Surat

Addressing the fifth edition of SemiCon India, the speaker highlighted India's rapid strides in building a comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem, spanning chip design, manufacturing, testing capabilities, and material supply chains. The address outlined key economic milestones, including a 7.8 percent quarterly GDP growth rate, sovereign rating upgrades, and the operationalisation of a 3000-kilometre Dedicated Freight Corridor. Emphasising the transition from policy frameworks to commercial chip production at facilities in Mohali and Surat, the speaker announced the rollout of the second phase of the India Semiconductor Mission, valued at 13.5 billion dollars. Key reforms allowing international partnerships with domestic design startups and fabless firms were highlighted. Addressing challenges posed by artificial intelligence and rising computing demands, the address stressed the importance of energy security, pointing to India's installed solar capacity expanding from two gigawatts to over 160 gigawatts alongside nuclear power development. The speech underlined India's emergence as a trusted global supply chain destination.

The Dedicated Freight Corridor from Dadri to JNPT has been completed and dedicated to the nation. The modern transformation of the railway network includes widespread upgrades across tracks, stations, overhead equipment, signalling, and operating systems. Key milestones achieved include the complete redevelopment of 280 stations, the construction of 36,000 kilometres of new tracks, and the nationwide rollout of the Kavach safety system. In addition, seven major railway corridors across the country are undergoing four-lining expansion to boost capacity and allow more trains to operate. Modern train services such as Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat, and Namo Bharat are actively expanding, alongside the development of cargo variants. Furthermore, the construction of the high-speed rail corridor between Surat and Vapi is scheduled for completion this year, with initial testing of the bullet train set to commence next year.

A viral video showing a rat eating a snack inside a display case at a Surat railway station tea stall has raised serious concerns regarding food hygiene. Following the incident, railway authorities immediately sealed the outlet and ordered it to be cleaned and shut down. Railway PRO Anup Sakena stated that the outlet was sealed as soon as officials became aware of the video. The authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident and initiated proceedings to cancel the contractor's license, alongside plans to suspend or blacklist the contractor. This incident comes amid growing concerns over food safety and hygiene for passengers using Indian Railways.

A five-year-old child died, and four family members were hospitalised in Surat following suspected food poisoning, prompting the civic body to seal the restaurant and fine over 200 establishments.

This episode of India First reports on the military escalation between the United States and Iran following strikes on ninety Iranian targets and retaliatory ballistic missiles in Jordan.

At least nine people have died in rain-related incidents in Gujarat's Surat district over the past few days as relentless monsoon showers triggered flood-like conditions, widespread waterlogging and disrupted normal life. Water inundated homes, shops and commercial complexes, including ground-floor establishments at Poddar Arcade in Varachha, while public transport and city bus services were severely affected. Officials said more than 3,400 people were rescued and over 3,800 shifted from low-lying areas as authorities responded to the crisis.

The monsoon has once again exposed glaring infrastructure failures and poor urban planning across India's major cities, triggering widespread waterlogging, traffic snarls and loss of life. In Mumbai, the Andheri subway was shut, parts of the Western Express Highway were inundated, and a commuter was injured after being struck by a falling tree branch, while neighbouring Vasai, Virar and Navi Mumbai battled severe flooding and power outages. In the Delhi-NCR region, a spell of rain caused a three-kilometre traffic jam on National Highway 48 in Gurugram and led to road cave-ins. As roads vanish under floodwaters and normal life grinds to a halt, the recurring monsoon chaos has once again raised serious questions over the preparedness, accountability and planning of civic authorities across the country.

Monsoon rainfall has caused widespread waterlogging and traffic jams across Mumbai, Gurugram, and Surat, while a waste-to-energy plant collapsed in Pune.

This edition of News Today covers the escalating Ram Mandir donation theft controversy in Ayodhya following the resignation of temple trust General Secretary Champat Rai.

A day after a boy died in Mumbai after a tree fell on his school bus, now an elderly man has died after he fell into an open manhole.

In this edition of Political Stock Exchange, watch the findings of the CVoter survey on how people responded to this and other questions related to the examination system mess amid massive anger over NEET-UG leak, CBSE, CUET chaos.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is heading towards a massive victory in the Gujarat municipal elections, securing twelve out of fifteen municipal corporations.

Two Railway Police Head Constables averted a major tragedy at Surat Railway Station on Thursday, pulling a woman to safety just as she was about to fall beneath a moving train. The dramatic rescue, captured on CCTV, has drawn widespread praise.

An India Today ground report reveals how the acute LPG crisis, linked to the impact of the West Asia war, is forcing thousands of migrant workers in many cities to abandon their jobs and return to their villages.

In an interview, Gujarat's Deputy Chief Minister, Harsh Sanghvi, detailed the state's new Uniform Civil Code (UCC), positioning it as a law for gender justice. Following Uttarakhand, Gujarat has become the second state to pass a UCC bill, which aims to create a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, and succession for all communities. Sanghvi, who also manages the Home, Police, and Transport portfolios, noted that the legislation was drafted after the Justice Ranjana Desai Committee reviewed over 20 lakh public suggestions. Key provisions include the mandatory registration of marriages and live-in relationships, a measure intended to protect women from fraudulent relationships. The law also grants legitimate status to children born from live-in unions and allows deserted women to claim maintenance. Sanghvi clarified that while parental notification is required for marriage registration, their consent is not. He also defended the exemption of tribal communities from the UCC's provisions.

Fuel panic is sweeping across Indian cities as long queues form at petrol pumps from Hyderabad, Nagpur, Prayagraj to Lucknow, triggered by social media rumours and actual shortages.

Surat’s ₹21-crore overhead water tank, built to supply drinking water to 33 villages, collapsed during a trial run even before its inauguration.

In this news bulletin, author and Mumbaikar Meghna Pant discusses the challenges of voting in Mumbai as turnout figures hover around 57%. Pant argues that low participation is not due to voter apathy but rather a 'broken' and 'inefficient' administrative system. She states, 'Low voter turnout in Mumbai is not apathy, it is administrative,' highlighting the exhaustion caused by long queues and manual voter roll searches. Pant calls for the urgent digitisation of the process, suggesting QR code scans and digital tokens to respect the time of working professionals and caregivers. The discussion also touches upon the need for better voter education regarding local governance, such as the BMC, to engage the youth and Gen Z. Host Sonal and Pant further explore the idea of a candidate-tracking app to provide voters with historical data and performance ratings, aiming for a more accountable and informed voter base in India's financial capital.

In this Special Report, India Today’s Gujarat Bureau Chief Brijesh Doshi reports on a massive fire at a textile mill in Surat. Doshi states, ‘It has been more than nine hours that the fire is still going on.’ Visuals show plumes of black smoke as firefighters struggle to contain the blaze. The reporter notes that while the fire was briefly controlled earlier, it spread to the 8th floor and continues to rage.

The fire broke out due to an electrical wire, and it soon spread across all the floors in the building.