New Delhi, September 3
Now, you can reach Gurgaon from Rajiv Chowk Metro station in 50 minutes, thanks to the Central Secretariat-Qutub Minar Metro corridor that was opened to the public today.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit along with Union urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy inaugurated the 12.53-km underground stretch that connects south Delhi to North and Central Delhi today.

The corridor comes as a big relief to south Delhi residents, which has so far been deprived of the comfort of Metro.

The Central Secretariat-HUDA City Centre line got linked to the existing Jehangirpuri-Central Secretariat corridor, thus making it the longest line of the Delhi Metro covering 45 km and connecting north, central and south Delhi to the Millennium City-- Gurgaon.

It will just take 80 minutes for the Metro train to cover 45 km from Jehangirpuri to Huda City Centre, said a DMRC spokesperson, adding that this would allow people to save a lot of time and money. The maximum fare on the line is Rs 29.

Dikshit thanked Delhi Metro chief E. Sreedharan for his meticulous planning and execution of Metro projects in the national Capital.

The 12.53 km underground Central Secretariat-Qutub Minar Metro line passes through 11 stations-- Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan, Race Course, Jor Bagh, INA, AIIMS, Green Park, Hauz Khas, Malviya Nagar, Saket and Qutab Minar.

This section is an extension of the operational Line-2 (Jehangirpuri-Central Secretariat) corridor. The whole corridor (from Jahangirpuri to HUDA City Centre/ Gurgaon) will now be called Line-2 (Yellow Line).

The corridor expects to attract thousands of people. So, the Delhi Metro will run 36 to 40 trains at a frequency of 5 to 6 minutes every day.

Today was the first time that the Metro passed through south Delhi localities like-- INA Market, AIIMS, Green Park, Hauz Khas, Malviya Nagar and Saket. There will be 34 stations on line-2 of which 20 are underground while 14 are elevated, a DMRC spokesman said.

New Delhi, September 3
Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today expressed concern over the international advisories on dengue scare and asked the Delhi authorities to go the whole hog in dealing with the crisis.

Though the civic authorities have already stepped up their drive and come out with plans of fresh mapping and disinfecting exercise, a major concern is the insecticide synthetic pyrethroid to be sprayed in the hotspots of aedes mosquitoes in and around the Games venues.

It would not be of much help to the makeshift polyclinic at the Games Village.

"The polyclinic is made of wooden walls and synthetic pyrethroid will not work on them. An alternative has to be found out and we would discuss the matter with the Pest Control of India and find a remedy soon," MCD health committee chairperson Dr V K Monga told The Tribune.

Even the Games Village, housing 1,123 flats and outdoor training venues besides the polyclinic, would remain an area of concern given the fact that the mega-site faces the Yamuna on three sides.

"Things are pretty bad around the Games Village as mosquitoes would start breeding when the accumulated water recedes. They may not cause dengue, but a mosquito bite would definitely raise the alarm among the foreign athletes and dignitaries. The site for the Game Village is very conducive to mosquito-breeding," Dr Monga pointed out, after a site visit to the Games Village today.

With the city receiving more than normal rains, the Games venues are likely to have many wet areas around.

In a stock-taking meeting held this morning, the Union health minister was briefed about the new action plan, following which he directed the city authorities to work in coordination for strengthenening the fogging and fumigation activities.

While admitting that the ongoing construction works have seen an upsurge in the dengue cases this year, he instructed that the anti-dengue drive should be intensified in the VIP areas of South and North Blocks of the Capital.

New Delhi, September 3
As expected by most student bodies in Delhi University, the enthusiasm among voters dropped the charts as compared to previous years. The scene outside most colleges and polling centres was very quiet with heavy patrolling of police and university staff.

Barring a couple of arguments between major student bodies, ABVP and NSUI, in south campus over the issue of distribution of printed material, there was no instance noticed.

According to information, the polling was recorded at 35 per cent. The university's administration had earlier claimed that the voters might cross the 1-lakh mark this year, compared to last year's figure of 86,000. However, the parties were expecting the numbers to drop due to a low-profile campaign this year.

Meanwhile, the election officers were satisfied as no act of hooliganism was reported from any polling booth and the voting ended peacefully.

"The polling was quite a success this year. Everything right from filing nominations to the voting day, code of conduct has been duly followed which is a big achievement. We made adequate security arrangements and hope that the counting process tomorrow will also end peacefully. The results will be declared tomorrow," said Gurmeet Singh, chief election officer, Delhi University.

"We had banned printed posters, stickers and banners on cars and walls this year. Only handmade posters were allowed to be put up and that too at selected locations. However, we did receive complaints against some candidates. I will look into them soon," he added.

Furthermore, some of the candidates and their supporters were not pleased with the state of affairs. They blamed strictness and lack of campaigning for the low turnout.

Cheshtha Vedgiri, a third year Miranda House student, said, "The scene this year is completely different. It is unbelievably quiet. We remember active atmosphere in colleges during the polling day. The students are not interested in elections, it seems. There is too heavy police patrolling, no posters and no active volunteers. It appears as if it was a parliamentary election. Many roads were also blocked today to control traffic jams."

The final outcome will be declared tomorrow. The two phases of voting in the morning and evening colleges ended around 8 pm today. The major candidates of the two leading fronts are: Harish Choudhary of NSUI and Jitender Chaudhary of ABVP for the president's post; Vardhan Chaudhary (NSUI) and Priya Dabas (ABVP) for vice-presidentship; Deepika Deshwal (NSUI) and Neetu Dabas (ABVP) for secretary's post; and Akshay Kumar (NSUI) and Saurabh Uniyal (ABVP) for joint secretary's post.

New Delhi, September 3
Heavy rains in the evening brought back scenes of massive waterlogging and kilometer-long traffic snarls in various parts of the Capital.

According to the traffic police, waterlogging and jams were reported from New Delhi district to central, south, east and Outer districts of the city.

Reports of waterlogging were received from outside Parliament, Parliament Annexe, Red Cross, Krishi Bhavan, Rafi Marg, ITO, Laxmi Nagar and Kashmere Gate. Waterlogging led to jams near Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Birla Mandir, Mandir Marg, Minto Bridge and Savitri Cinema area.

Things were equally bad in east Delhi areas of Akshardham, Vinod Nagar, Laxmi Nagar as long vehicular queues were reported from these parts. Traffic disruption due to waterlogging was also reported from India Gate, Nirman Bhavan, Ashoka Road, Karol Bagh and Bagga Link.

The hour-long rain enforced traffic jams in Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Shankar Road, Dilshad Garden, Punjabi Bagh and other parts of west Delhi.

The MCD’s control room received 40 complaints of waterlogging and six complaints of felling of trees and two of building collapse.

New Delhi, September 3
Many homeless people in the Capital are still waiting to be counted by the Delhi government.

The city government is carrying out a survey to identify the homeless, including street children and domestic helps living on pavements. The programme a part of bhagidari scheme (peoples' participation) is being run under Mission Convergence scheme, said to be the first-of-its-kind in the country.

According to a general estimate, there are about 1.5 lakh homeless people in Delhi. A significant number of them are children, mentally disabled persons, drug addicts, victims of domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse. Many have not been included in the list even as the drive in their areas is over.

NGOs like-Society for Promotion of Youth and Masses, Humana, Nirmana, Indo-Global Social Service Society, apart from the Mother NGO at St Stephen's Hospital, are working under the supervision of government officials to count the Delhi's homeless.

"Some NGO workers visit an area anytime and select some people to fill a form. Many of us do not even know what the survey is all about. They just ask some people to line up, fill forms and go away, leaving behind many who should have been counted," said Dhananjay Tingal, an independent activist who has been working among the homeless for over a decade.

A group of homeless people who have not been counted under the survey told The Tribune, "We got to know about the survey when some activists informed us. When we approached the NGOs to give us forms, they refused."

"While the survey was being carried out at Motia Khan night shelter recently, the NGO officials did not wake the homeless sleeping there to fill forms. They just asked some people who were awake to fill the forms and left. When I asked them what was it all about, they shouted 'jitna kaha utna karo…zyada dimag mat khao' (Do what is said…do not irritate)," said Azad Bahadur (name changed) who has been staying in Motia Khan for past 10 years.

So far, only three places have been surveyed-- Mori Gate, Motia Khan night shelter and Yamuna Vihar.

In Mori gate, only four persons have been surveyed. Ten homeless people there were left out. Similarly, in Motia Khan and Yamuna Vihar, 13 homeless persons were not counted, claimed an official of an NGO that has nothing to do with the survey.

According to Dr Amod Kanth, director of Mother NGO, identified homeless people would be given a biometric card that can be used as ration, travel, healthcare and identification card. Expressing happiness with the work, he said the work was still going on. He added that some groups might be leveling allegation against them, but he did not think them to be true.

The survey is going on in Mithai Pull, Delhi Gate, Karol Bagh, Connaught Place and Azadpur areas.

Rashmi Singh, director of Mission Convergence, said, "The officials are still working. Till now, no area has been surveyed 100 per cent."

New Delhi, September 3
The Delhi traffic police today reiterated that straying of vehicles into exclusive lanes meant for the Games players, officials or technicians would not be tolerated and will attract a fine of Rs 2,000.

Ajay Chadda, special commissioner (traffic) today said the police had requested for a notification from the government to enable it to impose a fine of Rs 2,000 in this regard. "A notification to invoke fine or impound the vehicle entering the Games lane is likely to be issued in a day or two by the Lieutenant Governor's office and is likely to be in effect from September 20 till the event ends," he said.

Chadda said though those found "deliberately violating" the rule would be fined, the police would be sympathetic towards those who stray in unknowingly.

The extreme left lanes of the roads from Games Village to various venues and the airport will be designated as exclusive Games lanes. However, in case of six-lane roads, other lanes may also be used, Chadda said.

New Delhi, September 3
With the campaign launched by the Delhi government to arrest beggars from various parts of the city and lodge them in homes maintained by the social welfare department, the beggars have now moved towards the walled city where they hide themselves in narrow lanes to evade the raiding teams of the government.

"Beggars are moving towards the walled city as the area is congested. Hiding in the narrow streets is easy. In other areas, the raiding team enters inside the colonies, but in the walled city they cannot do so without the help of local residents," said Nasim who begs around the Jama Masjid.

"In the walled city, beggars get food from nearby restaurants. Moreover, in the month of Ramzan (fasting), Muslims also distribute food as an act of charity," added Nasim.

Rehman, another beggar, said that he would be in the area till the Games.

"I have heard that the Games are being held in Delhi. Guests from foreign countries will visit here. Beggars seen on roads will be an insult to the government. After the Games, I will go to Connaught Place where begging is more paying," said Rehman.

However, people in the walled city are fed up with the beggars. Ateeque, residing in the Chitli Qabar area, said the number of beggars has increased these days.

They chase the shoppers and leave only when they are paid some money.

Delhi social welfare minister Mangar Ram Singhal said the campaign to rehabilitate beggars was launched a few months ago. They are not seen in the New Delhi area now. Efforts are also being made to catch them from other areas.

New Delhi, September 3
The police yesterday arrested a man for allegedly posing as the vice-president of Microsoft Corporation, Gurgaon, and cheating youngsters by promising them admission in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

The accused, Vijay Kumar, was held from Najafgarh following investigations into a complaint filed by Rajiv Ranjan Kumar from Bihar. Ranjan was allegedly duped of Rs 3.11 lakh by Vijay on the pretext of providing admission to his son in IIT- Kharakpur.

Ranjan told the police that his son, Animesh Ranjan, had come to Delhi after passing class XII to prepare for the entrance exam of the IITs. During his stay, he came in contact with Vijay.

Police officials said that Vijay Kumar used to target IIT aspirants and influence them by showing his fake degrees. He projected himself as an engineer and a topper of IIT-Kharakpur.

He also posed as the vice-president of Microsoft Corporation, Gurgaon, to impress his victims. Vijay even had a fake identity card of the Central Bureau of Investigation.