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Killed as Dam Bursts (Go To Top) BALAGHAT (MP): At least 25 people were feared killed on Wednesday in a dam burst in Madhya Pradesh following heavy monsoon rains. Officials said the 125-year-old dam in Katangi in Balaghat district in the state had developed cracks on Tuesday after four days of heavy rains. More than a dozen villages have been submerged in the resultant flood leaving about 25 people missing. Madhya Pradesh had been among the states hit by drought in July.
Steam Engine to Attract Tourists
(Go To Top) NEW DELHI: The Railways are repairing and reconditioning their old rolling stock of 142 steam-driven engines. They will be run on different routes which railway tourists are using. Britain has already shown the way how tourists can be attracted to rail travel, if trains are steam-driven. 'Fairie Queen'-led fleet of steam engines will pull specially fitted trains to different tourist destinations. These are bound to gain popularity not only among the low-budget Indian tourist who prefers to travel with family, but also modest and high budget foreign tourists who may choose a train journey for the sake of experiience. Bhavan
for NRIs (Go To Top) NEW DELHI: The Government is planning to construct a 'bhavan' (home) for the non-resident Indians and others of Indian origin. An NRI conference is also being planned for January to create in them a sense of belonging towards their motherland. Prime Minister AB Vajpayee will inaugurate the conference. Recently, the Government had reduced the fee for Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card. A card which was costing $ 1,000 for 20 years will now cost only Rs 15,000 for 15 years. The fee for minors has been halved. Welcome
to Nepal (Go To Top) KOLKATA: Speaking at the inauguration of Tour and Travel Expo in the city last week, Nepal's acting consul extended a warm welcome to all those Indians who plan to visit his country. "There is a very cordial atmosphere for tourists there", he assured. The number of Indian tourists visiting Nepal is much smaller today. The political situation and the anti-Indian tirade some time back has been keeping them away. But things have changed and there are no incidents affecting Indians today, the consul said. On the same occasion, Chosak Ramabutar, Thai consul-general in Kolkata, stressed the need for a conducive atmosphere for tourists. Ban
on Mobile in North-east, J-K Lifted (Go
To Top) GUWAHATI: The Cabinet Committee on Security made way for mobile services in the North-east and Jammu and Kashmir when it lifted the ban on the service in the militancy-hit regions.
Speaking at the launch of a project linking the North-east region by using VSAT in Guwahati, Information and Technology Minister Pramod Mahajan said that with the CCS clearance, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited can now start full commercial services in the region. Mahajan said that the project in Jammu and Kashmir will take off after the elections. The Ministry of Defence had earlier objected to the services in the region and they had been restricted to Guwahati and Shillong with limited facilities by Reliance. Now with the lifting of the ban, the Centre wants to cover every village in the region by August 2003. Delhi-Dehra
Dun Shatabdi Express (Go To Top) DEHRA DUN: A new Janshatabdi Express train between Dehra Dun and New Delhi was inaugurated on Friday, August 16. It has AC Chair Car and Chair Car accommodation and will run six days a week (No train on Sunday). Train No. 2056 will leave Dehra Dun at 5.10 am to reach New Delhi at 11.05 am. Train No 2055 will leave New Delhi at 3.30 pm and arrive at Dehra Dun at 9.10 pm. Jammu-Srinagar
Highway Partially Closed (Go To Top) JAMMU: The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar highway connecting the winter and summer Capitals of the state of Jammu and Kashmir remained partially closed on Thursday due to landslides caused by heavy rains. Hundreds of vehicles, including trucks carrying essential commodities, remained stranded on the national highway near Nagrota, 12 km away from Jammu. Earlier in the week, heavy rains triggered flash floods in Tawi river near Jammu submerging several roads in the region. Authorities had to suspend the annual pilgrimage to Amarnath cave shrine after heavy rains caused landslides on the mountainous route. Flash floods in monsoon season are common in the state. IAF
Copter Rescues One Trapped in Flooded Tawi (Go
To Top) JAMMU: Overnight heavy rains triggered flash floods in Tawi river on Sunday, August 11, near Jammu.The floods caught around 20 persons on the banks of the river unawares and washed them away. Some of them swam to safety and others had to be rescued by the local police.
But one person, surrounded by flood water was stranded on a high ground waiting for help. An India Air Force chopper was summoned. The pilot dropped a rope and made several attempts to rescue him, but the man could not hold on to the rope and fell back to the river several times. Then the pilot in a daring act brought the chopper close to the swirling waters and pulled the man beside him.
Twenty
Dead in Uttaranchal Rain (Go
To Top) DEHRA DUN: Heavy rains in Uttaranchal's Tehri district early on Sunday, August 11, left at least 20 people dead and many homeless. According to reports, several houses were damaged in Budha Kedar area when rain water gushed into several houses in Kot and Marwari villages. Railways
Start Internet Booking (Go
To Top) NEW DELHI: Internet booking of railway tickets in Delhi was inaugurated on Saturday, August 3. Passengers can access the rail reservartion site, www.irctc.co.in for reservation and booking. Credit cards can be used for . booking. Tickets can also be booked for children and senior citizens. Tickets will be delivered at home. They can also be collected from certain counters. Delivery is limited to Delhi area. A service charge of 1.8 % is levied on using credit card. There is an additional charge of Rs 30 per ticket for sleeper class/ordinary chair car and Rs 50 for upper classes. Booking is on from 8 am to 8 pm from Monday to Saturday. On Sunday the timing is 8 am to 2 pm. Tickets can be cancelled from any railway PRS counter. Refund will be credited to the credit card account. The system has been developed on BroadVision by Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation and the Centre for Railway Information Systems, according to a railway press releease. Valley
of Flowers Blooms (Go
To Top) DEHRA DUN: Tourists have started flocking to the Valley of Flowers located near Badrinath as the season has begun and flowers are in full bloom.
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