Kolkata witnesses the last days of a non-polluting and once-efficient mode of transport, while trams make a comeback in cities around the world. Sayantan Bera reports.
'After the NRC in Assam, things have changed for Muslims in India.'
Taxi union leader A L Quadros has an arrogant smile on his face, as the much-touted meter jam agitation turned out to be a damp squib according to him.
Soon, she says, she will repay the Rs 50,000 she owes her debtors and start life afresh. "Without my husband."
10 central trade unions have called a nationwide shutdown against 'anti-worker policies' of the central government. Apart from being successful in Bengal, Kerala and NE states, the bandh has also got support from Cong leader Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
Pappu Qureshi, a good samaritan in Mumbai, helps feed more than 50 migrants, mostly daily wagers and their children, but with the 21-day national lockdown looming large, time is running out.
The company will launch the autos in Hyderabad within three months.
This means the already-minuscule sale of retrofitted CNG variants of Aveo, Logan, Accent, Santro, Corolla Altis and Innova is set to take a hit.
You will now have to pay more for electricity, piped cooking gas, and taxi, autorickshaw and bus fares because of the hike in gas prices.
Stray incidents of violence were reported from some parts of the state as the day-long general strike called by an umbrella organisation of pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam parties began on Wednesday morning. Incidents of stone pelting on state-owned buses were reported from some districts, police said, adding that no one was injured in the incidents. Normal life remained unaffected in the state capital where public transport services operated normally.
Heeraben Modi, who had to use the help of a wheel chair and other people to reach the bank, exchanged Rs 4,500.
Death pursued this Rohingya family as they fled the violence in Myanmar.
Here's a recap of events that occurred in India in the past 24 hours.
The bandh call given by a Hindu outfit to protest the attack on a Bharatiya Janata Party youth wing leader evoked a mixed response in Mysore on Saturday, even as tension continued in some areas in the wake of clashes sparked by the alleged desecration of a madrasa.
"The state government will soon start with the campaign of phasing out outdated vehicles from the city," Principal Secretary (Transport), Ramnath Jha told PTI. "The transportation department will cancel the registration of such outdated vehicles and these vehicles will not be allowed on the roads," Jha said.
'She keeps asking me about the two women and child she saw before she was buried under the debris.'
The young party sees a stream of volunteers from outside Delhi. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com.
There were instances of 'rasta roko' at various places in rural Maharashtra
Three civilians, an army trooper, and a militant were killed in an ongoing fierce gunbattle between militants and surrounding security forces in Jammu, which is in the throes of a 60-day long violent Amarnath land row agitation. Police said a group of militants came to Bantallab locality in an autorickshaw on Wednesday morning and started firing indiscriminately resulting in the death of three civilians.
There have been other several instances where women have stood up and taken on eve teasers and molesters. Rediff.com lists a few such cases where the victims have fiercely fought back.
While the Nano is priced at Rs 1.12 lakh, Bajaj Auto's RE petrol variant costs about Rs 90,000, while its diesel variant is pegged at Rs 1.2 lakh. Analysts also say Bajaj can drop prices without any problem. "Bajaj Auto has been in the three-wheeler segment for 60 years. Which means their plants are fully depreciated and they can afford to lower the prices, which other manufacturers can't do," says a top executive from a competing three-wheeler brand.
The poor attitude of the rickshaw and taxi drivers is a major reason why Ola and Uber are easily breaking into markets like Mumbai.
In a news series, voters voice their aspirations and concerns ahead of the general elections.
An autorickshaw driver received bullet injury after passengers allegedly fired at him from their country-made pistols following an altercation, the police said on Sunday.
'There are many questions that come to mind as we consider the reality of India and what Indians will be expected to do from the time this lockdown is opened up,' notes Aakar Patel.
BJP general secretary and in-charge of Karnataka's party affairs P Muralidhar Rao alleged that the problem of the Congress was looking at schemes through the prism of religion which is reflected in promising benefits to autorickshaw owners, "who in majority belong to the minority community."
'Mr Kejriwal has played it cool in distancing himself from Delhi's hotspots, adroitly pandering to the BJP's Hindu vote.' 'He neither visited the scene of JNU violence nor has he dropped by at Shaheen Bagh,' notes Sunil Sethi.
At least 20 persons were killed and over 30 injured when a private bus skidded off the road and plunged into a canal at Kestopur in North 24 Parganas on Friday. Two cranes pulled the bus out of the canal. Local people helped the police and fire-brigade in the rescue operations.
The proscribed United Liberation Front of Asom has been triggering blasts in Assam with uniform regularity setting off seven explosive devices, including five in Guwahati this month, killing nine persons and injuring 100 others.
Concerned over continued disappearance of a Jawaharlal Nehru University student for nearly two months, Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the police to "scan" the entire campus, including hostels, classrooms and rooftops, of the varsity by using sniffer dogs.
Over 42,000 BEST employees are participating in the strike called to demand revise pay scale.
The state government ordered closure of all educational institutions, commercial and industrial establishments, state public sector undertakings and state government offices under the Negotiable Instruments Act in view of the bandh.
Prithviraj's new film is like a telly soap. It could have been a good film if it had been well-edited.
In an attempt to instill confidence among the people, the district administration decided to extend the ban on two-wheelers in Tirur taluk till Thursday evening.
Web site plans to come out with trends, sector-specific studies.
MESN has set up a carpooling service called Koolpool.
A 26-year-old British national, who is a dancer and works in Bollywood movies, was allegedly molested by a salesman when she and her two female compatriots, boarded an auto rickshaw in Mumbai's suburban Oshiwara on Monday.
About 15 people have been feared killed in the mishap.
'If we don't get any bus from here, we will start walking home.' 'What else can we do?' 'We don't want to die of hunger here.'
As lakhs of Patels gather for a rally seeking reservations, Ahmedabad has 20,000 cops ready with water cannons, drones, surveillance cameras, bomb disposal squads and quick response teams to maintain law and order, reports Prasanna Zore/ Rediff.com from Ahmedabad.
