Haryana Diary: Khattar chooses rail over air

Karnal: Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar is drawing attention for his choice of travel, opting for trains over flights while commuting between Delhi and Karnal. Calling the train his “aeroplane”, Khattar said he finds comfort in train journeys and considers it a more people-friendly mode of travel. On Saturday, he once again reached Karnal by Shatabdi train. He also used the train while travelling back to Delhi on Sunday. Earlier this month, he used the train mode to reach Karnal. Speaking to mediapersons at Karnal railway station, Khattar responded to the growing demand for a stoppage of the Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express at Karnal. He assured that the issue would be raised with the Railway Minister.

Dist chief tries to unite Cong factions

Ambala: To show a united face of the Congress, the recently appointed Ambala District Congress Committee (Urban) president Pawan Aggarwal has been seen attending events held by both Hooda and Selja factions in Ambala. Aggarwal said that he meets all the senior leaders and they appreciate those who work for the party with dedication. Party workers will work together to strengthen the party’s base and raise public issues, he said. A Congress leader in Ambala stated that the newly appointed district chief has been attempting to strike a balance within the party. But the results will be seen only in the long run.

Villagers still sceptical of IMT project

Mahendragarh: While the state government has reopened the e-Bhoomi portal to seek consent from residents of three villages for getting land for the proposed Industrial Modern Township (IMT) project in Khudana here, locals remain sceptical about the initiative’s success. This marks the third attempt to obtain land through the portal. They point out that rather than relying solely on digital platforms, sincere and sustained efforts must be made to engage and persuade landowners directly. Without this, their participation is likely to remain minimal.

Bus operators say no to student pass

Hisar: The students taking public transport to reach their educational institutes will soon have to face a problem as private bus operators have refused to validate their passes issued by the Haryana Roadways. The Private Bus Association argued that while the state government reimburses the Haryana Roadways for free and concessional passes, private operators have neither received any payment nor there has been any clarity on the reimbursement process from the Transport Department. Dhan Singh, a leader of the association, said that all the passengers must buy tickets at prescribed fares when travelling in private buses. The students have been arguing that they should be allowed free travel on private buses as Haryana Roadways buses are not available on many routes.