Mumbai: Western Railway is resorting to drones to avoid disruption of local train operations during monsoon. Through these drones, Western Railway is monitoring the drains in and around the tracks, so that if there is any chance of water filling during the rains, then it is removed as soon as possible to prevent it from going on the tracks.

In the drone video, it can be seen how the drains between the Western Railway tracks are being monitored. The drain is clearly visible in this video and the water continues to flow out of the same path. The Western Railway is monitoring the Borivali and Virar sections similarly through drone cameras, as these two sections are prone to flooding during the rains. To monitor the drains through drones, Western Railway has set up two teams that have been formed, which keep a constant watch.

The drone being kept by the Western Railway over the drains also seems to be beneficial. If there is a choke-up somewhere with drone monitoring, then it is cleaned immediately. The drains of the areas around the railway premises come under the BMC, so if there is some problem, BMC takes immediate action with the help of the railways. Not only this, but people are also unwilling to throw garbage in the railway premises due to the fear of being captured in the drone camera.

Officials explained that the ARGs will notify them of heavy rain while also giving a warning of potential waterlogging on railway tracks. Sumit Thakur, Chief Public Relations Officer at WR said, “Through this system, we will be able to monitor rainfall measurement without human intervention, online and on a real-time basis as machines will transmit data directly to our control room. We will take action immediately if any problem occurs and by collaborating with the authorities of these areas, required help and action will be put in place.”

As for preparedness measures, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has trained the Quick Reaction Team (QRT) and the Flood Rescue Team (FRT) of the Railway Protection Force (RPF). Officials said that five mechanised rescue boats have been deployed with strategic positioning bracing for any scenario.

As a result of this, even when the traffic on Central Railway and roads came to a standstill last week due to torrential rains, trains were running normally on Western Railway. Central Railway is also preparing to introduce heavy-duty water pumps starting June 2021 to allow quick draining of stormwater and consequently ensure the uninterrupted functioning of railway services.

In fact, during the monsoon for the last 3 years, the Borivali and Virar sections of Western Railway used to get waterlogged on the tracks due to a few minutes of rain, which directly affected the local and it came to a standstill. Learning a lesson from this, Western Railway is trying to take every step this year, so that the operation of local trains remains on track.

There has been an incessant stir in the politics of Bihar for the last few days. The battle for supremacy is going on in Lok Janshakti Party at this time. The factions of Pashupati Paras and Chirag Paswan are face to face. Amidst all the controversies, Pashupati Paras has been elected as the new president of the party on Thursday.

This decision was taken in the meeting of the party’s national executive led by Pashupati Paras in Patna on Thursday. Four MPs of the Pashupati Paras faction Mehboob Ali Kaiser, Veena Devi, Chandan Singh and Prince Raj were also present in this meeting.

After being recognised as the party’s leader in Loksabha, Paras and his group on Tuesday removed Chirag as party president in an ‘emergency meeting’ held at Paras’s residence in Delhi. They cited the “One Man, One Post” principle for the removal of Chirag. Nevertheless, on the contrary, Paras has taken over two posts—he is now a Loksabha leader and as well as the party’s president.

Paras is expected to meet Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in a courtesy call. Chirag Paswan has accused Nitish’s party JD(U) on Wednesday for facilitating the split in his party.

In Patna, this meeting took place at the residence of Lok Janshakti Party’s working national president Suraj Bhan Singh. Suraj Bhan was given the responsibility of conducting the election of the party’s president.

Pashupati Paras had reached Patna only on Wednesday, on Thursday he was nominated for the post of president. When no other leader protested, he was elected the new national president of the party. Earlier, he was also elected the leader of the parliamentary party.

On the other hand, Chirag Paswan has also declared his trusted Raju Tiwari as the new president of Bihar State LJP, claiming to be the national president of Lok Janshakti Party. Both the Pashupati Paras faction and Chirag Paswan have staked a claim on the LJP, and in such a situation, it is considered certain to go to the Election Commission or the court.

It is not clear when and how the war between uncle and nephew will end. But Pashupati Paras has clearly said that now his return is difficult. Lok Janshakti Party Parliamentary Party leader Pashupati Paras has said that there is no question of going back on the path which he has now walked.

Five MPs, including Pashupati Paras have taken a different stand. Pashupati Paras has been elected as the leader of the parliamentary party on behalf of the five, which has been approved by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

However, Chirag Paswan made it clear in the press conference the previous day that only the president of the party can choose the leader of the parliamentary party. So all the decisions are wrong. Chirag Paswan says that earlier he wanted to settle the fight at home, but now he is also ready to fight a legal battle.

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday once again sent a file of the doorstep ration delivery scheme to the office of Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal, two weeks after its implementation was stalled by the Centre.

Kejriwal informed the LG that all objections raised by the Centre have been rectified, and asked why the scheme was being stopped, even though the High Court has not put a stay on it. The scheme was scheduled to launch on June 7. In a press conference on June 6, Kejriwal had hit out at the Centre for stopping the scheme. ANI

While countries like Japan deciding to issue “vaccine passports” as proof of immunisation for its citizens travelling abroad, India on Thursday said that it will favour discussion with a greater focus on vaccine equity, since many developing nations are yet to inoculate a large per cent of their population.

“As you are aware, there is an ongoing global debate on this issue of so-called vaccine passports. We feel that this has to be linked to the larger issue of vaccine equity given that many developing countries have not yet been able to vaccinate a large per cent of their population,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, adding: “We would favour discussions on the subject of vaccine passports with greater focus on vaccine equity.”

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had during a G7 plus ministerial session earlier this month conveyed India’s strong opposition to the idea of a ‘vaccine passport’.

There’s a growing uproar over allegations of scam in the purchase of land by Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra in Ayodhya. On Thursday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh once again made serious allegations against the trust and demanded a thorough inquiry. Singh, armed with a few new documents, reiterated that the trust—by paying Rs 18.5 crore—bought the land a higher price.

Singh alleged that at the price the trust bought 12,080 square metres of land, 26,000 square metres of land could actually have been purchased.

“The rate of the adjacent land is Rs 8 crore. This land is next to the one bought by the trust for Rs 18.5 crore,” said the AAP leader.

“The land which was bought for Rs 8 crore is 10,370 square metres and the one bought for Rs 18.5 crore is 12,080 square metres. Is this corruption or not? At least 26,000 square metres of land could be bought at this rate, but only 12,080 square metres were purchased.”

The AAP Rajya Sabha MP made another big allegation when he said that with the money received in the deal, another land was bought.

“On 7 June, BJP Mayor Hrishikesh Upadhyay’s nephew, Deep Narayan Upadhyay, bought a land worth Rs 1 crore 90 lakh. His income should be probed. How did he buy land for Rs 1.90 crore when he has no source of income?”

A Special NIA court on Thursday sent former “encounter specialist” police officer and Shiv Sena leader Pradeep Sharma and two others to NIA custody till 28 June, in connection with the Antilia bomb scare case and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran. After initiating a search operation, the NIA on Thursday arrested ex-encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma from Lonavla. Sharma, who has done more than 100 encounters, was on the radar of the NIA since long and was questioned twice earlier in the past two months by NIA officials in connection with the case.

It was in the early wee hours on Thursday that the NIA, with CRPF jawans, searched Sharma’s house in Andheri (east) area in Mumbai. During the raid, which lasted for almost four hours between 6.45am and 10.45am, NIA officials seized a printer, a computer, some incriminating documents and a laptop from Pradeep Sharma’s residence. As many as seven to eight personnel from the agency, including superintendent of police Vikram Khalate, were present during the raid. After a few hours of questioning based on statements and technical evidence against Sharma, the NIA placed him under arrest and he was produced in front of the NIA special court. Two more people—Satish alias Tanni bhai alias Vicky Baba, and Manish Soni—have been arrested from Malad in connection with the case. The trio was later produced before a special court that sent them to NIA custody till 28 June.

Sharma was arrested after possible links between him and an individual named Santosh Shelar, who was arrested this week, was established. With Santosh, other person named Anand Jadhav was also arrested and both have been sent to NIA custody till 21 June. There are photographs of Sharma and Shelar together, but these have been dismissed by Sharma claiming Santosh Shelar was a police informant. Sharma also said there are photographs of him with thousands of other people, indicating that pictures with Shelar don’t mean anything. The NIA has said that both the men were involved in the plot to plant the explosives-laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in South Mumbai. As per police sources, during their custodial interrogation, Shelar and Jadhav revealed details of Sharma’s involvement in the case. During his interrogation, Shelar has taken the name of two associates, along with Pradeep Sharma. The two associates are linked to the Lakhan Bhaiyya case.

Reacting to this development BJP leader Nitesh Rane tweeted, “How come every one who r either gettin arrested or investigated in the Antilia n Hiren murder case are directly or indirectly related to Shiv Sena? Can’t be a coincidence!! And we still wondering who their godfather is??!! It’s Uddhav Thackeray.”