Delhi

SC issues contempt notice to ASI chief over heritage sites of Delhi

Taking strong exception to the deliberate violation of its order, the Supreme Court has issued a contempt notice to the Director General of Archaeological Survey of India for failure to submit a response on the conservation status of 173 notified heritage sites in the national capital. A bench of justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N Kotiswar Singh directed the Director General of ASI to be personally present before it on the next date of hearing. "The court takes strong exception to the deliberate violation of the order of this court. Accordingly, notice is issued to the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India to showcause as to why the court may not initiate proceedings for contempt against him. He shall be personally present before the court on the next date of listing along with his show-cause," the bench said. The top court noted that the Department of Archaeology, Delhi government, has identified 19 monuments and inspected them, and with regard to the majority of

Sonia Gandhi's health shows improvement, will be discharged soon: Doctors

Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's health is showing steady improvement, and she will be discharged from the hospital within one to two days, her doctors said on Friday. The 79-year-old leader was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Tuesday night at around 10:22 pm after developing a fever. According to hospital chairman Ajay Swaroop, Gandhi is "much better", showing medical improvement and is comfortable. "She is walking around and has taken her breakfast. Overall, her progress is smooth, and we hope that she will be fit to be discharged within a day or two," he said. According to the doctors attending the Congress leader, Gandhi is undergoing treatment for a systemic infection and is responding well to antibiotics. She remains under the supervision of a team of senior doctors, who are closely monitoring her condition. Sources said she is likely to stay under observation for a short period as a precaution, though her condition is stable and not serious.

Parts of Delhi see light rain, IMD issues yellow alert for thunderstorms

A late morning light rain hit the national capital, which recorded 2.5 notches above normal minimum temperature at the outset. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert forecasting light rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds during the day in several areas. The IMD said areas such as southwest Delhi, parts of west Delhi, central Delhi, Shahdara, east Delhi, north Delhi, south Delhi and southeast Delhi are likely to witness rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, and advised residents to remain updated. It also predicted wind speeds ranging between 30 and 40 kilometres per hour. According to IMD officials, the ongoing spell of unusual weather in March is linked to a series of western disturbances affecting northwest India. These disturbances have been influencing the region since March 15 and are approaching at a lower altitude than usual, impacting weather patterns over Delhi. As a result, isolated parts of the city might experience high wind .

Healing the system: Public-health gaps demand stronger governance

India's public spending on health remains around 1.8 per cent of gross domestic product, which is significantly lower than the National Health Policy target of 2.5 per cent

British Airways to add extra Delhi, Mumbai flights amid West Asia crisis

British Airways will operate additional flights from Delhi and Mumbai for a short term to meet the traffic demand amid the disruptions due to the West Asia crisis. From April 7 to May 31, the airline will operate a third daily flight from Delhi to London Heathrow and from Mumbai, it will have a third daily flight to London Heathrow from May 15 to 31, a release said on Thursday. "The airline is adding short-term capacity on these routes to meet strong demand and provide customers with greater choice and flexibility when travelling between India, the UK and beyond," it said. With the additional capacity, British Airways will operate up to 63 weekly flights with more than 1,000 additional seats per week between India and the UK. British Airways' Chief Planning and Strategy Officer Neil Chernoff said the airline has been able to reallocate additional capacity to meet strong demand to other destinations across its route network and that India remains one of its most important global ...

Sonia Gandhi to remain under medical observation for a few more days

Veteran Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, who is admitted at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here, is stable and under close medical supervision, doctors said on Wednesday. According to hospital authorities, she was admitted at around 10.22 pm on Tuesday. Chairman Dr Ajay Swaroop said that her condition remains stable and a team of doctors is closely monitoring her health. Doctors are conducting further examinations to check for a possible infection in the stomach and urinary tract, and antibiotics have been administered as part of the treatment, the hospital said. Sources had earlier said that Gandhi was unwell, possibly due to the weather change, and was admitted for observation. They said there is no cause for concern and her condition is not serious.

2 killed, 23 injured after bus overturns in central Delhi; driver detained

Two passengers were killed and at least 23 others injured after a sleeper bus overturned near Delhi's Karol Bagh area in the early hours of Wednesday, an official of the Delhi Fire Services said. A call regarding the accident was received at 1.10 am, following which two fire service vehicles were rushed to the spot and rescue operations were initiated promptly, the official said. The bus had arrived in Delhi from Jaipur, the official said. The injured were shifted to different hospitals for treatment, the official said. Further details are awaited.

Delhi Police busts cross-border arms smuggling racket; 10 arrested

The Delhi Police on Wednesday said they have busted an arms smuggling module with links to Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, and arrested 10 people. A cache of sophisticated foreign-made weapons, including sub-machine guns and automatic pistols, along with 200 live cartridges, has been recovered from the accused, they said. According to police, a total of 21 firearms were seized during the operation, comprising high-end automatic weapons and pistols sourced from multiple countries. Among the recovered weapons are a Czech Republic-made sub-machine gun and a range of pistols of different international makes. The seized arms include PX-5.7 pistols, which are generally used by special forces, Stoeger pistols manufactured in Turkey, PX-3 pistols from China, Shadow CZ pistols from the Czech Republic, as well as Beretta (Italy), Taurus (Brazil) and Walther (Germany) pistols, officials said. Preliminary investigation revealed that the module was part of a well-organised cross-border network

Delhi budget pushes semiconductor policy, AI hubs to boost industry

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced the framing of a semiconductor policy, setting up of AI excellence centres, the training of 12,000 MSMEs, and a slew of other measures in the budget for 2026-27 to develop the national capital into a production-driven, growth-oriented, futuristic economy. Presenting the budget in the Assembly, the chief minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, her government wished to develop a semiconductor manufacturing, research and development ecosystem in Delhi. "We will come up with a semiconductor policy to develop a better infrastructure and encourage semiconductor manufacturers to set up units here," she said. A fund of Rs 1 crore for the purpose was set aside in the budget. She also announced the formulation of a drone policy, allocating Rs 1 crore as a fund to attract investments and support startups and manufacturing. Further, the budget allocated Rs 8.20 crore for setting up two artificial intelligence cent

CM Rekha Gupta presents Delhi govt's ₹1.04 trillion 'green budget' for FY27

Delhi Chief Minister and Finance Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday presented the Budget for the 2026-27 financial year with a total outlay of about Rs 1,03,700 crore and said the national capital is progressing rapidly with "triple engine" government. Describing it as a "green budget", the chief minister said the city is passing through a phase of transition and flagged that a "culture of freebies" had affected the growth rate, adding that the period between 2018 and 2020 saw a fall in revenue. The budget estimates tax revenue of Rs 74,000 crore, while an allocation of Rs 11,666 crore has been made for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The chief minister also highlighted that Delhi's per capita income is the third highest in the country. In the infrastructure sector, Rs 5,921 crore has been earmarked for public works department (PWD), while urban development and shelter projects have been allocated Rs 7,887 crore. "Our aim is safe roads, climate corridors and flawless ...

Delhi CM tables eco survey, per capita income likely at ₹5.31 lakh in FY26

Delhi's per capita income at current prices is likely to reach Rs 5,31,610 as per Advance Estimate, registering a growth of 7.92 per cent over 2024-25, according to the economic survey of 2025-26 tabled in the Delhi Assembly by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday. The report further states that Delhi's per capita income is estimated to be about 2.5 times higher than the national level during 2025-26. As per the report, the budgeted revenue surplus for 2025-26 (BE) is Rs 9,661.31 crore, which is 0.73 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). The GSDP of Delhi at current prices during 2025-26 is likely to attain a level of Rs 13,27,055 crore as per advance estimate, registering a growth of 9.42 per cent over FY25. "Tax collection of Delhi government for the year 2025-26 is budgeted with a growth of 15.54 per cent over the previous year," the report stated. The Budget of 2025-26 was Rs 1,00,000 crore, of which Rs 59,300 crore is allocated for Delhi government schemes, program

Delhi records lowest PM2.5, PM10 levels since 2015, excluding Covid year

Delhi recorded the lowest yearly average of particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10 in 2025, barring the Covid year i.e. 2020, according to the economic survey of 2025-26 tabled in the Delhi Assembly by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday. The report, which quotes Delhi Pollution Control Committee's (DPCC) Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) data, the yearly average of PM10 in 2025 was 209 (measured in micrograms per cubic metre) and that of PM2.5 was 100. This was the lowest since 2015, before which data is not available. In 2020, which was the year of the global Covid pandemic, PM10 yearly average had dropped to 187 but PM2.5 remained at 101, one unit higher than 2025. According to the DPCC data provided, the yearly average of PM10 and PM2.5 in 2024 were 225 and 110 respectively, in 2023 were 219 and 106. The PM10 and PM2.5 yearly average were 223 and 103 in 2022, and were 221 and 113 in 2021, respectively. The report quoted that the year-wise annual mean ambien

Delhi power rates may rise in April as govt prepares to clear discom dues

The electricity rates in the city are likely to rise from April as the Delhi government is preparing for disbursal of pending dues of over Rs 38,000 crore to the three power discoms, officials said on Sunday. The government is, however, planning to subsidise the hike in power tariff to cushion the impact on the consumers, they said. The Supreme Court in August last year directed that the regulatory assets, including carrying costs of Rs 27,200 crore, be paid to Delhi's three private discoms, BRPL, BYPL and TPDDL, in seven years. Regulatory assets - costs that are expected to be recovered in future - have risen sharply due to a lack of any power tariff hike in the past decade under the Aam Aadmi Party rule. Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), city's power regulator, informed the central agency, Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL), in January that total regulatory assets in Delhi stand at Rs 38,552 crore. As per DERC filing, the outstanding amount includes Rs 19,1

Delhi set to host first international film festival from March 25-31

Delhi is set to host its first international film festival from March 25 to 31, with more than 140 films from 47 countries to be screened across multiple venues in the national capital. The International Film Festival of Delhi (IFFD) 2026 will feature free public screenings, discussions, workshops and cultural programmes, according to a statement. Several prominent figures from Indian and international cinema, including Vicky Kaushal, Hema Malini, Bhumi Pednekar, Rana Daggubati and Madhur Bhandarkar, are expected to participate in the week-long event. The festival will open at Bharat Mandapam with a red carpet ceremony hosted by Arjun Kapoor and Nimrat Kaur. Actors Anupam Kher, Sanya Malhotra and Siddhant Chaturvedi will also attend the opening evening, which will include a gala screening of the Oscar-nominated film Sirat. Screenings will be held at Bharat Mandapam, PVR-INOX theatres and other public venues across the city, with select shows also planned at outdoor locations and ..

Delhi CM meets PM Modi, discusses national capital's development

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and discussed the national capital's all-around development. "I had the privilege of a heartfelt meeting with the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which I received his invaluable guidance. His visionary leadership and special affection for Delhi always fill us with fresh energy and inspiration," Gupta said in a post on X. The BJP leader said that during the meeting, detailed discussions on Delhi's all-around development were held, including strengthening infrastructure, and commitment to fulfilling the people's aspirations. "With the able guidance and continuous support of the prime minister, we are fully committed to taking Delhi to new heights of progress, prosperity, and good governance," she added. Gupta also thanked the prime minister for his constant inspiration and for giving his valuable time.

Devotees gather at Delhi's Jama Masjid to offer Eid-ul-Fitr prayers

The atmosphere remained vibrant as families exchanged greetings, signalling the start of day-long festivities across the city

Delhi Police seals news agency UNI's office, cites high court order

Delhi Police on Friday sealed news agency UNI's office here, citing a high court order, even as the media organisation termed the action an "unprecedented atrocity and attack on freedom of media". The news agency also alleged that their female staff members were manhandled by the police team. However, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma told PTI that legal process was followed and no wrongdoings happened as everything was videographed. The police reached the premises on Rafi Marg with adequate deployment to carry out the sealing process after the Delhi High Court dismissed a petition filed by the news agency challenging the cancellation of its land allotment. The case pertained to an order issued by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, which had asked the news agency to vacate the premises. The matter is related to the cancellation of the allotment of land to the news agency. The high court upheld the ...

A-I Delhi-Vancouver flight returns after 7 hours over operational issue

After being airborne for over seven hours, an Air India plane from Delhi to Vancouver returned to the national capital on Thursday evening due to an operational issue. Without providing specific details, Air India, in a statement on Friday, said the aircraft landed safely at the Delhi airport. The flight was operated with Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft VT-AEI and was airborne for over seven hours. The plane turned back to Delhi when it was in the Chinese airspace, according to information available on the flight tracking website Flightradar24.com. "Air India flight AI185, operating from Delhi to Vancouver on 19 March, returned to Delhi due to an operational issue and in line with established standard operating procedures. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew had disembarked," the airline said in a statement. A source said that there might have been an administrative issue in terms of the aircraft deployed, which led to the decision to return to Delhi. Further detail

Union minister Jayant Chaudhary gets death threat, caller traced in Bengal

Union minister Jayant Chaudhary allegedly received a death threat from an unknown caller, following which a police complaint was lodged, an official said on Friday. Chaudhary, the minister of state (Independent Charge) of skill development and entrepreneurship, received the threat call from an unidentified number on Thursday, prompting an immediate review of his security, the official said. Police said the complaint was submitted on Chaudhary's behalf at Tughlak Road police station here and the matter is now under investigation. Efforts are being made to trace the origin of the call and identify the caller, they said.

Security intensified in Delhi ahead of Eid amid Uttam Nagar tension

With Eid-ul-Fitr a day away, security has been stepped up across Delhi's Dwarka district, as the adjoining West Delhi's Uttam Nagar area is still tense after the March 4 killing. Police said more than 100 pickets have been set up, with personnel deployed on rooftops and at key junctions to maintain a close watch on movement in sensitive pockets. Security arrangements have been further tightened around the Uttam Nagar East metro station following directions from the Delhi High Court to ensure adequate preparedness in view of apprehensions of unrest during the festival. A senior police officer said elaborate arrangements are in place to ensure that celebrations pass off peacefully. "We have made detailed deployment plans and are ready to respond swiftly to any situation," the officer said. According to police, additional forces have been stationed in Hastsal village, where the killing took place, and nearby areas, with joint deployment of Delhi Police and central armed forces at ...