Rains disrupt over 100 trains, many stranded

Rains disrupt over 100 trains, many stranded

Three Major Breeches In Railway Tracks

Amrita.Didyala@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad: 21.11.2021

With tanks overflowing and causing breeches in railway tracks at three locations in the South Central Railway (SCR) zone, SCR authorities have cancelled 42 trains, while nearly 70 other services were impacted. The cycloneinduced heavy rainfall in Andhra Pradesh over the last 24 hours and its impact on train movement, left many stranded. Also, there are long delays in running of many trains.

“My family needs to travel from Kacheguda to Jhansi (12707) and Jhansi to Siwan (11123). The gap between trains were 2 hours. The train is delayed by 7 hours and still waiting to board train at Warangal station. Please help. Elderparents and children are in stress,” tweeted Jitendar from the twitter handle @jitenda04646583. “Is Rayalaseema Express from Tirupati to Secunderabad running? We are at the Tirupati station and no one is giving correct information. Kindly inform usplease,” tweeted CVNS Vedavyas from the handle @cvnsvedavyas.

Others had to cancel their travel plans too. “Train number 12734 has been cancelled suddenly today without prior notice, even I got text of chart preparation, I booked to and fro ticket for Chirala. I’m at Secunderabad station, need solution right now,” tweeted Arif from the twitter handle @smarif4u taggingrailway authorities.

Among the trains cancelled are Chennai Central-Vijayawada express, Chennai Central- Hyderabad express, Tirunelveli- Bilaspur express, Nagarcoil-Shalimar Gurudev express, Guntur- Vijayawada MEMU and Vijayawada-Chennai Central Janshatabdi express among others.

Meanwhile, three of the major breeches in railway tracks that had disrupted the movement of over 100 trains in the last 24 hours were identified on the Nandalur-Razampet section, Nellore–Padugupadu section and Dharmavaram- Pakalasection of the SCR zone.

“These three locations have had major breeches in railway tracks, due to nearby water tanks overflowing. For normalcy to return, the rains have to stop and the tanks have to stop overflowing. Currently, we are in the process of repairing the tracks,” SCR chief public relations officer Ch Rakesh said.

Passengers wait for their train at the Secunderabad Railway Station on Saturday

More rain forecast for city in next 24 hours

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad

: Light to moderate rainfall occurred in several parts of Hyderabad on Saturday. Siddipet, Rangareddy, Medchal, Pedapalli and Nagarkurnool also witnessed brief spells of rain.

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Hyderabad, director K Nagaratna, several places in the city will most likely witness rain in the next 24 hours. “The temperature will be between 22 degrees celsius and 28 degrees celsius in the next 24 hours in Hyderabad,” the director said. In the last 24 hours, the temperature recorded in Hyderabad was between 21.5 degrees Celsius and 27.7 degrees Celsius.

“There will be light to moderate rains in few places in the southern and northern districts of Telangana in the next 48 hours,” said Nagaratna adding that thereafter, there will be a slight reduction in rainfall in the state.

The highest temperature, 32.3 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Adilabad and the lowest, 19.8 was recorded in the Medak.

4 reasons to eat cauliflower

4 reasons to eat cauliflower

21.11.2021

1 Cauliflowers contain potassium, which helps to control blood pressure.

2 They are high in vitamin C, which we need for the production of collagen in the body to help strengthen muscles and skin.

3 They are a good source of phytochemicals, called indoles and glucosinolates, which may stimulate helpful enzymes that protect the body cells from oxidative stress and damage caused by free radicals.

4 Cauliflowers are rich in vitamin E, which helps to neutralise damaging free radicals in the body and promotes healthy skin and hair.

— DAILY MIRROR

HC: Court can’t enter into guesswork about probe

HC: Court can’t enter into guesswork about probe

Ajay.Sura@timesgroup.com

Chandigarh:  21.11.2021

The Punjab and Haryana high court has made it clear that it cannot pass any order on a plea to direct the investigating agency, which has summoned a person as witness in some cases, to give advance notice to the person in case he is required to be arrested.

“If such petition is entertained, then it could open up Pandora’s box in as much as every person apprehending arrest would come to the court and file a petition under section 482 CrPc in order to enquire from the investigating authorities or police authorities as to “what they are going to do next”, HC has held. The court was also of the view that intervention of the court in such cases can seriously prejudice the investigation.

Justice Vikas Bahl passed these orders while dismissing a petition filed by Punjab PWD work inspector Harmandeep Singh. The petitioner has been summoned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under section 160 CrPc as witness in connection with Punjab’s narco-terror case involving Hizbul Mujahideen. HC was informed that he has apprehension that when he would appear before NIA in pursuance of the notice dated August 8, 2021, he would be arrested and thus, he had sought direction for giving him an advance notice in case he was required to be detained or arrested. Opposing his plea, NIA contended that in this case, the petitioner had not challenged the notice under Section 160 CrPc and is indirectly seeking anticipatory bail which even as per the case of the petitioner, could not have been granted.

NIA also submitted that the petitioner wants HC to enter into guesswork as to what would happen in the course of investigation and in order to preempt the same, the present petition has been filed.

It is submitted that such a petition is legally not maintainable. It is also sought to be argued by relying upon some documents, it is apparent that the petitioner has falsely stated in his petition, on affidavit, that on15.08.2021, the petitioner was on duty on the occasion of the Independence Day, whereas documents from the employer/senior of the petitioner would show that he was on leave.

After hearing both the parties, Justice Bahl observed that as per the facts on record, only a notice under Section160 CrPc has been issued to the petitioner for appearance before the NIA. “This court cannot possibly enter into the realm of conjectures and surmises and foresee by guesswork as to what would be the further course adopted by the investigating agency. At one stage, learned counsel for the petitioner was wanting that the counsel for NIA should disclose as to whether they wish to arrest the petitioner or not… Moreover, the offences alleged to have been committed in the present case are very serious and thus, NIA is to be given a free hand to investigate, so that all the culprits can be brought to book and all the material which is necessary can be collected. The NIA informed that the main accused who has been arrested with Rs 29 lakh in his possession is in fact an over ground worker of banned terrorist organization Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen (HM),” observed the court.

Service providers can now see vax status

Service providers can now see vax status

21.11.2021

The union health ministry has activated a service on the CoWin portal that allows anyone to check an individual’s vaccination status with the person’s registered mobile number and name, followed by an OTP for consent.

The service could be utilised by a service provider — such as travel agencies, offices, employers, entertainment agencies or government agencies such as IRCTC — for whom verifying a person’s vaccination status is critical for facilitating a service requested by the citizen, an official said. “Now download the fully/partially vaccinated badge from CoWin & share it with your friends on all your social platforms! Encourage your family and friends to follow you and #FightCovid,” national health authority CEO RS Sharma tweeted. The service is being built to help citizens who may not have the vaccine certificate available in digital or paper form for availing a requested service and can support the service provider to verify the vaccination status of the citizen. PTI

No SMS or OTP, yet over ₹1L vanishes from bank account

No SMS or OTP, yet over ₹1L vanishes from bank account

Vadodara:  21.11.2021

A principal of a fire academy living in Godhra lost Rs 1.2 lakh from his bank account last month to cyber fraudsters.

The victim, Rohit Patel, who has an account in a private bank’s branch in Udalpur village of Desar taluka, lodged a complaint of cheating under the Information Technology Act on Friday at Desar police station.

Patel said that when he opened the mini-statement of his bank account on October 11, he found that Rs 1.2 lakh had been withdrawn from his account. Patel checked his bank balance as he had to transfer money to someone. Between October 6 and 11, money was transferred from his bank account to different accounts in four different banks. TNN

Airport queue time same as flight duration

Airport queue time same as flight duration

Niyati.Parikh@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:  21.11.2021

Soon after the Diwali holidays, when Anuj Pathak, the owner of a citybased travel company, left for a holiday from the city airport, it took him an hour and a half to wade through the rush from the check-in counter to the boarding gate. “Fortunately, I had reached the airport two hours before or I would have missed my flight. The baggage conveyor belt at the check-in counter had malfunctioned, due to which the queue was very long,” Pathak said.

Amid the festive and wedding season, as travel has revived and flights are allowed to operate at 100% capacity, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport has been witnessing an unprecedented rush of fliers, especially during peak hours. At least 14,000 passengers transit through the airport every a day, according to airport sources. However, with multiple checkpoints and the rush, passengers say the time taken to get to the boarding gate is going up.

“Getting through the airport during peak hours was a nightmare. There is a queue at every check point right from entering the airport, to getting baggage screened to check-in and baggage drop counters to e-gates and security check. Even though we opted for priority check-in, it took us at least 45 minutes to reach the boarding gate. Perhaps increasing the number of check-in counters will help,” said Shalin Shah, who travelled from the city airport with his family for a vacation recently.

Besides the delay in getting through the crowd, long waiting times at the arrivals area is also a concern. “The parking and pick-up and drop area is very crowded at SVPI, leading a lot of chaos while exiting. It takes long for cabs or even private vehicles to enter the arrivals area because of the unmanaged rush,” said Monica Yadav, a city-based entrepreneur who is a frequent flier.

An email query sent to the city airport operator, asking about measures in place to manage the rush, went unanswered. Airport sources said some four e-gates have been installed after the check-in and baggage drop counters to speed up the security check process.

Passengers have also complained of not enough seating. Against footfalls of 14,000 passengers a day, the domestic terminal of the city airport has barely 560 seats in the security hold area for passengers to sit, a source said.

Passengers waiting for flights at SVPI

Ways to prepare your children for Covid exposure at school

Ways to prepare your children for Covid exposure at school

21.11.2021

Devising contingency plans for what they should do if they, or their friends, are exposed to the coronavirus can help reassure them

Now that some kids are back in the classroom, there’s a very real possibility that they may be exposed to the coronavirus and may need to be tested — or to isolate — which can be alarming.

One of the best things you can do to prepare your child, no matter their age, is to explain that there are plans in place should someone be exposed. Here are six things you can do to help.

Clear up misinformation

First, ask children what they already know about the pandemic and the rules that the school has in place for keeping them safe, said Dr Anna Miller-Fitzwater, a clinical associate professor of paediatrics at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, US. If your own understanding of the school’s policy is different from how your child is explaining it, you might want to clarify with the school — and if there is misinformation floating around, correct it.

Devise a Plan B

If you have a young child who needs to isolate at home, figure out how you will handle it. Can you work remotely? Do you have a friend, family member or babysitter who can pitch in at the last minute and is comfortable with Covid safety protocols? Reviewing these plans with your child may help them feel secure.

Acknowledge their feelings

Children can react in a variety of ways when they come into close contact with someone who has tested positive. “Some may feel really anxious and worried, some may feel really angry with the person they think exposed them,” said Louise Dalton, a consultant clinical psychologist at the University of Oxford department of psychiatry.

Parents should “validate and normalise their child’s response”, said Michiganbased psychologist Melissa Cousino. “I often say, ‘This worry that you are feeling or this anger, it’s a normal response to the abnormal’,” she said.

Recognise frustrations

Some teenagers may feel angry and resentful if a potential third wave hits and they are forced to stay home, isolate or get tested. Talk this through in advance, pointing out that even if they’re super careful, there are going to be cases. Tell them that the only thing to do is to play by the rules.

Also understand what is most upsetting for them, and if possible, work with the school to recover the opportunity. “It may not be the worry of getting sick, it may be the worry of missing tryouts for that sports team,” said Cousino.

Don’t play the blame game

Children who test positive may end up blaming themselves or blaming other people. “Avoid language that leaves a stigma,” Miller-Fitzwater said. “Make sure they understand this wasn’t someone else’s intention.”

Maintain routines

When school is interrupted, it’s important to keep bedtimes and meal times consistent and to schedule regular exercise. Making things as predictable as possible will reassure kids and help them prepare to transition back to school. Also, ask teachers about what work needs to be accomplished while the child is out, Miller-Fitzwater said.

— THE NEW YORK TIMES