Fire at Bengaluru air show now under control, about 300 cars gutted
Defence Ministry orders inquiry
Bengaluru: In a major tragedy which was reported on Saturday afternoon at the Bengaluru air show, over 300 cars have reportedly been charred down.
According to the latest reports, the fire has been brought under control after hours of struggle by the fire rescue department.
Luckily, no injuries or causalities have been reported in the incident.
The officials however added that the fire must’ve broke out due to a lit cigarette that was disposed in the open field parking lot of the air show, “Strong wind helped the fire take off very quickly” officials added.
Huge plumes of smoke were seen in the air, as the fire charred down over 300 vehicles including two-wheelers, reducing the owners of the cars to mere helpless spectators of the indident.
Locals too had joined the rescue operation and tried to escort as many vehicles as possible to a safer location, by break opening the doors and windows of the car.
An IAF helicopter was deployed for the aerial assessment of the fire, as about 100 aircrafts which had arrived for the show, were parked on a little distance from the parking lot that caught fire.
The defence ministry has ordered a court of enquiry into the matter.
Meanwhile, the air show was also brought to halt, when the fire was reported and no aircrafts took off until the fire was brought under control.
Today's incident comes less than a week after two jets of the Indian Air Force's Suryakiran Aerobatic Team crashed after a mid-air collision over the air base. One of the three pilots in the crash had died.
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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.
