New Delhi: Indian Railways has sanctioned a series of key infrastructure and technology upgradation works totalling over ₹765 crore to strengthen operations, expand line capacity, and modernise communication systems across critical sections of the network.

The sanctioned projects cover upgradation of electric traction systems on two high-density freight and passenger corridors, and a major expansion of the optical fibre communication backbone across Vadodara and Mumbai Central Divisions of Western Railway.

Upgradation of Electric Traction System in Duvvada–Visakhapatnam–Vizianagaram Section

Indian Railways has also sanctioned ₹318.07 crore for upgrading the electric traction system on the 106-km Duvvada–Visakhapatnam–Vizianagaram section of East Coast Railway.

The section will be upgraded from the existing 1×25 kV system to a more advanced 2×25 kV system, enabling higher freight loading, improved speed potential, and enhanced reliability on this high-density corridor.

Located on the busy Howrah–Chennai route, this section plays a crucial role in transporting minerals and industrial goods from Odisha and Chhattisgarh to Visakhapatnam Port. The upgrade will strengthen power supply capacity, ensuring smoother freight movement and more efficient passenger train operations.

The project is part of a nationwide programme included in the 2024–25 Railway Budget aimed at modernising electric traction systems across Indian Railways.

Upgradation of Electric Traction System in Raichur–Guntakal Section

Indian Railways has sanctioned ₹259.39 crore for upgrading the electric traction system on the 126-km Raichur–Guntakal section spanning Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh under Guntakal Division of South Central Railway.

The section will be upgraded from the existing 1×25 kV system to a more advanced 2×25 kV system, enabling higher train loads, improved speed potential, and greater operational reliability on this high-density corridor.

Located on the busy Mumbai–Chennai route, the upgrade will strengthen power supply capacity, facilitating smoother freight movement and faster passenger services, including Vande Bharat trains. The project will contribute to Indian Railways’ mission of achieving 3,000 MT freight loading while enhancing overall network efficiency.

The work forms part of a nationwide programme included in the 2024–25 Railway Budget aimed at modernising electric traction systems across Indian Railways.

Provision of OFC Communication Backbone in Vadodara and Mumbai Divisions

Indian Railways has sanctioned ₹187.88 crore for strengthening the communication backbone in Vadodara and Mumbai Central Divisions of Western Railway.

The project provides for installation of a 4×48 core Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) backbone architecture, ensuring enhanced bandwidth, network redundancy, and reliable support for LTE-based Kavach and other critical railway communication systems. This upgrade will strengthen the digital infrastructure required for the implementation of Kavach, the indigenous train collision avoidance system.

Under this work, optical fibre cables will be laid over 1,000 route kilometres, including 692 km in Vadodara Division and 308 km in Mumbai Division.

The project is part of a larger nationwide programme included in the 2024–25 Railway Budget aimed at expanding Kavach and modernising railway communication systems across the network.

Strengthening Rail Infrastructure and Capacity

These sanctioned works will enhance the efficiency and reliability of railway operations by improving traction power systems, strengthening communication backbone infrastructure, and enabling higher freight loading capacity along major railway corridors.

The initiatives will also support the operation of modern trains, strengthen digital communication networks, and improve the overall performance of Indian Railways across key freight and passenger routes.

Srinagar, Mar 10 ; The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar, recognised as the largest such garden in Asia, will be formally opened to the public for the 2026 season on March 16, officials said on Tuesday.

Director of Floriculture, Kashmir, Mathoora Masoom said that the garden, situated on the foothills of the Zabarwan Range with a view of the Dal Lake, is fully prepared to receive visitors. The annual blooming of the garden traditionally marks the commencement of the tourist season in the Valley.

“With the tulips now in full bloom, the department has decided to commence the visiting schedule for the season from March 16,” Director Masoom said.

Officials said approximately 1.8 million tulip bulbs, comprising between 70 and 75 different varieties, have been planted this season. The density of flower-beds has been enhanced this year to present a more vibrant and striking floral spectacle for visitors.

Originally named Siraj Bagh, the garden was rechristened as the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in 2008. It has since emerged as a major attraction for domestic and international tourists visiting the Kashmir Valley during the spring season.

In a related development heralding the arrival of spring, the almond trees at Srinagar’s historic Badamwari garden have burst into bloom. The garden, located in the old city area on the foothills of Koh-e-Maraan, is now covered in shades of pink and white. For the people of the Valley, the blooming of the almond trees is an annual celebration that signals the end of the prolonged winter chill. (KNS)

Srinagar, Mar 10 : The Jammu and Kashmir Jal Shakti Department has ordered the immediate disengagement of three workers over their alleged involvement in anti-national and subversive activities.

According to seperate orders, Kousar Hussain Bhagwan (NBCL) and Liyaqat Ali Bhagwan (NBCL), involved in FIR No. 230/2019 under UAPA Sections 13, 18, 19, 38, 39, and Showkat Ahmad Zargar (DRW), involved in FIR No. 53/2019 under Sections 307 RPC, 7/27 Arms Act and UAPA Sections 16, 18 have been removed from their services.

The orders stated that they have been disengaged after investigations revealed their alleged links to terrorism, terrorist acts, conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, harbouring terrorists, and membership/support of a terrorist organization, and

The government stated that these actions were taken “in the interest of administration.”

Kousar is a need based casual labourer and posted at Huller, PHE Sub-Division Kishtwara , Liyaqat is also a need based casual labourer and posted at Berwar, Kishtwar and Showkat is a Daily Rated Wager (DRW) and posted at Bijbehara, Anantnag—(KNO)

JAMMU, MARCH 09: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today hosted a dinner in honour of the Jammu & Kashmir Ranji Trophy champion team, celebrating their remarkable achievement.

The team was warmly received by the Chief Minister in the presence of his Cabinet colleagues and senior officers. On the occasion, the players were also presented with an award money of ₹2 crore in recognition of their outstanding performance.
President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Mithun Manhas, was also present at the event.

Congratulating the players, the Chief Minister lauded their dedication and perseverance, saying their achievement has brought immense pride to Jammu & Kashmir. He wished them continued success and encouraged them to keep striving for excellence and making the region proud on the national stage.

Among those present on the occasion were Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary; Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmad Rana, Javid Ahmed Dar and Satish Sharma; Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Commissioner Secretary Youth Services & Sports Shahid Iqbal Choudhary; Director General Youth Services & Sports, JKCA administrators and members, Secretary Sports Council and other senior officers.

JAMMU, MARCH 09: A Full Court Reference was held today in the Courtroom of the Chief Justice at Jammu Wing of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to condole the demise of Justice V. K. Jhanji, Former Judge/Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, who passed away on 23rd February, 2026.

The Full Court Reference was convened in accordance with the long-standing conventions and institutional traditions of the High Court.

The Reference was attended by all the Judges of the High Court with the Judges from the Jammu Wing joined the Reference physically, while those present in the Srinagar Wing joined through virtual mode.

The proceedings were also attended by family members of Justice V. K. Jhanji, former Chief Justices and former Judges of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh; Senior Additional Advocate General; Deputy Solicitors General of India at Jammu and Srinagar; President, Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Jammu; Senior Advocates; Principal District and Sessions Judge, Jammu; Judicial Officers and officers of the Registry. Besides, officers and officials and Advocates of the High Court from the Srinagar Wing joined the proceedings through virtual mode.

On the occasion, the Senior Additional Advocate General and the President, Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Jammu, in their condolence addresses, remembered the distinguished judicial career and invaluable contribution of late Justice V. K. Jhanji to the administration of justice. They prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss.

Chief Justice of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh, Arun Palli, in his condolence address, recalled the remarkable judicial career of Justice V. K. Jhanji and observed that his profound knowledge of law and commitment to justice has left a lasting impression on the legal fraternity. He recalled the justice jhanji’s capacity to decide the complex legal issues.
The Chief Justice, on behalf of all the Judges of the High Court, placed on record collective respect and gratitude for the life and service of Justice Jhanji.

The proceedings concluded with observance of a minute’s silence as a mark of respect to the departed soul and the Court work was suspended for the rest of the day.
The proceedings were conducted by M.K Sharma, Registrar General.

TAQWA SHAFI

New Delhi: In a major breakthrough against darknet-enabled narcotics trafficking, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has dismantled a pan-India drug distribution network operating under the name “Team Kalki.” The network had been active on darknet platforms and the encrypted Session messaging application since January 2025. Acting on intelligence developed in last three months, NCB conducted an operation in New Delhi, leading to the bust of the network.

During the operation, NCB officers seized 2,338 LSD blotters, 160 MDMA (Ecstasy) pills weighing 77.517 grams, 73.612 grams of charas, 3.642 grams of amphetamine, and 3.6 kg of liquid MDMA from 13 domestically intercepted parcels and 2 parcels originating from the Netherlands linked to the network. The seizure highlights the growing use of darknet marketplaces and encrypted communication platforms by drug traffickers to distribute narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The operation marks one of the significant crackdowns on darknet-based narcotics trafficking networks operating in India.

Investigation so far has revealed that the darknet vendor “Team Kalki” was operated by Anurag Thakur along with his associate Vikas Rathi. Both accused are habitual offenders and were previously arrested in cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Vikas Rathi had earlier been lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with a charas trafficking case registered by the Delhi Police Special Cell, while Anurag Thakur had been imprisoned in a methamphetamine trafficking case registered by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. Both were lodged in Tihar Jail for the same time, during which they came together and later operated the darknet drug network “Team Kalki.”

Initially, the accused were active on the dark web forum “Dread,” where the vendor account maintained a four-star rating, indicating successful completion of a large number of orders. Once they established on Dread, also started their operations to the encrypted Session messaging application for vending and order fulfilment.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the network had a pan-India distribution footprint and employed sophisticated methods to evade law enforcement detection. It has further been revealed that the accused allegedly sourced LSD and MDMA from international darknet vendors based in the Netherlands, Poland and Germany. Orders from customers across India were received through encrypted platforms such as the dark web forum “Dread” and the Session messaging application, enabling anonymity and concealment of digital footprints.

Upon receiving orders from customers, one of the accused would relay the order details to his associate, who handled the packaging and dispatch of the narcotic consignments. The drugs were subsequently sent to customers across various parts of the country through courier and parcel services.

The investigation has also uncovered the use of a “dead drop” delivery technique, wherein parcels containing narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances were placed at pre-determined locations instead of being handed over directly to customers. Buyers were subsequently informed of the location details, enabling them to collect the parcels while minimizing the risk of detection. The “dead drop” delivery method was used only in limited areas of Delhi, and primarily for customers with a history of multiple prior orders. For pan-India deliveries, the accused predominantly used Speed Post and other courier/parcel services. As part of a cautious operational approach to avoid detection, a different courier or parcel service booking office was used for each consignment.

Further investigation has revealed that the network had dispatched narcotic drugs to several states across India. Some consignments were intercepted and seized by law enforcement agencies before delivery in Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala and Karnataka, and the details of such cases are being analysed.

The network is suspected to have dispatched more than 1,000 consignments since Jan 2025. Multiple electronic devices have been recovered from the accused, and a cryptocurrency wallet linked to the operation has been identified.

The accused accepted payments through cryptocurrencies using unhosted wallets, including Monero and USDT. The proceeds were routed through multiple intermediary wallets, with conversion charges of up to 10%, to convert the funds into USDT, which was subsequently stored in cold wallets. In certain instances, mule KYC-compliant wallets were also used to route the proceeds into the formal banking system.

For receiving USDT payments, temporary unhosted wallets were created dynamically, and the funds received were immediately transferred through multiple layers of intermediary wallets to beneficiary wallets, thereby attempting to obscure the transaction trail and hinder tracking by law enforcement agencies.

NCB is continuing the investigation to identify other associates, trace financial transactions, and uncover the international supply chain linked to the network. Further efforts are underway to dismantle the entire operational ecosystem of “Team Kalki.”

This operation is part of NCB’s sustained nationwide crackdown on darknet-enabled drug trafficking and synthetic drug networks. In past also, NCB has successfully conducted several major operations including Operation Ketamelon (2025) and Operation Zambada (2023), targeting organized drug trafficking syndicates and dismantling supply chains linked to international darknet markets.

This action reflects India’s Zero Tolerance Policy against narcotics and the Government’s resolve to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating both in the physical and virtual domains. NCB reiterates its unwavering commitment to dismantling organized drug trafficking networks and safeguarding society from the menace of narcotics. The public is encouraged to share information related to sale, transport or trafficking of narcotics through the MANAS – National Narcotics Helpline (Toll Free No. 1933). The identity of informers is kept strictly confidential.