Ground is Sinking Under Millions of Homes in Indian Cities: Study
NB, News Briefings, October 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, October 2025 Vishal Arora

Ground is Sinking Under Millions of Homes in Indian Cities: Study

A new study offers a serious warning for India’s rapidly expanding urban areas, presenting evidence that large parts of five megacities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bengaluru, are sinking due to the over-extraction of groundwater. This subsidence is causing uneven ground deformation, which in turn is putting thousands of buildings at growing risk of long-term structural damage.

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Gujarat Bridge Collapse Reveals Culture of Neglect in Indian Governance
NB, News Briefings, July 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, July 2025 Vishal Arora

Gujarat Bridge Collapse Reveals Culture of Neglect in Indian Governance

At least 11 people were killed and five seriously injured after the Gambhira Bridge in Gujarat’s Vadodara district collapsed into the Mahisagar River on the morning of July 8. The incident lays bare a longstanding culture of neglect and carelessness that defines public infrastructure governance across much of India.

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Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi Among Cities with Worst Traffic Congestion Globally
NB, News Briefings, Jan25 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, Jan25 Vishal Arora

Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi Among Cities with Worst Traffic Congestion Globally

Three Indian cities—Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi—rank among the slowest globally in terms of average travel speeds, according to the TomTom Traffic Index 2025. The report, drawing from over 450 billion miles driven worldwide in 2024, shows a pressing challenge for the country’s urban hubs: the deteriorating quality of urban mobility.

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10 Train Derailments Across India in Just 18 Days
aug24 Vishal Arora aug24 Vishal Arora

10 Train Derailments Across India in Just 18 Days

In the span of just 18 days, India’s sprawling rail network has witnessed a distressing series of derailments, with 10 trains veering off the tracks across various regions. These incidents call for urgent conversations about the safety and reliability of a transport system integral to the nation’s daily commute.

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Is Central Govt Shifting Development Responsibility to States and Private Sector?
july24 Vishal Arora july24 Vishal Arora

Is Central Govt Shifting Development Responsibility to States and Private Sector?

The central government’s infrastructure spending, or capex, will remain at 3.4 percent of GDP, Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth said in an interview with ThePrint. This decision, outlined during the announcement of the Union Budget 2024, signals a significant shift in strategy. Seth said it’s now up to state governments and the private sector to step up their investments in infrastructure. Is this move good for the country’s growth and beneficial for its people?

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Railways to Blame for Kanchenjunga Express Collision, Probe Says
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Railways to Blame for Kanchenjunga Express Collision, Probe Says

The catastrophic collision between the Kanchenjunga Express and a freight train in West Bengal in June, resulting in 10 fatalities and numerous injuries, has been declared an “accident-in-waiting” in a report by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), which has pinpointed multiple administrative and operational errors.

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Cyclone Remal's Aftermath Claims Nearly 60 Lives in Northeast India
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Cyclone Remal's Aftermath Claims Nearly 60 Lives in Northeast India

Floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Remal have claimed nearly 60 lives and affected hundreds of thousands of people in the northeastern states of Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya. As many of these states have regions that are difficult to access and telecommunication can be challenging during disasters, it is likely that the death toll will rise in the coming days.

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41 Workers Trapped in Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescued
NOV23 Vishal Arora NOV23 Vishal Arora

41 Workers Trapped in Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescued

At last, after an intense 16-day struggle, 41 workers were saved from the Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel in Uttarakhand, owing to the efforts of rat-hole miners armed with simple tools. This rescue, though a relief, serves as another crucial reminder for India’s path of development: the pursuit of progress must not undermine the health of our environment and the well-being of local communities.

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Are We on Shaky Ground?
NOV23 Vishal Arora NOV23 Vishal Arora

Are We on Shaky Ground?

When the earth beneath India and Nepal trembled on the night of Nov 3, it wasn’t just another natural occurrence but a stark reminder of the simmering geological tensions beneath our feet. The magnitude 6.4 earthquake with its epicenter nestled in Nepal’s Doti district is the latest in what seems to be an increasingly unstable chapter for the region. As residents, we must ask ourselves: are we ready for the “big one”?

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The Murky World of Electoral Bonds
OCT23 Vishal Arora OCT23 Vishal Arora

The Murky World of Electoral Bonds

Imagine you’re at a poker table, and one player has a special deck of cards. He knows what’s coming next, but you and your friends are left guessing. Wouldn’t you be sceptical about the fairness of the game? Welcome to the high-stakes world of electoral bonds in India—a subject that’s headed for the courtroom on Oct. 31, and one that we should all care deeply about.

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