State

Delhi: One of the runways at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport will be closed for nearly five months starting 16 February 2026 for major rehabilitation work. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) announced that the third runway (11R/29L) will undergo extensive renovation. The runway, which began operations in 2008 and last underwent partial renovation in 2017, will receive a new surface layer, a new rapid exit taxiway, and an upgraded Instrument Landing System (ILS). This closure comes after 17 years of continuous operations on the runway. Impact on Delhi MetroMaintenance work will also affect five Delhi Metro stations on the Blue Line: Akshardham, Mayur Vihar Phase-1, Mayur Vihar Extension, New Ashok Nagar, and Noida Sector-15. Escalators at these stations will rema...

The Delhi government has announced a skill development program for construction workers registered under the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare (DBOCWW) Board. The initiative aims to enhance the workers’ skills, improve the quality of work, and increase their earnings. Program Details and BudgetThe training program will be approximately 120 hours long and has a total budget allocation of ₹135 crore. Officials have stated that over the first three years, more than 1.2 lakh construction workers will be trained under this initiative. The per-worker cost for the program is estimated at ₹5,880. Training at Workplace and CampsTo ensure minimal disruption to daily work, training will be conducted both at the workplace and at dedicated training camps. Workers attending tra...

The tragic death of an engineer in Noida has shaken many, raising serious concerns about emergency preparedness in the Delhi-NCR region. Delhi has a standard operating procedure (SOP) in place for managing accidents, ranging from emergency calls to district-level responsibilities. However, gaps in inter-departmental coordination and delays in forming the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) highlight areas that need urgent attention. Understanding the SOPIn any emergency—be it drowning, fire, road accident, or natural disaster—a clear and practical SOP is essential. It minimizes loss of life and property, assigns responsibilities clearly, and ensures swift action during chaotic situations. The first few minutes after an incident are critical, and pre-defined guidelines, communication sy...