Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Railways on Thursday cancelled 84 more trains, which will not operate between March 20 and March 31 in view of coronavirus and low occupancy, officials said.

With this, the total number of cancelled trains has climbed to 155.

The national transporter had cancelled around 99 trains on Wednesday night.

"All passengers having tickets in these trains are being informed about it individually," the official said.

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) A total of 799 people are currently held at detention centres for declared or convicted foreigners in Assam where 26 detainees died due to illness in last four years, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said the Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) in Assam operate under the provisions of Foreigners Act, 1946 and Foreigners (Tribunal) Order, 1964.

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) The Delhi government on Wednesday said it has disinfected 7,877 public service vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, so far to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said, "We advise the owners and operators of public service vehicles to act responsibly and get their vehicles disinfected on a daily basis so that we can overcome this crisis. We are providing this facility free of cost for everyone."

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) The nomination of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha is a matter of "shame for the nation", the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) said on Wednesday.

Party's Malappuram (Kerala) MP and national general secretary P K Kunhalikkutty, in a statement, said Gogoi's nomination raised serious doubts about the independence of the judiciary.

Mumbai, Mar 19 (PTI) Equity benchmark Sensex plummeted over 2,100 points and the Nifty gave up the 7,900 level in opening session on Thursday as global gloom over the Covid-19 pandemic continued to hammer equities.

The rupee too depreciated 60 paise to 74.87 against US dollar in morning session.

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Thursday took oath as member of Rajya Sabha amid uproar by opposition members.

As Gogoi reached the designated spot to take the oath, opposition members raised slogans prompting Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to say that it was unbecoming of members.

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) The novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 169 on Thursday after 18 fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry.

The cases include 25 foreign nationals -- 17 from Italy, 3 from the Philippines, two from the UK, one each belonging to Canada, Indonesia and Singapore.

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) The government is considering rate moderation for small savings schemes in the upcoming quarter, a development that could lead to speedier transmission of monetary policy rate cuts, sources said.

During the current quarter, the government refrained from cutting interest rates on small savings schemes, such as Public Provident Fund (PPF) and National Savings Certificate (NSC), despite moderating bank deposit rates.

New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) Over 1.86 lakh passengers who have returned from the coronavirus-affected countries have been screened at the Delhi airport till date and placed under surveillance, Delhi Health Department authorities said on Tuesday.

The total coronavirus cases in Delhi now stands at eight.

New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) Nirbhaya gang rape and murder convict Akshay Kumar has filed a second mercy petition before President Ram Nath Kovind just three days before his scheduled hanging on March 20.

Officials at Tihar Jail, where the hanging is scheduled to take place, said Kumar filed the petition addressed to the President on Tuesday evening.

"This plea will also be forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Delhi government," they said.