DGCA declares Puri’s Jagannath Dham as Red Zone
The pilgrim town of Puri, home to the sacred Jagannath Dham, has been marked as a Red Zone on the flight map of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). According to the DGCA notification, aircraft are prohibited from flying within 50,000 meters above sea level over Puri, particularly above the Sri Jagannath Temple. The restriction came into effect on September 26, 2025, and will remain valid until September 25, 2028. However, the decision has sparked mixed reactions among devotees, many of whom have demanded the installation of anti-drone systems to prevent drones from flying near the 12th century temple, a nationally protected monument. In recent months, several incidents of drones flying close to the temple have been reported. Police have detained multiple operators, who were later released with warnings after claiming ignorance of the restrictions and stating that they were capturing visuals for social media. Yesterday, another drone operator was detained after his drone was seen flying near the temple and was later released with a warning. Devotees and locals have expressed concerns that unmanned drones could pose security threats to the historic shrine. They have urged authorities to declare the temple and its surroundings a complete no-fly zone and install drone-jamming systems to enhance protection.
Four killed as heavy rain triggers landslides, floods in north Bengal; red alert issued
Incessant rainfall over the past few days has triggered landslides and flash floods across north Bengal, claiming at least four lives and severely disrupting normal life, officials said on Saturday. A major landslide struck Mirik in Darjeeling district, leaving four persons dead and several others injured. The 10th National Highway, connecting Siliguri with Darjeeling, has been blocked at multiple points due to landslides, cutting off road connectivity between the plains and the hills. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall till Monday morning. Several tourists have been stranded in the hills as vehicular movement remains severely restricted. The bridge at Dudhiyara, linking Mirik and Siliguri, has suffered extensive damage, while portions of the 29 Mile area and Baluwakhani have been submerged by the overflowing Teesta river. In Siliguri’s Porajhar area, a breach in an embankment led to inundation of vast tracts of land and several houses. Rivers including the Teesta, Mahananda, Jaldhaka and Torsa are flowing above the danger level, triggering fears of worsening flood conditions. District administrations have started evacuating residents from vulnerable zones to safer locations and initiated relief operations. Officials said the situation may deteriorate further if the rain continues unabated over the next 24 hours.
