Pioneer In Short
Multiple blasts rock Meghalaya
Four back-to-back bomb attacks targeting Government and police establishments rocked Meghalaya’s capital between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, prompting authorities to drastically tighten security. Fortunately, no casualties were reported from any of the incidents. The latest attacks occurred in the early hours of Thursday when miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) campus in Laitumkhrah, triggering a fire that was swiftly doused by fire tenders. Simultaneously, a police booth at Nongmensong was set ablaze by unidentified individuals. These followed two similar strikes on Wednesday night.
A petrol bomb struck the rear portion of the officer-in-charge’s room at the Lumdiengjri police station, causing minor damage. Earlier Wednesday evening, a similar attack targeted the Directorate of Mineral Resources (DMR) office at Risa Colony, damaging an employee’s private vehicle before locals extinguished the flames. Senior police officials stated that an exhaustive investigation is underway. Authorities are currently examining CCTV footage and surrounding evidence to identify the perpetrators and uncover the motives behind the coordinated attacks, while security remains on high alert across all vital state installations.
Low footfall plagues green train
Indian Railways is planning to extend the route of its sole indigenous hydrogen-powered train up to Azadpur Station in Delhi following an extremely low passenger turnout on the Jind-Sonipat section in Haryana. Launched on July 17 as a milestone for sustainable transport, the 10-coach train-capable of carrying 2,600 passengers-currently draws a meager 40 to 60 commuters per journey, forcing authorities to cut down operations to a single daily return trip. Officials noted that the lack of office-goers and industrial workers along the 89-kilometer route mirrors the low footfall previously seen on DEMU services. While technical requirements like fuel range are manageable, experts warn that capacity constraints on Delhi tracks present operational hurdles, as regular commuter trains typically feature 18 to 20 coaches. Meanwhile, local passengers have suggested alternative route realignments through industrial hubs like Panipat to boost ridership.
Railway authorities stated that experts are actively monitoring the trial runs and evaluating safety measures before finalizing any decision on the proposed Delhi extension.
