COIMBATORE l sunday l november 02, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l LATE city EDITION city of Nawabs goes global as unesco high-fives its cuisine Lucknow has been inducted into UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network under the ‘Gastronomy’ category, a testimony of its culinary heritage lucknow is a haven for food, says u.n. Make a trip for its uniqueness: pm modi UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay designated 58 cities as new members of the CCN “for their commitment to championing creativity as a driver of sustainable urban development”. The UN in India in a post on X said, “From mouth-watering Galouti Kabab to Awadhi Biryani, desserts like Makhan Malai and so much more — Lucknow is a haven for food...” ■ ■ Lucknow isn’t just about its kebabs. If the ever-inviting, rather demure, creamy “Malai Gilori” is an all-time favourite, the mouth-watering “paani puri” or “paani ke batashe”, are favourites too “I am glad UNESCO recognised this aspect of Lucknow. I call upon people to visit it to discover its uniqueness,” PM Modi said on X 408 cities in the world are part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network 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 Sengottaiyan exit: EPS calls for meet on Nov 5 E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Chennai A day after being expelled from AIADMK, KA Sengottaiyan pilloried general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) calling him DMK’s B-team and someone who should be awarded the “Nobel Prize for betrayal”. “The EC has not recognised him as permanent general secretary I will legally challenge . my expulsion,” the senior leader said. “ AIADMK has been facing a series of electoral defeats. The decisions taken by EPS were the reason for the defeats. I met the expelled leaders during Thevar Jayanthi to bring AIADMK back to the path of victory The re. ward I got was expulsion,” he said. “Murders have occurred in Kodanad Estate where our leader J Jayalalithaa used to stay . But AIADMK did not pressure DMK to speed up the probe. I’m not the B-team of DMK, he is the A1,” the nine-time MLA said. Launching a fierce counterattack, EPS said he earned the KA Sengottaiyan, Edappadi Palaniswami post of general secretary through loyalty and commitment. “I am not a chameleon who changes colours. Sengottaiyan has never spoken a word against the DMK in the Assem- bly or in public. He is the B-team of DMK,” EPS said. Sengottaiyan had brought disrepute to the party by meeting TTV and OPS, and repeatedly violated rules, he said. EPS has convened a meeting of AIADMK district secretaries on November 5 in Chennai where he is likely to explain the situation that led to the expulsion of Sengottaiyan and the party’s future course of action for the 2026 Assembly poll.  FULL REPORT: PAGE 4 ‘Collective security key to sovereignty’ m aya n k s i n g h @ New Delhi A view of Nitish Kumar’s house in Kalyan Bigha in Nalanda district | Rajesh Kumar thakur Lalu Yadav’s ancestral home in Fulwaria in Gopalganj | Special arrangement 2005 fallout on Lalu, Nitish Kumar’s villages india chase history in Women’s WC G o m e s h S @ Navi Mumbai IT doesn’t get any bigger than this — India team is set for the final of the home ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup here on Sunday Their final . obstacle before getting their hands on their first-ever ICC Trophy are South Africa — a team and country chasing a history of their own. Myriad emotions have gripped the teams. One just needed stroll along the roads around the stadium to understand what the final meant. Thousands had flocked the gates and lanes of the venue, trying their luck to get tickets. The pressure of ‘availability of tickets’ did not spare the India captain either. Though it was an avoidable nuisance for players, yet Harmanpreet Kaur understood the gravity of it. She rather cheekily welcomed it. “I think it’s good that not only for cricket on the field but there is pressure for tickets also,” she said. “We know how it feels to lose, but we are really looking forward to seeing how it feels after we win. Hopefully this day tomorrow , (Sunday) will be special for us,” said Kaur.  P11 RA J ESH KUMAR THAKUR @ Nalanda/Gopalganj IN Bihar’s political heartland, two villages—Kalyan Bigha in Nalanda and Fulwaria in Gopalganj — stand as contrasting portraits of their most illustrious sons, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and for mer Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. Kalyan Bigha, Nitish Kumar’s ancestral village, mirrors the CM’s focus on development and order. The once-sleepy hamlet now gleams with smooth roads, solar-lit lanes, and uninterrupted electricity. On the spectrum’s far-end, former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Fulwaria reflects the fading imprint of a political era long past. Once popularly referred to as a “mini-secretariat” during the RJD’s rule from 1990 to 2005, Fulwaria is now lost in the tedious warp of time, with whatever once built now slowly withering away . In Kalyan Bigha, where Nitish Kumar is affectionately called as “Munna”, villagers speak with pride and gratitude. “Our Munna has made this village immortal with development works.,” said 70-year-old WITH THIS ISSUE Final today As spaces shrink and eco-awareness rises, urban Indians are embracing minimalist design Girendra Singh, sitting under a tree near the market that’s buzzing with evening chatter. The village has round-theclock electricity, high speed internet, a referral hospital, a high school upgraded to the 10+2 level, an ITI, a shooting range and a spacious guest house. Nitish’s ancestral doublestorey home remains locked for most of the year, except during his visits to the Smritiasthal, a memorial built in memory of his parents and wife. Nearby, the restored Devi-asthal — where he reportedly prays before major political moves — serves as the village’s spiritual heart. Every corner echoes the villagers’ affection for both Nitish and his son, Nishant Kumar. Their only worry— why the NDA hasn’t formally projected Nitish again as CM face. About 200 km away, in Fulwaria, the once-busy helipad is in ruin, the railway station silent, and battered link roads carry the scars of neglect. “Samay ka chakra hai. Jo kal chamakta tha aaj murjha raha hai (What once used to shine has now lost its glitter),” says Parmeshwari Singh. Kalyan Bigha for Nitish as PM Kalyan Bigha bears traces of anticipation. Many residents dream of seeing “Nitish Chacha” as Prime Minister one day, even as they await clarity from the NDA over the coalition’s CM face. Treat us at par, say villagers In Lalu’s ancestral village Fulwaria, villagers lament that Nitish Kumar’s government should treat Fulwaria equally, just as Kalyan Bigha is treated in terms of development. More or Less PLUS 12 P AGES SUNDAY SPECIAL E-buses to pare losses for MTC in Chennai B An b u s e lv a n @ Chennai The introduction of electric buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model has turned out to be an economically beneficial initiative for the debt-ridden Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC). However, a section of workers’ unions has alleged that the move marks a gradual attempt to privatise the state transport corporations. According to official sources, MTC incurs an average operational cost of `125 per km for running its diesel buses, while payments to private operators of electric buses are fixed at `77.06 per km for non-AC buses and `80.84 per km for AC buses. In addition to this, the corporation pays `4-`5 per km towards the salary of conductors. As a result, MTC’s operational expenses per bus have reduced by about 30%-35% when compared to conventional diesel buses. T Prabhushankar, managing director of MTC, said that the average per-kilometre payment made to the operator covers the cost of bus procurement, maintenance, and the driver’s salary . “The procurement cost of a diesel bus alone is around `40`50 lakh, which is funded by the state government, and not included in the operational cost,” he said.  P5 Gross Cost Contract model Under the GCC model, private operator handles the operation and maintenance of buses, while MTC collects the ticket revenue and pays the operator a fixed rate per kilometre DEFENCE Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reaffirmed India’s stance in the Indo-Pacific, stressing that its emphasis on the “rule of law” does not target any country but seeks to protect regional interests collectively . Speaking at the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting - Plus (12th ADMM-Plus) meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Singh said, “India’s emphasis on the rule of law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and its advocacy for freedom of navigation in Indo-Pacific, are not directed against any country but meant to safeguard collective interests of all stakeholders.” Singh asserted that India’s strategic engagement with ASEAN is not transactional but long-term & principle-driven. Nine killed in AP temple stampede No police permission sought for the event U s h a P e r i @ Srikakulam Nine devotees, eight of them women and a 13-year-old boy, died in a stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, on Saturday. The crush occurred when a large number of people thronged the temple for darshan on the first Ekadasi of Karthika Masam, considered auspicious. Two persons are reportedly in a critical condition, while about 15 others suffered minor injuries. All the victims hailed from nearby villages and mandals. Srikakulam district Superintendent of Police KV Maheswara Reddy said the temple was built recently on a private land without proper permissions. “The structure, including the gate and stairway, was completed only 3-4 months ago. The crowd tried to enter through an exit gate with a seven-foot drop. The grill at the spot was weak, and collapsed due to the pressure, leading to the fall of several devotees,” he explained. No permission was sought Rescue efforts on after the stampede at the temple in Kasibugga | Express from local police for crowd management. “A case has been registered against the temple owner, Hari Mukunda Panda, under various sections of culpable homicide,” the SP said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of `2 lakh to each of the families of the deceased. The state government said the temple was not under the control of the endowments department. Temple owner Harimukund Panda acknowledged that they were unprepared for the surge in devotees.