PM Modi flags off first train of Delhi-Meerut RRTS service
Sahibabad (UP) (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the 17-km priority section of the country's first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor and took a ride in a 'Namo Bharat' train running on the stretch.
Modi showed the green flag to the train connecting Sahibabad and Duhai Depot stations, marking launch of the RRTS in India. The train can run at a speed of 180 km per hour,
The prime minister was also seen interacting with the passengers and the crew of the train.
The inauguration ceremony took place at Sahibabad station of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, which once fully completed, will reduce travel time between Delhi and Meerut to a little less than an hour.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri were present at the ceremony.
India's first semi-high-speed regional rail service, whose trains are equipped with hi-tech features and a number of passenger amenities, will be opened for passengers from October 21.
The services will begin at 6 am and run till 11 pm, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) officials earlier said.
The priority section between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot has five stations -- Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai Depot. The segment from Duhai to Duhai Depot is a spur from the main corridor.
The under-construction RRTS corridor, being built for the semi-high-speed regional rail service by the NCRTC, is a joint venture company of the Centre with the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
The NCRTC has been tasked to oversee the construction of India's first RRTS, between Delhi and Meerut.
The entire 82.15 km Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS is targeted to be operational by June 2025.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
