One dead, 18 injured after helium cylinder explosion at river festival in Tamil Nadu
Kallakurichi: One person was killed and at least 18 others were injured after a helium gas cylinder exploded during the Thenpennai River Festival in Manalurpettai in Kallakurichi district on Monday, officials said.
Tiruvannamalai District Collector K Tharpagaraj confirmed the incident and said the explosion occurred while the cylinder was being used to fill balloons at the festival venue, NDTV reported.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed his condolences to the victim’s family.
In a post on X, Edappadi K Palaniswami said, “I am deeply distressed to learn the tragic news that one person lost their life and several others were seriously injured after a helium gas cylinder used to fill balloons exploded at the river festival held in Manalurpettai, Kallakurichi district. I extend my deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family, and I pray to God that all those injured make a full recovery and return to their respective homes soon.”
He also urged the state government to provide appropriate compensation to the family of the deceased and to those injured in the incident.
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APSRTC records highest single-day revenue of Rs 28 crore
Amaravati (PTI): APSRTC on Tuesday said it achieved its highest-ever single-day revenue of Rs 28 crore on January 19.
The record performance came amid the post-Sankranti return rush, as special bus services operated at regular fares and passenger traffic surged across the state, it said in a press release.
"Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation recorded an all-time high revenue of Rs 27.68 crore on January 19, marking a milestone never witnessed before in the corporation’s history. On the same day, over 5.6 million passengers travelled by state-run buses," the release said.
The milestone was attributed to a coordinated effort by staff at all levels and the trust shown by passengers, it added.
Advance deployment of buses, adequate infrastructure, continuous monitoring, and dynamic allocation of services based on passenger demand were cited as key factors behind the record revenue.
APSRTC said operating special services at regular fares allowed passengers to save on travel costs and encouraged the use of public transport over private vehicles.
