pa. The Union (13-5-4, 43 points) head into the midweek matchup with the best record in MLS, moving atop the standings with a 2-0 win against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak, both losses coming on the road. 'Really happy with the result,' Philadelphia coach Bradley Carnell said after the match. 'I think it was a good bounce-back from the last couple of games, where we didn't quite show our true selves. 'We wanted to be a little more expressive, a little more of who we are and what we are. I think you saw that in abundance (Saturday). I'm really proud of the boys for their application and the way they went about their business.' Philadelphia has the second-best home record in the Eastern Conference at 7-1-3, with its 24 points earned as the hosts trailing only the Columbus Crew. Its lone loss on its own pitch came March 16 against Nashville -- the Union's second home match of the season. Homegrown midfielder Quinn Sullivan earned his team-leading eighth assist of the season on Bruno Damiani's insurance goal in the win against the Red Bulls. Just past the midpoint of the season, the 21-year-old is only three assists shy of matching his career high of 11 set last season. 'He does so much work for us off the ball, for him to get rewarded, I think it's just deserved,' Carnell said. The Union have been the stingiest team in MLS, conceding a league-low 21 goals. That will be a tough challenge for a Montreal squad that has struggled to score all season long. The Canadian side (3-13-6, 15 points) has managed just 19 goals through 22 matches, with nine of those coming from Prince Owusu. The German striker helped Montreal earn a 1-1 draw in its last outing, converting a penalty in the 83rd minute against Orlando City on Saturday. He's been on a roll over the past month, scoring five goals in his past five regular-season matches. 'We're creating more scoring chances lately, and I'm benefiting from that,' Owusu said. 'I know my role, and I'm very confident.' Though tied for last place in the overall standings, Montreal is 2-2-1 in its past five matches and will be looking to earn points in consecutive matches for only the second time this season. They last did so in mid-May, following up their first win of the season with a draw. Two of Montreal's three wins on the season have come on the road (2-7-3).
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
How Delhi Plans To Plug Water Leaks
New Delhi: With more than half of Delhi's water supply remaining unaccounted for, the govt has engaged a consultant to address the problem and significantly reduce the water loss rate, chief minister Rekha Gupta told Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday. Officials reported that a staggering 58% of water was wasted in transmission in the city, much higher than the national average of around 20%. In a meeting with Shah, Gupta said the consultant would not only identify the reasons behind such a high rate of water leakage but also suggest measures to strengthen the distribution network and improve infrastructure. This will ensure that the number of domestic water connections increases and the supply of potable water reaches every household through taps. According to Delhi Jal Board 's data, Delhi has a 15,600-kilometre water supply network, catering to 21.5 million consumers after treatment at nine treatment plants. A large amount of water is wasted due to 2,800km of the network being older than three decades. The network covers around 93.5% of the city, but the number of connections currently stands at only 2.9 million. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi The chief minister informed Shah that the consultant would study DJB's three previous reports on reducing non-revenue water, prepared in 2003, 2011 and 2021, and come up with a strategy to strengthen the distribution network and draft consolidated schemes to increase water connections and improve the billing system. She added that a pilot to strengthen the distribution network had already started in northeast Delhi. Gupta added that DJB had also sought the help of the central govt to reduce the percentage of non-revenue water and systematically increase the number of connections and evaluate groundwater as a source to augment the supply of potable water. She said at least three meetings were held with the Union housing and urban affairs ministry and Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation for this purpose. Sources said Delhi govt had also decided to engage a project management unit for effective monitoring of various big-ticket projects to augment water and sewage treatment capacity. A request for proposal to engage a project management unit is likely to be floated within a few weeks, Gupta informed Shah. DJB has also started a drive to fill up a large number of posts of engineers and officers, the home minister was informed. While the process to engage junior engineers through Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineers has started, retired engineers will also be hired on a contractual basis for senior positions, CM said. DJB has engaged National Productivity Council for the restructuring of its manpower. Gupta said sewage treatment plants were upgraded in Rohini, Narela, Coronation Pillar and Keshopur phases II and III and the govt made necessary changes to ensure the upgradation of the Chandrawal and Waziarabad plants. The Chandrawal WTP was stuck due to non-felling of trees.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu defends Hindi in schools, says P.V. Narasimha Rao, a scholar in 17 languages, is an example
Amid the ongoing row over alleged imposition of Hindi in schools through the National Education Policy (NEP), Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has defended the Union government's proposal, saying that the former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, has become a famed scholar by learning 17 languages. 'P.V. Narasimha Rao was a scholar, fluent in 17 language. Now, we are talking why should we learn Hindi. Narasimha Rao had become a great man as he not only learnt Hindi but other languages too,' Mr. Naidu said while delivering the sixth of the PMs' lecture series on the topic, 'The life and legacy of P.V. Narasimha Rao', at the Prime Ministers' Museum and Library, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan and HRD Minister N. Lokesh had already unequivocally supported promoting Hindi as a language. Mr. Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party and Mr. Naidu-led TDP are partners in the NDA from South India. Recalling Narasimha Rao's contribution in nation-building, Mr. Naidu, 'I had a very good equation with him and knew him very well. The Telugu community is proud of him. He was a true 'Telugu Bidda' who had reshaped the destiny of our great nation,' Mr. Naidu observed. Speaking about the pre-1991 economic scenario, Mr. Naidu outlined how the country had been shackled under the 'License Raj', with growth stagnating at 3-4%. By 1991, India was saddled in an unprecedented economic crisis, and foreign reserves dropped dangerously low, he said. Comparing Narasimha Rao's strategic courage to that of Deng Xiaoping of China, who initiated China's reforms in 1978, Mr. Naidu said the former Prime Minister had recognised crisis as an opportunity and launched the historic 1991 economic reforms, decisively transforming India's future. 'We are all here today enjoying the fruits of the reforms he initiated,' Mr. Naidu asserted. Praising the political acumen of Narasimha Rao, the Chief Minister said, despite leading a minority government, he had achieved the near-impossible by forging consensus among Socialists, Communists, and Capitalists alike. Narasimha Rao had played a key role in ending the License Raj and welcoming foreign investment, and setting the stage for India's IT revolution in the mid-1990s. 'Thanks to his reforms, India overcame its balance of payments crisis, opened up its economy, and set the stage for future growth,' Mr. Naidu said. He credited Narasimha Rao with the IT boom that was witnessed after the economic liberalisation. The Chief Minister also recalled his association with the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, recognising his vision in building India's infrastructure and telecom backbone. Further, Mr. Naidu described 2014 as a turning point, and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with ushering in a new era of bold, decisive leadership. 'Under Mr. Modi's stewardship, India rose from the 11th to the 4th largest economy, with a clear trajectory to become the 3rd largest by 2028,' Mr. Naidu emphasised. 'Mr. Modi is as a leader who instills national pride, global respect, and strong foreign relations,' he said. Drawing comparisons to other economies, he remarked that 'the goal is not just to grow fast, but to grow fairly, where every citizen, every region, and every sector shares fruits of progress, rightly called Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.' He also noted that according to the World Bank, India was among the top four most income-equal countries, lifting over 17.1 crore Indians out of poverty in the last decade. 'Public policy must serve the people. For it to work effectively, we need stable governments and visionary leaders,' Mr. Naidu asserted. He highlighted India's global recognition in space, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and the rise of Indian billionaires as symbols of this transformation. Later, Mr. Naidu took questions from the audience during which he elaborated his vision for Andhra Pradesh, particularly in the technology sector. He said that the Quantum Valley initiative was in line with the National Quantum Mission, aiming to create India's answer to Silicon Valley. He highlighted curriculum reforms, youth leadership in his party, and a conscious effort to bring young, educated MLAs into governance. On agriculture, he said, 'We must handhold agriculture as our traditional occupations evolve.' On equitable wealth distribution, he emphasised the need to align the aspirations of farmers with broader policy reforms. Mr. Naidu added, 'I am 100% confident that by 2047, India will be the No. 1 country in the world. When we celebrate 100 years of Independence, Indians will lead the world.' The Chief Minister felicitated the former Prime Minister's son, P.V. Prabhakar Rao, and grandson N.V. Subhash on the occasion.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Government to crack down on unapproved biostimulants' sale
NEW DELHI: Raising questions over sale of certain biostimulants whose efficacy is not proven by proper data, Union agriculture minister Tuesday pulled up officials and asked whether his ministry and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are truly serving the interests of farmers or merely helping private companies. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now His strong remarks came during a review meeting on the unregulated sale of biostimulants, where he said government will not allow the sale of such products without scientific approval, with strict action being taken against unauthorised manufacturers. Biostimulants are applied to seeds, plants or soil by farmers to stimulate natural plant growth, though use of many such formulations (substances or microorganisms, such as beneficial bacteria, fungi, and plant extracts) is not backed by verified field trial data under the existing regulatory mechanism. Government currently regulates biostimulants through the amended Fertiliser (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) Control Order, 1985. Questioning the efficacy, regulation, and oversight of biostimulants being sold to farmers in many states, Chouhan directed that such products must undergo scientific evaluation by ICAR to assess their utility and said only those products will be approved that pass all parameters of efficacy. Asking officials to prepare a standard of procedure (SOP) for strict regulations, he said, "Permission will now be given only after scientific approval and the entire responsibility for this will lie on the officials. " The minister's directives came in response to several complaints that he received during his ground visits to many states during a fortnight-long campaign - 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' - in May-June. "After hearing the grievances of innocent farmers, I cannot sit idle. As the agriculture minister, it is my duty to act," he said.
