Recently final survey for Bilaspur-Manali-Leh Rail line has been launched. It is going to be one of the highest railway tracks in the world.
It is laid at the height of 3,300 mt and 498-km long stretch will overtake China’s Qinghai-Tibet Railway.
Currently, the road route is open only for about five months in a year. Thus the rail line aimed at connecting Leh with the rest of the country through all weather rail line.
The all-weather Leh rail network is one of the four important railway connectivities identified by the defence ministry along the China border.
Bilaspur Manali Leh Railway line
Swachh Rail Campaign
Under this campaign, Quality Council of India conducted its 3rd survey to rank railway stations.
Visakhapatnam railway station in Andhra Pradesh was rated the cleanest station among the 75 busiest stations in the country.
It is followed by Secunderabad, Jammu, Vijayawada.
It is based on the criteria such as toilets on platforms, management of tracks and dustbins.
Salt Water Crocodiles
The Estuarine or salt water crocodiles are found in the eastern coast and Andaman & Nicobar Islands in India.
Bhitarkanika National park on the odisha coast houses 70% of India’s salt water crocodiles.
Project Crocodile was launched by Government of India and UNDP to save the salt water crocodiles in Bhitarkanika.
Unlike other crocodiles, estuarine crocodiles lay eggs by creating a mound made of leaves of a particular mangrove species, which are plentifully available in Bhitarkanika.
Crocodiles start laying eggs by mid-may, with an incubation period of 75 days.
Other Crocodile species in India: Mugger crocodile and Gharial Crocodile.
Magnetic field in Uranus
Recently scientists have found that Uranus’ magnetic field gets flipped on and off like a light switch everyday as the planet rotates.
It is based on the data from NASA’s Voyager 2 Spacecraft.
Uranus magnetic field is lopsided and tilted 60 degrees from its axis. Thus it causes magnetic field to tumble asymmetrically to the solar winds.
This is quite different from Earth’s magnetosphere, since the alignment of Earth’s magnetosphere is always toward the sun and it is one of the reason for Earth’s auroras.
