Jammu & Kashmir Flood Rescue, Rail Watch Upgrade, ₹90 Cr Contract

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A flash flood triggered by a cloudburst in the Chashoti area of Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir, on August 14, 2025, caused widespread damage, with at least 46 fatalities confirmed.

 More than 100 individuals were injured and have been transferred to hospitals. The Jammu & Kashmir Police, SDRF, NDRF, fire services, CISF, CRPF, and the Army are jointly overseeing rescue operations.Indian Army personnel also participated, supporting civil authorities, and local survivors expressed gratitude for their response.

Meanwhile, the Southern Railway has awarded Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) a contract valued at ₹90.64 crore to implement IP-based CCTV surveillance systems across 484 stations.  

The order covers 441 stations in categories D and E, along with enhancements at 43 A1, A, B, and C category stations. 

Equipment provisions include IP cameras, video management systems, analytics, and facial recognition technology, fully aligned with the latest RDSO specifications and cybersecurity standards, The. Monitoring will be conducted from 82 RPF outposts, divisional headquarters, and the zonal headquarters of Southern Railway. The deployment is scheduled for completion within 18 months, with the expectation that improved monitoring will enhance passenger safety, crowd management, and response to emergencies.

In political developments, Congress leaders in Karnataka have criticized the central government for allegedly favoring BJP-ruled states in the allocation of new semiconductor manufacturing sites. 

The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of four semiconductor facilities, two in Odisha, and one each in Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.

Karnataka leaders including A.S. Ponnanna, Rizwan Arshad, Sharath Bachegowda, and Jairam Ramesh noted that Karnataka and other southern states appear to have been sidelined despite past contributions and investments. Senior leader Jairam Ramesh described the competition as a “farce” and highlighted past instances where projects originally planned for Telangana and Tamil Nadu were shifted to Gujarat.

These developments spanning disaster response, infrastructure enhancement, and economic equity underscore ongoing challenges and priorities in governance and public safety across India.