The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has revised the timings of the last metro services on Diwali day, November 12. On account of the festival, the last train services from all stations of Delhi Metro will start at 10pm from their terminal stations on Sunday, the DMRC said in a statement. All other train services will run as usual for the rest of the day on Diwali, the officials added. 

“On account of the Diwali festival, the last Metro train service on November 12 will start at 10 PM (instead of the routine 11 pm) from terminal stations of all lines, including Airport Express Line,” the DMRC said.

On account of the Diwali festival, the last Metro train service on 12th November 2023 (Sunday) will start at 10:00 PM from terminal stations of all Lines including Airport Express Line.

— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (@OfficialDMRC) November 8, 2023

The revised schedule for Diwali can affect the late-night travellers of the Delhi Metro. On Sunday, the train services will commence from 6:00 am onwards on all lines from 4:45 am on the Airport Express Line, said DMRC. 

Metro train services will commence from 06:00 AM onwards on ALL LINES/SECTIONS and from 4:45 AM on Airport Express Line on this Sunday (Diwali).

— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (@OfficialDMRC) November 8, 2023

On regular days, the last service in all Delhi Metro corridors will leave at 11 pm. The revised timing for Diwali day on Sunday is applicable for all metro lines in the national capital. From Monday onwards, the services will be functioning as usual. 

The Delhi Metro has 12 lines and 288 stations including the Noida-Greater Noida Aqua line and Rapid Metro in Gurugram. 

Meanwhile, in the wake of rising air pollution in the national capital, the DMRC has begun 20 extra train trips for the convenience of daily commuters. The move is aimed at encouraging people to ditch their personal transport and opt for public transport in Delhi and its adjoining areas of Noida, Ghaziabad and others. 

Notably, Delhi Metro is already running 40 additional train trips on weekdays (Monday-Friday) from October 25 onwards when GRAP-II stage had come into force. GRAP categorises actions into four stages: Stage I – ‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage II – ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301-400); Stage III – ‘Severe’ (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV – ‘Severe Plus’ (AQI >450). 

India on Thursday strongly rejected an Australian court’s ruling ordering former Indian high commissioner to Canberra Navdeep Singh Suri to pay a former domestic employee thousands of dollars in compensation after she accused him of unfair working conditions and exploitation.

Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said the Australian authorities do not have any locus standi to adjudicate on matters concerning India-based service staff of its high commission and called on Canberra to uphold its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Justice Elizabeth Raper of the federal court had ordered Mr Suri to pay Seema Sherghill more than 136,000 dollars plus interest, within 60 days after she alleged that she was forced to work in unfair conditions, Australian media reported on Sunday.

In his weekly media briefing, Mr Bagchi said the service staff “wilfully deserted” her post in May 2016, a day before her scheduled return to India and that she was holding an official passport and Australian diplomatic visa.

He said New Delhi has repeatedly requested Australian authorities to locate and repatriate the staff member to India. Ms Sherghill took Australian citizenship in 2021.

“Her conduct and false representations give rise to suspicions that all this has been motivated by her desire to permanently stay in Australia, and in which she seems to have succeeded,” Mr Bagchi said, replying to a question on the case.

The MEA spokesperson said India is also concerned by the ex-parte court judgement.

“Let me reiterate that we reject any locus standi of Australian authorities to adjudicate on matters concerning such India-based service staff of the High Commission. Any grievance that she may have has to be suitably redressed only in India,” he said.

“We are also concerned by the ex-parte court judgement. We are taking up the matter with Australian authorities. We would urge Australia to uphold its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, particularly in relation to diplomatic immunities and privileges,” he said.

The Australian media reported that Sherghill told the Federal Court that she had to work 17 and half hours daily for seven days a week.

Mr Bagchi said the service staff “willfully deserted her post in May 2016, a day before her scheduled return to India.

“Since then, we have repeatedly requested Australian authorities to locate and repatriate her to India,” he said.

The Bihar Legislative Council was disrupted by protests from both the ruling JD(U) and opposition BJP over CM Nitish Kumar’s birth control remarks. The JD(U) members responded by bringing up personal issues concerning PM Narendra Modi’s family life. The protests continued even outside the House, with the opposition accusing the JD(U) of protecting their leader. The opposition also raised the issue of lathicharge and use of water cannons on protesting Anganwadi sevikas.