Delhi

It was a chilly New Year’s eve Tuesday in the national capital with the minimum temperature settling three notches below average at 4 degrees Celsius. The Met Office has forecast a foggy, cold New Year’s day.

“A partly cloudy sky is likely to become clear during the day. Some fog is expected in the morning,” said an official of the India Meteorological Department.

Tuesday’s maximum temperature was recorded three notches below average at 17.6 degrees Celsius.

The national capital recorded rainfall of 6.4 mm since Monday.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday met the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) over holding audit of power distribution companies in the capital.

Though a doctor Tuesday morning said the chief minister was still running fever and suffering from diarrhoea, Kejriwal held meetings to deliver on the Aam Aadmi Party’s promise of cheaper power for the national capital.

“Attempts are being made so our government falls. We do not know if our government will survive or not. We feel we have only 48 hours to serve the people,” said Kejriwal, who missed office Monday.

The Delhi Metro museum Tuesday celebrated its fifth anniversary. A touch screen information system was unveiled on the occasion.

Set up at the Patel Chowk Metro station, the touch screen information system comprises of a touch screen kiosk along with a 65 inch high definition monitor, where visitors will be able to watch informational films on various aspects related to the Metro.

“The idea behind this museum is to exhibit our work. We wanted to give out information and share new developments,” said Anuj Dayal, DMRC executive director for corporate communications.

Cold wave conditions have been further intensified in the national capital as light rain lashed most part of the city last night.

According to the Met. Department, the city has received 6.4 degree milimetres rainfall till 5.30 a.m.

The minimum temperature was recorded 11.6 Celsius and the maximum settled at 19.7 degree Cselsius.

The weatherman has predicted for partly cloudy sky with light rain in some parts of the city during next 24 hours. (ANI)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not attend office Tuesday too as he is still unwell.

“Arvind still has fever and his diarrhoea continues. Now his blood pressure has also gone down,” said Vipin Mittal, Kejriwal’s family doctor.

“So I have advised him to take rest at home today (Tuesday),” added Mittal.

It is the third day since swearing in as the chief minister that Kejriwal has not been able to attend office.(IANS)

Delhi continued to be chilly on New Year’s Eve Tuesday, with the minimum temperature recorded at 4 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season’s average. The weatherman has forecast light rain during the day.

“The day will remain cloudy with light rain expected,” said an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Even though the temperature Tuesday was a little higher than Monday’s lowest of 2.4 degrees Celsius, some people were disappointed that it was going to be a chilly New Year’s Eve, while some were excited about it.

Shortly after the Delhi government announced provision of 700 litres of free water per day to every household with a water connection, the Congress Monday questioned the move and said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should ensure that every citizen gets the facility.

“He had promised that all citizens of Delhi would get free water. But around 50 percent of Delhi does not get water at all. He should ensure that every citizen of Delhi gets free 700 litres of water per day,” Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit told reporters.

The Delhi government Monday decided to issue 5,500 inter-state permits for auto-rickshaws to travel within the National Capital Region territory.

This was announced by new Transport Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj here after a meeting.

The permits will allow autos to travel from Delhi to Gurgaon in Haryana, and from Delhi to Noida in Uttar Pradesh, and back.

“This will be implemented soon,” the minister said.(IANS)

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) would provide 700 litres of free water per day to each and every household which has a regular water connection, a board member Monday said.

The decision was taken after a meeting held at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence here which was attended by 18 members of the DJB.

“Seven hundred litres of water will be given to each and every household of Delhi, who have regular connections,” DJB member Sandeep Tanwar said adding that even if one point more than 700 litres is consumed, the household would need to pay the entire bill.

The new president of the Delhi unit of the Congress Party, Arvinder Singh Lovely, on Monday said former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari needed to provide proof about his allegation of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) inking a deal to facilitate the latter’s aim to form a government in the national capital.

The Delhi government Monday announced Rs. 1 crore compensation to the family of the 48-year-old excise department constable, who died after being attacked by bootleggers two days ago.

The decision was taken at a meeting between Excise Commissioner A.K. Singh and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Constable Vinod Kumar succumbed to his injuries in a hospital after being beaten by a group of bootleggers Dec 27 night in a jungle in Ghitorni village near Vasant Kunj area of south Delhi.

Upset at not being allowed entry to the Delhi Secretariat, journalists Monday boycotted a press conference by new Health Minister Satyendra Jain, who was to brief them on health issues before the Aam Aadmi Party government.

Newsmen were taken aback when they were denied entry into the secretariat complex – which they are normally allowed. They were instead asked to wait in the designated media room.

When Jain arrived for the media conference, two-and-half hours later than scheduled, angry reporters, especially from the electronic media, refused to broadcast the event.

Delhi recorded the lowest minimum temperature in a decade for the month of December as mercury dipped to a chilling 2.4 degrees this morning.

Today’s minimum was five degrees below normal. The minimum temperature yesterday was recorded at 4.5 degrees Celsius.

A thick blanket of fog accompanied by icy winds left people in the city shivering in the early hours.

The maximum temperature in the last 24 hours was recorded at 19.5 degree Celsius, which is a degree below normal.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will start trial runs on the first section of Phase III, between Central Secretariat and Mandi House from today.

According to a DMRC statement, after the trial run, the Metro line will opened for commuters by the end of March 2014.

Paying tribute to the Delhi gang rape victim on her death anniversary Women and Child Development Minister Rakhi Birla on Sunday said that not just a particular department but all the departments must ensure security for women.

“Safety of women should be the priority in every area. I have also put my suggestion before the cabinet yesterday that not just a particular department but all the departments must ensure security for women,” said Birla.

Cold wave continues to throw life out of gear in North India with the minimum temperature dipping to 2.4 degrees Celsius in the national capital, five degrees below normal.

On Sunday, the minimum temperature in the national capital was 4.5 degrees Celsius.

Jammu and Kashmir felt the cold tightening its grip, with the night temperature plummeting to the season’s lowest of -17.3 degrees in Ladakh’s Leh.

Himachal Pradesh continued to reel under severe cold condition despite sunny day yesterday.

In Uttar Pradesh also night temperatures plummeted to the season’s lowest at many places.

The Delhi Metro Sunday said the trial run on the first section of the Phase III route between Central Secretariat and Mandi House will begin Monday.

“The opening of the stretch has been advanced by about six months as this stretch will help a lot in decongesting the busy Rajiv Chowk metro station,” an official statement said.

“Commuters of the Badarpur-Central Secretariat line bound for Noida and Vaishali will be able to change trains at Mandi House without changing trains twice at Central Secretariat and Rajiv Chowk.”

Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely took charge as the Delhi Congress President on Sunday and thanked Congress President Sonia Gandhi for thinking him to be worthy of the post.

“I would like to thank Sonia Gandhi, who thought that I was worthy of this position. I will try my best to live up to the expectations of Mrs. Gandhi, the party people and the public,” said Lovely. “Even though we lost the Delhi elections, I would like to thank the party workers who worked hard during the polls and devoted so much to the party,” he said.

Built by the British in 1933, Connaught Place, the Indian capital’s crecent-shaped central business district that had fallen on bad days, has now been restored to its pristine glory, complete with a fresh coat of white paint, brighter signposts, a landscaped central fountain lawn and better access roads.

Nine senior bureaucrats, including the CEO of the Delhi Jal Board, have been transferred by Arvind Kejriwal, who took charge of the Delhi government on Saturday. According to reports, Delhi Jal Board CEO Debashree Mukherjee has now been posted as the Chief Managing Director of Delhi Transport Corporation. Senior IAS officer Vijay Kumar has been made the new CEO of Delhi Jal Board.

Delhi reeled under a cold wave Sunday morning as the minimum temperature settled three notches below the season’s average at 4.5 degrees Celsius. The day ahead, however, is expected to be pleasant and sunny, the Met Office said.

“The afternoon will be sunny but there will be light mist late evening,” said an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 19 degrees Celsius, added the official.

Though, dense fog in parts of north India continued to affect trains coming to Delhi.

Delhi’s new Education Minister Manish Sisodia Saturday asked officials of his department to make it clear to all private schools that education is not a profit making sector.

“Donations and fees in Delhi school are killing. Transparency in the fess structure is needed. We need to do something about it,” Sisodia told Amit Singla, a director in the department, soon after taking charge.

The meeting occurred in the presence of journalists who were waiting to introduce themselves to Sisodia.

He told them that education is close to his heart and his top priority.

————IANS

Former India captain and legendary spinner Bishen Singh Bedi along with several international cricketers will sit-in for two days at the Ferozeshah Kotla from Monday against the proxy system in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) elections.

Bedi is contesting for the post of president in the DDCA elections also slated for Monday.

Bedi is up against secretary general Sneh Bansal, who enjoys the support of outgoing DDCA president Arun Jaitley and has remote chances of winning. Bansal is also the vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday again turned down request of Delhi Police to provide him security cover.

“As soon as Arvind Kejriwal left Delhi secretariat, we offered him security cover. But, he again refused our proposal,” Special Commissioner of Police (Security) J.K. Sharma told IANS.

“Kejriwal told our cops to go back as he has no need for security,” said Sharma, adding: “What should we do if he is not ready to accept the security proposal?”

Ministers and officials of the Delhi government will not use red beacons – the symbol of power that gives them the right of way on roads – on their vehicles, the Delhi cabinet decided at its first meeting Saturday .

In a move against the “VIP culture” opposed by newly sworn-in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the cabinet decided that red beacons on vehicles will only be allowed for essential services, said official sources.

The cabinet also decided that security to lawmakers will be allotted only based on “threat perception”.