Heavy rains: 19 people lose lives, over 10,000 people displaced in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 8: As many as 19 people have lost their lives and over 10,000 people have been shifted to relief camps in Kerala due to heavy monsoon rains which have been wrecking havoc in the southern state for over one week.
Though the intensity of the rain appeared to decline, some parts of the the state continued to receive incessant rains on Saturday morning causing traffic jams and waterlogging in low-lying areas.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), a total of 19 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents in the southern state till Saturday evening.
"As many as 10,399 people are there in 227 relief camps opened across the state following heavy rains," a SDMA official told PTI.
As per the figures, as many as 1,100 houses were partially damaged so far and other details of damage were not yet available, the official added.
As the intensity of rain that lashed the state for the past few days reduced, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) sounded a yellow alert in seven districts-Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod for the day.
Meanwhile, heavy rains pounded many areas of Kochi, Kozhikode and high-range Idukki in the early morning hours.
Trees were uprooted causing traffic block on the national highways in Kozhikode and Kannur-Thalassery route this morning.
Traffic resumed in both places after the fire service personnel cleared the path.
Waterlogging on roads affected normal life in Pathanamthitta and Thiruvalla regions.
A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rains of 6 cm to 20 cm. A yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 to 11 cm.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
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.
