Mumbai, (PTI): Hollywood star John Cena on Saturday paid a tribute to the actor Sidharth Shukla, whose sudden death has stunned the Indian showbiz industry and his fans.

Shukla, 40, who became a household name with his role in the long-running TV show Balika Vadhu and emerged as the winner of Bigg Boss 13 , was declared dead on arrival on Thursday morning when he was taken to a hospital in suburban Juhu.

Several Bollywood and TV celebrities expressed shock and were in a state of disbelief over the untimely demise of Shukla.

Taking to Instagram, Cena simply shared a black-and-white picture of Shukla without any caption.

Cena is known for posting photos on Instagram without captions.

His bio on the social media platform reads, "Welcome to my Instagram. These images will be posted without explanation, for your interpretation. Enjoy."

His post has since garnered 453,059 likes and 8,325 comments.

Bollywood star Varun Dhawan, who worked with him in 2014 movie Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania , also liked Cena's post on the social media platform.

The exact cause behind Shukla's death is not known yet, even though several reports suggested that a heart attack took the life of the actor.

Shukla, who is survived by his mother and sister, was cremated in Mumbai on Friday in the presence of his family, friends and colleagues.

 
 
 
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Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.

The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.

Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.

July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.

Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.

Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.

Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.

Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.

HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.

Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.

The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.

Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.

The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.

Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.