Gujarat

Ahmedabad/Surat: Vehicle owners in India may soon bid farewell to long queues at toll plazas. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to begin trial operations of the country’s first multi-lane, barrier-free toll plaza on February 2 in Kamrej, Surat, marking a major step towards modernizing the nation’s highways. Currently, vehicles must stop at toll booths, often leading to long waiting lines. To address this, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had announced plans to upgrade toll plazas and introduce a barrier-free toll collection system across India. The new system will replace conventional toll booths and manual toll collection, allowing vehicles to pass through without slowing down. How the Barrier-Free System WorksAccording to NHAI officials, the system uses Automatic N...

Ahmedabad: Indian Railways is once again making headlines with its modern, semi-high-speed Amrit Bharat Express, now undergoing trial runs on the Ahmedabad–Mumbai route. The train can reach a maximum speed of 130 km/h, and the route has been deemed safe for operations. Here’s a look at the Railway’s preparation and plans for this new service. Following the success of the Vande Bharat trains, the Amrit Bharat Express is equipped with advanced facilities and is already operational on several routes across India. Once fully rolled out, the number of Amrit Bharat Express trains is expected to rise from 30 to 39. Currently, the trial runs are being conducted between Ahmedabad and Mumbai—the same corridor earmarked for the upcoming high-speed bullet train. According to sources, the Research D...

Ahmedabad:The construction of India’s first high-speed rail corridor has achieved another major milestone with the successful installation of a massive 100-metre-long steel bridge in Ahmedabad district, officials of the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) said on Thursday. Built under the Make in India initiative, the giant structure — often referred to as the project’s “Bahubali” steel bridge — weighs approximately 1,098 metric tonnes and has been installed at a height of over 16 metres, making it one of the most challenging engineering feats of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project. According to NHSRCL, this bridge is the 13th steel bridge completed in Gujarat out of a total of 17 steel bridges planned in the state for the high-speed corridor. Redesigned to...

Navsari, Gujarat: In a significant anti-terror operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has foiled a major terrorist conspiracy by arresting 22-year-old Faizan Sheikh, a native of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. The accused is alleged to have been involved in anti-national activities and plotting targeted killings. According to ATS Deputy SP Harsh Upadhyay, the action was taken on Tuesday following credible intelligence about Faizan’s involvement in extremist activities. Sheikh, who worked as a tailor in Navsari and resided near Aksa Mosque, was reportedly in contact with a Pakistan-based handler, Mohammad Abu Bakar. He was using social media platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram to propagate extremist ideologies. Investigations revealed that Sheikh was inspired by banned ...

Surat, Gujarat: A tragic incident occurred during the Sub-Inspector recruitment physical test in Bharuch, Gujarat, on Thursday. 25-year-old Raviraj Singh Jadeja collapsed immediately after completing the mandatory 5-kilometre run and later succumbed to a heart attack. Jadeja hailed from Kutch and was participating in the examination held in Bharuch. According to eyewitnesses and the medical team at the site, Jadeja experienced severe difficulty in breathing immediately after finishing the run. He was rushed to Bharuch Civil Hospital, where he was declared dead. The post-mortem report revealed that he had some blockages in his heart. Bharuch Police Superintendent Aksharaj Makwana stated that Raviraj had completed the run in 21 minutes, well under the stipulated 25-minute limit. His fa...

Ahmedabad: Panic gripped western Ahmedabad on Friday after several schools received email threats claiming bombs had been planted on their premises. Upon receiving the threats, school administrations and security agencies immediately heightened vigilance. Precautionary measures were implemented to ensure the safety of students, while law enforcement agencies sprang into action. Given the seriousness of the situation, teams from the Crime Branch, Bomb Squad, and Forensic Department are conducting a thorough investigation. The Ahmedabad Crime Branch confirmed that multiple schools in the city’s western region were targeted via email bomb threats. Bomb disposal units and forensic teams are actively examining the messages and investigating the credibility of the threats. Authorities have...

Ahmedabad: In a shocking incident in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, a woman was attacked with a knife by a young man after she refused to speak with him. The victim, Tamanna Mohsin Sheikh, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where she is undergoing treatment. Police have confirmed that her condition is serious but stable. A case has been registered against the accused, and CCTV footage is being used to aid the investigation. The police have launched a manhunt for the suspect and claim he will be apprehended soon. Accused and Victim Previously Known to Each OtherThe accused has been identified as Rahim, also known as Noman Latif Sheikh. Police said that Tamanna and Rahim knew each other from before and had maintained friendly ties for some time. However, after Tamanna married Mohsin, she s...

A mysterious phenomenon has been observed off the coast of Gujarat, raising alarms among local authorities in Palghar district. Fishermen captured videos showing sudden turbulence and bubbling across a large section of the sea, prompting fears of a possible disaster. Unusual Activity in the Sea The unusual churning has sparked concerns about several potential causes, including natural gas leaks from the seabed, underwater geological activity, or ruptured submerged pipelines. The exact cause of this phenomenon is now under investigation. Safety Concerns for Vessels Vivekanand Kadam, head of the Palghar District Disaster Management Cell, confirmed the report, calling the observed turbulence “highly unusual” and emphasizing the need for specialized attention from maritime and indu...

Ahmedabad/Rajkot: In a significant development in Gujarat’s socio-political landscape, Anar Patel, daughter of Uttar Pradesh Governor and former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, has been appointed President of the influential Khodaldham Organisation, which holds considerable sway in Saurashtra and Ahmedabad. Naresh Patel, Chairman of the powerful Leuva Patel community trust, Khodaldham, announced Anar Patel’s appointment during the 9th anniversary celebrations of the Khodaldham temple in Kagwad, Rajkot. Anar Patel had joined the trust a few years ago and has now been entrusted with this major responsibility. Her elevation has triggered speculation in political circles about a possible entry into active politics, potentially in the 2027 assembly elections. Focus on Unity and Tr...