tirupati l thursday l march 06, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Cabinet OKs ropeway projects for Kedarnath, Hemkund sahib The Centre on Wednesday approved two ropeway projects in Uttarakhand to ease pilgrim access to Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib shrines Cuts travel time From 9 hrs to just 36 mins sky lifts to ferry 11,000 pilgrims daily The 16-km uphill trek to Kedarnath from Gaurikund is currently covered on foot, ponies, palanquins or helicopters. The `4,081 crore ropeway will cover 12.9 km, using advanced tricable gondola technology to carry 18,000 passengers daily, ensuring all-weather connectivity between Sonprayag and Kedarnath by cutting travel time from 9 hours to just 36 minutes ■ ■ The Hemkund ropeway, to be developed at `2,730 crore, will span 12.4 km from Govindghat, using monocable and tricable gondolas, carrying 11,000 people daily and enhancing last-mile connectivity Hemkund Sahib is a revered pilgrimage site and remains open from May to September, drawing 1.5 to 2 lakh pilgrims annually `6,811 crore worth projects are expected to be completed in 4-6 years CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Clear AP Land Grabbing Reciprocal tariff on India from Apr 2 Prohibition Bill: CM to HM highlighting that the US has long faced high tariffs from sevPresident Donald Trump eral countries, including India. announced reciprocal tariffs He announced that his adminon India starting April 2, sign- istration would impose reciproaling a tough path ahead in the cal tariffs on several countries bilateral Free Trade Agree- starting April 2. ment (FTA) negotiations as The White House had earlier they could clash with these put out a factsheet on India’s sweeping tariffs. tariff regime: “The US But New Delhi reaverage applied Most mains hopeful that the Favored Nation (MFN) understanding reached tariff on agricultural between Prime Minisgoods is 5%. But India’s ter Narendra Modi and average applied MFN President Trump on tariff is 39%. India also February 13 will help charges a 100% tariff on Piyush Goyal resolve trade issues and US motorcycles, while keep the September we only charge a 2.4% deadline for signing the first tariff on Indian motorcycles.” tranche of the FTA, as ComHowever, New Delhi is hopemerce and Industry Minister ful that “trade issues can be Piyush Goyal began his US trip sorted mutually” as India-US on Monday to meet the new ties are “multifaceted” in line United States Trade Represent- with understanding arrived at ative (USTR), Jamieson Greer. the meeting between Modi and In his first address of his sec- Trump. “We have a roadmap ond term to a joint session of that will ensure we sort out any Congress, President Trump de- issue through consultations,” fended his strict tariff policies, said a source. J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi Says six out of 10 legal cases are pertaining to land disputes in AP S V i s w a n at h @ Vijayawada Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on Wednesday, and discussed several issues related to Andhra Pradesh. During his meeting with Amit Shah, the Chief Minister explained the pressing issue of land g rabbing in Andhra Pradesh as six out of 10 legal cases are pertaining to land disputes. The absence of proper checks in the land computerisation process has led to large scale encroachment of lands in rural and urban areas. Hence, Naidu urged the Centre to clear the AP Land Grabbing Prohibition Bill 2024, citing Gujarat’s existing model as a precedent. He also mentioned the law enforcement concerns, including the large prevalence of bootlegging and ganja cultivation. Discussing Andhra Pradesh’s financial situation with Nirmala Sitharaman, the Chief Minister criticised the previ- Azmi suspended for eulogy of Aurangzeb s u d h i r s u r ya v a n s h i & N a m i ta b a j pa i @ Mumbai/Lucknow SAmajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi was on Wednesday suspended from the Maharashtra legislative assembly till the ongoing budget session ends on March 26, over his remarks eulogizing Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil had moved the motion of suspension. “Azmi’s comments praising Aurangzeb and criticising Sambhaji Maharaj do not suit the stature of a member of the assembly and is an insult of the legislative assembly Patil said. ,” Azmi, president of the Samajwadi Party’s state unit, had said that during Aurangzeb’s reign, India’s border reached Afghanistan and Bur ma (Myanmar). “Wrong history is being shown in ‘Chaava’... Aurangzeb built several temples. I do not think he was a cruel administrator,” said the MLA from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency in Mumbai. Naidu highlights AP’s recent growth During a meeting with Nirmala Sitharaman, he highlighted the State’s recent economic growth, reporting a 12.94% increase, and a 15.86% growth in the agricultural sector. He stressed the need to boost service sector to achieve 15% growth rate ous YSRCP government for leaving behind `10 lakh crore outstanding arrears, creating a saturated loan scenario. Despite this, he highlighted the State’s recent economic growth, reporting a 12.94% overall increase, and a 15.86% growth in TTto walk icon set into sunset The final game Multiple Commonwealth and Asian Games medallist Sharath Kamal says it’s time to hang racquet and his iconic bandana. The World TT in Chennai to be his last competition as a professional | More on p11 the agricultural sector. He stressed the need to boost the service sector to achieve a sustainable 15% growth rate, and create wealth rather than relying on borrowing. Naidu underscored the importance of interlinking rivers to prevent water wastage, and provide irrigation facility to drought-prone regions like Rayalaseema. He proposed linking of Polavaram and Banakacherla, along with Vamsadhara, Nagavalli, Penna and Krishna rivers, ensuring efficient water distribution. About 200 TMC of water, which currently goes waste into the sea, can be utilised for irrigation and drinking purposes with the river linking projects, he said. Naidu requested Nitin Gadkari to ensure speedy completion of the Amaravati Outer Ring Road, spanning 189 km, and emphasised the need for an 8-lane ORR similar to the one built in Hyderabad. He also discussed the importance of an eastern bypass road in Andhra Pradesh, and proposed solutions to address traffic congesP4 tion at Srisailam.  I feel, stepping away as a player gives me more time to help and develop the sport Photo: P Jawahar Donald Trump addresses his first joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday after beginning his second term as US President | AP Steps to open the door for US products India has taken steps to enhance market access for US agricultural products like alfalfa hay, duck meat, and medical devices and lowered tariffs on US products such as bourbon whiskey, motorcycles, ICT products, and metals. “The plan we have chalked out while setting a trade target of 500 billion USD by 2030 is mutually agreeable. It has many elements as agreed between the leadership of two countries, including increasing US industrial exports to India and expanding Indian exports of labour-intensive products to the US,” a source said Air India trainer pilot among 30 sacked, 10 others grounded E x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e @ New Delhi AIR INDIA has fired a simulator trainer pilot for lapses and removed 10 pilots, who underwent training under the trainer pilot, from flying duties pending investigation, the Tata G r o u p a i rl i n e s a i d Wednesday . The action came after a whistleblower flagged the simulator trainer pilot of dereliction of duty while training others. “A detailed investigation was conducted and, following a review of the evidence, the allegation was corroborated. Accordingly, the said trainer pilot’s services are being termi- nated. As a precaution, 10 pilots who underwent recurrent training under the trainer pilot have been removed from flying duties pending further investigation,” said an Air India spokesperson. Air India has reported the matter to aviation regulator DGCA. While Air India did not disclose details of the incident or the trainer’s conduct, a source familiar with the matter said the trainer pilot was repeatedly absent during training sessions and violated several other protocols. Air India also said that it terminated 30 employees in 2024 for various ethical breaches, with numerous others handed disciplinary action. “Immediately following the privatisation of Air India under the Tata group, the airline implemented the Tata Code of Conduct to establish clear behavioural expectations and accelerate cultural change to that of a Tata Group Company the ,” airline said. This included comprehensive training for all employees on Tata’s ethos and ethics-related policies, such as anti-bribe r y, a n t i - c o r r u p t i o n a n d whistleblowing, among others. Air India said that an Apex Ethics Committee led by senior management oversees efforts to foster a culture with zero tolerance for unethical behaviour. ‘Retain delimitation formula till 2056’ the CM at the meeting held to discuss the impacts of the delimitation of Lok Sabha seats expected in 2026, also urged for a constitutional amendment ensuring the same. It was also resolved that formal invitations would be sent to form a Joint Action Committee, comprising of MPs from southern states, to carry forward delimitation-related demands and spread awareness among the public. The all-party meeting strongly and unanimously registered its opposition to the delimitation exercise based on present population, which it termed as a “grave threat” to the representative rights of TN and other southern states and the country’s federal polity . Of the 66 recognised and registered parties invited by the TN government for the meeting, only the BJP Naam Tami, lar Katchi and five other smaller parties — Puthiya Tamilagam, Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar), Puthiya Neethi Katchi, Dr MGR Kudiyarasu Katchi and the India Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhagam — skipped it. E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e ‘YSRCP’s numbers to blame for it’ Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Ch Ayyanna Patrudu has ruled out the possibility of granting Leader of Opposition (LoP) status to YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as his party lacked the required numerical strength. In the 175-member Assembly , a party must have at least 18 MLAs — 10% of the total strength — to qualify for the opposition recognition. The YSRCP has mere 11 MLAs. With the YSRCP falling short of the required strength, Ayyanna declared that discretionary recognition would be inappropriate, delivering this The Speaker stressed that his absolute discretion under the law is tempered by these norms. Thus, the YSRCP’s shortfall disqualified Jagan for LoP status, a decision Ayyanna deemed consistent with constitutional, legal and historical standards, reinforcing integrity eral’s suggestion to exclude the Speaker from the litigation, despite Jagan naming him as a respondent. This legal detour u n d e r s c o r e d t h e i s s u e ’s complexity . The Speaker questioned Jagan’s prior understanding of the 10% rule, referencing a June 13, 2019, Assembly speech where Jagan, then Chief Minister, remarked that TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu’s 23 MLAs could lose Opposition status if reduced to below 18. In the 175-member Assembly, Jagan’s YSRCP had a strength of 151 legislators then. This, Ayyanna contended, showed Jagan’s “selective amnesia” in now claiming the LoP status, unbecoming of his past P4 high offices.  E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Chennai As many as 59 Tamil Nadu political parties on Wednesday unanimously demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi unequivocally assure in Parliament that the 1971 population census will remain the basis for delimitation of Lok Sabha seats for another 30 years — till 2056 — by adopting a resolution to this effect at the all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin. The resolution, proposed by Kane Williamson reverse sweeps versus South Africa on Wednesday | AFP NZ in final: Kane and abEL with Assembly Speaker rules out LoP status for Jagan Rachin by his side @ Vijayawada ruling during the Assembly session on Wednesday . The decision followed a contentious exchange initiated by a June 24, 2024, letter from Jagan, which Ayyanna described as laden with accusations, speculative claims, threats, and flawed arguments asserting the former Chief Minister’s entitlement to the LoP status. Notably, the letter lacked a clear request. Jagan then took the matter to the Andhra Pradesh High Court, seeking a directive to compel the Assembly Secretary and the Speaker to designate him as Leader of Opposition. Ayyanna opted to await the court’s stance, which ultimately sided with the Advocate Gen- E x p r e s s N e w s s e r v i c e @ Chennai The story of the Champions Trophy fluctuated between the seemingly devious pitches of Dubai to high-scoring ones in Pakistan. So did the fortunes of most teams. The debate over Dubai favouring India had been in the news more than the grinding cricket they had played in the middle. The venue will be in focus for one last time on Sunday when India face New Zealand for the title. The Black Caps had always posed some threat to India in big matches, but the way Men in Blue have been playing this time, starting as favourites is a given. Going by their performance against South Africa in the semifinal on Wednesday, the Black Caps showed they will be no pushovers. A score of 362/6 against South Africa on a wicket that assisted some spin would give them confidence. But what would bring big cheer to the team will be the form of their top order batters, including Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson. Both scored hundreds and played a pivotal role to take the game away from the South Africans. Only solid batting could have saved the latter but fate discarded them later as skipper Mitchell Santner once again tweaked his way into form. May not be high-scoring but the P11 final promises to be one big blockbuster.  Pawan names Nagababu as JSP candidate for MLC polls E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada Putting an end to the speculations about the political future of Jana Sena Party general secretary K Nagababu, JSP chief and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has finalised the name of his elder brother as the party candidate for the MLC elections under the MLAs’ quota. Besides asking Nagababu to file his nomination papers for the MLC seat, Pawan Kalyan directed the JSP office-bearers to ready the necessary documents for the filing of his elder brother’s nomination. In fact, Nagababu wanted to contest from Anakapalle Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 elections. However, as part of the seat sharing agreement among the TDP-JSP-BJP combine, Anakapalle was allotted to BJP leader CM Ramesh. Later, the JSP expected a Rajya Sabha berth for Nagababu. However, it did not materialise during the biennial elections held to three Rajya Sabha seats in the State with the TDP taking two, and the other went to the BJP . While nominating candidates to the Rajya Sabha, TDP supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced his decision to induct Nagababu into the State Cabinet. However, Pawan Kalyan is of the view that except in special circumstances, the Cabinet berth should not be given to a person, who is not the member of either the Assembly or Council. With the Election Commission releasing the schedule to fill five vacant seats in the AP Legislative Council, Pawan Kalyan named Nagababu as the JSP candidate. The coalition with a strength of 164 in the 175-member Legislative Assembly is set to win all the five MLC seats. It is not known yet whether the TDP will take the remaining four MLC seats or give one of them to BJP .