As COVID-19 cases begin to rise again across India, the government has introduced new safety measures for those meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, Indian Railways is tightening Tatkal ticket booking rules amid complaints of misuse, and a pilot project aims to improve transparency by releasing passenger lists 24 hours before train departures. In international news, Elon Musk has softened his tone after a public spat with former US President Donald Trump.
COVID test mandatory before meeting PM Modi
Anyone meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi—whether for official meetings or public events—must now take an RT-PCR test. This directive applies to all ministers and anyone sharing the stage with him, following a rise in COVID-19 cases across India. In the last 24 hours, India recorded 306 new infections, pushing the active caseload to 7,121. Gujarat reported the highest spike with 114 new cases, while Karnataka saw a decline of 100 active cases.
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Tatkal bookings require Aadhaar from July
Starting 1 July 2025, Aadhaar verification will be mandatory for all online Tatkal ticket bookings. The Indian Railways introduced this measure to combat ticket touting and address complaints from users unable to secure Tatkal tickets.
Passenger lists to be released 24 hours in advance
Indian Railways has launched a pilot project in the Bikaner division to publish passenger lists 24 hours before train departure, replacing the current 4-hour timeline. If successful, this initiative will be expanded nationwide to improve transparency and help passengers plan better.
Elon Musk backs down after Trump-Epstein tweet controversy
Elon Musk has softened his stance after a heated exchange with former US President Donald Trump on X (formerly Twitter). The feud began when Trump criticized Musk during a campaign rally. Musk responded by accusing Trump of ties to Jeffrey Epstein and ungratefulness for past support—claims he later deleted. Musk has since publicly admitted he “went too far,” de-escalating the tension.
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Markets end flat after early gains
Indian stock markets struggled to maintain early gains but closed slightly higher. The Sensex reached a high of 82,800, while the Nifty stayed just above 25,100.
