Jammu

The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project (USBRL) will be completed by December 2023 or January 2024 and a Vande Bharat metro train will be operated between Jammu and Srinagar once the project becomes fully operational, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Sunday. Vaishnaw travelled on the first run of a track-mounted trolley on the world's highest arch bridge constructed on the Chenab river with railway officials and inspected the iconic bridge having a height of 359 metres from the Chenab riverbed. He also performed pooja at the bridge before the inspection. Addressing media persons, the minister announced setting up a special training academy for engineers at Jammu. Speaking on the progress of work, he said the track work on the Chenab bridge has been completed and now electric work will be undertaken, besides the installation of Kavach- an anti-collision safety device. The Chenab bridge was a difficult challenge as the terrain was a highly seismic activity-prone a

The first phase of the intelligent traffic management and surveillance system (ITMSS) has been made operational in Jammu, a step that would help authorities better manage vehicular flow and catch violators. The system is operational at 12 major locations in the city and activities are being monitored from a traffic department-managed integrated command and control centre. "Operations (of the ITMSS' first phase) have started in Jammu," Vehant Technologies chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder Kapil Bardeja said. The project is being implemented in phases with system integrators, he said. "The project was initiated in November 2022. Installations are going on and depending upon the installations with system integrators, the project will be completed soon," Bardeja, whose firm has been tasked with implementation of the ITMSS in Jammu. He added that software solutions have already been deployed at some locations. In the first phase, the ITMSS has been deployed and made operati

The one-way traffic resumed on the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Wednesday after remaining suspended for about 38-hours following a landslide in Ramban district, officials said. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic (national highway), Banihal, Asghar Malik said the road clearance operation at the landslide-hit Sher Bibi near Banihal was still going on. Hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on the highway after a massive landslide blocked the arterial road at Sher Bibi around 2 am Tuesday. The road clearance operation was hampered by continuous shooting of stones from the hillock throughout the day. Despite intermittent shooting of stones, the road clearance agencies worked hard since this morning to ensure that the road is opened for one-way traffic which was allowed at around 4 pm (Wednesday), Malik said. No fresh traffic was allowed either from Srinagar or Jammu for the second day in the morning as authorities focused on road clearance operation and to clear the

The discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of the metal in Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir has made India the seventh-largest holder of lithium reserves

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday said the central flagship programme Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has achieved substantial progress in the Union Territory and is set to be completed by June this year. The information was given at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta who conducted a virtual tour of the works taken up under JJM and interacted with public and officials of the department for first hand appraisal of the progress made in the mission so far, an official spokesman said. Principal Secretary Jal Shakti Department, Shaleen Kabra, informed the meeting that the mission is under implementation from 2019 and has achieved substantial progress till now. All rural institutions like schools, Anganwadi centres and health institutions have been provided piped water under this mission. Every remaining rural household would get the tap water connection under this mission by June this year as most of the targets would be completed by then, he said. The spokes

Nearly 23,000 hectares of state and 'kahcharai' land were retrieved during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in different districts of the Jammu division, officials said on Sunday. The major chunk of 13,793 hectares of land was retrieved from encroachers in Rajouri, followed by over 6,100 hectares in Poonch, over 2,300 in Kishtwar, 15.9 hectares in Udhampur and some parcels in Kathua and Samba districts so far, an official spokesman said. Quoting information received from Rajouri, he said teams of police and revenue officials visited different tehsils of the district, including Rajouri, Darhal, Thanamandi, Nowshera, Qila Darhal, Sunderbani, Siot, Kalakote, Terayth, Beripatan, Manjakote, Moughla and Khawas, and retrieved 2,75,867 kanals and 12 marlas of state land. The retrieved land include 2,68,321 kanals and seven marlas of state land, including Roshni land and 7,546 kanals and five marlas of kacharai land, the spokesman said. In nearby Poonch, he said, against 1,25,030 kanals

The BSF and Pakistan Rangers exchanged sweets and greetings at various outposts along the International Border in Jammu on the occasion of India's 74th Republic Day on Thursday, officials said. The Border Security Force offered sweets to Pakistan Rangers and they reciprocated, the officials said. The exchange of sweets took place at border outposts in Akhnoor, Samba, Kathua, Arnia and R S Pura in a cordial manner, a Border Security Force official said. Indian Army troops also exchanged sweets and greetings with their Pakistani counterparts at forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts, according to the officials. Republic Day was celebrated at the frontier headquarters here. BSF Inspector General D K Boora unfurled the tricolour on the occasion and conveyed his warm wishes to all 'Seema Praharis' serving at the International Border and the LoC and their families. He also recalled the supreme sacrifices of BSF troops. The IG said the BSF has alwa

Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra as it resumed from the garrison town of Nagrota on a cold Tuesday morning. Matondkar, a popular Bollywood stars of the 1990s, joined Gandhi shortly after the march started from near the army garrison around 8 am amid tight security, with Congress workers and supporters lined up on the road along the route to welcome them. Matondkar (48) had resigned from the Congress in September 2019 after a short association of six months, and joined the Shiv Sena in 2020. Dressed in a cream-coloured traditional Kashmir Pheran (loose gown) and beanie cap, Matondkar was interacting with Gandhi as they marched along. Noted author Perumal Murugan and J&K Pradesh Congress committee president Vikar Rasool Wani, his predecessor G A Mir and former minister Abdul Hamid Karra also joined them alongside hundreds of other carrying the tricolor in their hands. The yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on ...

The training for the first batch of Agniveers begins amid the visit of Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Manoj Dwivedi to review preparedness at the Agniveer training facility (ATF) at the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) regimental centre in the outskirts of Jammu city. The youth of Jammu and Kashmir has shown a considerable amount of interest in Agniveer recruitments and the recent recruitment rallies have shown tremendous enthusiasm in the form of huge numbers turning up, a defence spokesman said. Lt Gen Dwivedi visited the state-of-the-art Agniveer training facility located at JAKLI regimental centre at Dansal to review the preparedness and arrangements for the first batch of Agniveers being trained, he said. Recently the Ministry of Defence signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with various stakeholders like the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the director general of training for facilitating

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Wednesday announced the launch of its 5G services in Jammu and Srinagar. Airtel, in a statement, said that its '5G Plus' services will be available to customers in a phased manner as the company continues to construct its network and complete the roll out. Customers with 5G enabled devices will enjoy high speed Airtel '5G Plus' network at no extra cost until the roll out is more widespread, the company said. Adarsh Verma, Chief Operating Officer of Bharti Airtel - Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, said: "I am thrilled to announce the launch of Airtel 5G Plus in Jammu and Srinagar. Airtel customers can now experience ultrafast network and enjoy speeds upto 20-30 times faster than the current 4G speeds." "We are in the process of lighting up the Union territories of J&K and Ladakh which will allow customers to enjoy superfast access to high-definition video streaming, gaming, multiple chatting, instant uploading of photos...," Verma added. Airtel 5G Plus .

Two separate infiltration bids were foiled on the International Border (IB) in Jammu in which one intruder was killed and another was apprehended, officials said

The case related to a bank loan fraud in which the total NPA declared by the Bank of India was at Rs 91.50 crore

Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban will soon initiate lavender cultivation under the Aroma Mission which has been thoroughly experimented with in the adjacent district of Doda.This was disclosed here today by Union Minister Jitendra Singh while chairing the DISHA meeting of district Ramban, said a press release by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions on Sunday.He said, Ramban is a part of the erstwhile Doda district, which shares the same geographical and topographical conditions and it should not be difficult to replicate Doda's lavender success story over here, as per the statement.This will provide an alternative and attractive option for a livelihood by the youngsters, he said, added the statement.During the meeting, a detailed presentation on the achievements and progress recorded under different Centrally Sponsored Schemes was made, giving an overview of various major projects being executed by different departments and agencies in the district. Senior officials

Tata Motors on Tuesday said it has received an order for 200 electric buses which will be deployed in Jammu and Srinagar. The Mumbai-based auto major has won the tender of 200 electric buses floated by Jammu Smart City Ltd, it said in a statement. The automaker will supply 150 units of 9-metre and 50 units of 12-metre Starbus electric buses, it added. As part of the contract, Tata Motors will operate and maintain the buses for a period of 12 years. "Sustainable public transport is the need of the hour, and we are delighted that Tata Motors has got the opportunity to serve the commuters in Jammu & Kashmir," Tata Motors Smart City Mobility Solutions CEO and MD Asim Mukhopadhyay said. Since 2019, Tata Motors' 40 electric buses have been plying in Jammu and Kashmir along with a cumulative supply of 715 electric buses across multiple cities in India.

Former Union Minister and senior ex-Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the party recently, will hold a public meeting today at Sainik Colony in Jammu

INOX to open a three-screen multiplex in Srinagar, its first

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has carried out searches in five districts of Jammu and Kashmir in connection with its investigation into dropping of weapons by Pakistani drones along the International Border, an official said. The searches were carried out at eight locations on Thursday in Jammu, Srinagar, Kathua, Samba, and Doda districts in the case related to interception of a drone used for delivery of consignments of arms, ammunition and explosives by a key module of The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The TRF operatives were working at the behest of Pakistani handlers, a spokesperson of the federal agency said. "The searches conducted today have led to recovery of various incriminating material, digital devices and documents," the NIA said. The spokesperson said the TRF operatives were in constant touch with Pakistani handlers of LeT and were receiving weapon consignments and other terrorist hardware via drones in the Indian territory ne

The Amarnath yatra remained suspended from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here for the second day on Sunday owing to a sharp decline in the arrival of pilgrims, officials said

The registration for recruitment of Agniveers' in the Army in the Jammu region will start from Friday at Sunjuwan military station here, officials said.

Contract for the project, which connects with Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, allowed the firm to collect a semi-annual sum for 20 years