Chennai: Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) is gearing up for its sharpest turn yet—a dramatic 413-m sweep over Kathipara that promises commuters a joyride along with a bird’s eye view of the cityscape. This will become a reality when Corridor 5, connecting Madhavaram with Sholinganallur in Phase II, becomes operational.The trains will take the sharpest turn over the Kathipara flyover above the existing Phase I corridors to join Alandur metro station, while descending from a height of 33m to 27m a speed of 35kmph, thanks to the balanced cantilever structure under construction.The curvy viaduct with a 125-m radius from Butt Road to Alandur metro station, with a total length of 413 metres, is making steady progress. Two cantilever arms between two pillars are about to be linked. The Kathipara balanced cantilever consists of five spans with lengths of 58m, 100m, 100m, 95 metres, and 60m. Currently, the 100-m span between pillar 411 and 412 is nearly complete.

“The remaining 3-m gap between arms will be linked using concrete and will be cast with the help of hanging shutters without any ground support,” said CMRL project director T Archunan.Each cantilever arm consists of 10 segments, which are being laid one after another using four form traveller equipment at each pier location. High-tension strands will be placed inside the segment and stressed to connect and stabilize the extending cantilever arms. After the linking of the arms, second-stage stressing will be carried out using high-tension strands. The entire structure will be completed by Feb, said the official. Since the curve starts from the tallest pillar of CMRL and descends towards Alandur station, it is expected to give a unique experience. CMRL has already constructed a balanced cantilever in the same spot in Phase I. However, it was not noticed since it was not a big curve like the one in Corridor 5.

In a surprising turn of events at the WPL 2026 mega auction on Thursday (November 27), Australia’s World Cup-winning captain Alyssa Healy went unsold, despite entering the pool at a modest base price of ₹50 lakh.

As the first marquee player called, Healy drew no bids from any of the five franchises, and her name did not reappear in the accelerated round – an outcome that shocked fans across the cricket world.

Healy, one of the most decorated wicketkeeper-batters in the modern game, has scored 428 runs in 17 WPL matches at a strike rate of 130.48. Her recent performances in the Women’s Big Bash League (BBL) also suggest that she still has the firepower to contribute at the highest level.

Here’s why Alyssa Healy went unsold in the 2026 WPL mega auction

According to WPL regulations, franchises can field only four overseas players in the playing XI, a rule that significantly shapes auction dynamics. Teams across the board prioritized multi-skilled all-rounders over specialist keeper-batters – a category where Healy largely fits.

UP Warriorz assistant coach Abhishek Nayar explained that franchises leaned heavily toward players who could influence multiple phases of the game – batting, bowling, and fielding – to extract maximum value from limited overseas slots. With top-order overseas spots mostly locked due to pre-auction retentions, Healy’s role didn’t align with the balance teams were seeking.

Another major factor was Healy’s injury-hit 2025 season, during which she missed the entire WPL due to a foot injury. Although she returned with back-to-back ODI centuries against India and Bangladesh, concerns lingered about her reliability, especially at age 35.

Her release by the UP Warriorz, who had signed her for ₹70 lakh in 2023, further indicated a shift toward building younger, fitter, and more adaptable squads. Some franchises were also reportedly wary of her inconsistent WBBL rhythm over the past year, prompting hesitation in committing big money to a specialist top-order batter without bowling utility.

Team management across franchises openly acknowledged that Healy’s omission was strategic rather than performance-related. Anya Shrubsole, part of RCB’s coaching group, noted that their lineup had “no available space in the top five,” given their strong bench already featuring new recruit Georgia Voll.

The UP Warriorz, who were expected to chase a familiar face, instead focused on new leadership options, signing Meg Lanning for ₹1.9 crore and investing in rising talent like Phoebe Litchfield. With overseas slots quickly filling up, Healy did not reappear in the accelerated round – a clear indication of her mismatch with franchise strategies this year.

Also, uncertainty over Healy’s fitness meant no team was willing to bid for her, especially with the new WPL rule stating that no injury replacements will be permitted if a player withdraws before the start of the 2026 season.

Also READ: WPL 2026 Mega Auction – Complete list of unsold players

Evolving T20 trends highlight all-round value in WPL over player’s reputation

The top buys of the auction – Deepti Sharma (₹3.2 crore), Amelia Kerr (₹3 crore) and Shikha Pandey (₹2.4 crore) – highlighted the evolving nature of T20 cricket, where all-rounders and dual-skill players dominate auctions, especially in leagues with limited overseas quotas.

While Healy boasts a stellar T20I record of 3,054 runs at a strike rate of 129.79, reputation alone was not enough in a purse-constrained environment. She joins other experienced players like Heather Knight, Alana King and Tazmin Brits who also went unsold, underscoring a broader franchise mindset focused on long-term rebuilding and roster versatility.

Also READ: WPL 2026 Auction – Complete squads of all 5 teams

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

MUMBAI: No major Indian city has “good” air quality. A 10-year assessment of air pollution across major urban centres has found that none of the country’s top cities met safe Air Quality Index (AQI) levels at any point between 2015 and Nov 2025.The report, prepared by Climate Trends, an environmental research firm, analysed long-term pollution patterns across 11 major cities. Delhi remained India’s most polluted city throughout the period of study, with average AQI levels peaking above 250 in 2016 and hovering around 180 this year.

Despite marginal dips after 2019, the national capital never approached healthy air-quality thresholds. Vehicular emissions, industrial pollution and crop burning were major contributors, compounded by the region’s geographical constraints. Cities such as Lucknow, Varanasi and Ahmedabad which recorded persistently high average AQI values — often above 200— in first half of the decade, showed some improvement in the second half. While southern and western cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and Bengaluru recorded relatively moderate AQI levels, even they did not meet safe thresholds. Bengaluru posted lowest AQI readings in the country — between 65 and 90 — still too high for “good” category.AQI is based on the concentration of toxic particulate matter, PM2.5 or PM10, in the air, whichever is higher.Geography plays a significant role in prolonging pollution episodes, especially across the northern plains. “With cold north-westerly winds sweeping into the plains, minimum temperatures are set to drop further — making it even harder for pollutants to disperse,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president at Skymet Weather. He added that this year’s weak western disturbances — extratropical storms that bring winter rain and snow to northwestern India — were inadequate and failed to trigger widespread rainfall. “Without rain to wash pollutants out of the atmosphere, the pollution lingers for longer periods, leading to early and persistent smog-like conditions,” said Palawat.During the cold winters of the Indo-Gangetic plains, the phenomenon of “temperature inversion” — which limits vertical air movement — effectively traps pollution in the lower layers of the atmosphere. Dense city structures and tall buildings further slow wind speeds, exacerbating stagnation. Experts stressed the need for better planning and data-driven interventions. “Technology can help address many local pollution sources within your own airshed, but this requires reliable data,” said Prof S N Tripathi of IIT-Kanpur. Palak Balyan, research lead at Climate Trends said, “What India needs is sustained, long-term, science-based policy reform backed by genuine political will to take tough decisions.“

Rohit Saraf

Whether he’s melting hearts as the nation’s favourite Mismatched crush or stepping into full-blown Bollywood-hero territory with Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, Rohit Saraf still shows up with that easy, genuine warmth that his fans can’t help but adore. During the shoot of our episode of the Philips LatteGo presents Bombay Times Lounge powered by instax FUJIFILM in association with Skechers & U.S. Polo Assn., Rohit had the live audience completely smitten – especially when he posed for pictures with every eager fan present there. No rush, no airs, just peak Rohit Saraf behaviour. The hype around the 29-year-old isn’t just real – it’s earned. With the promo of the episode dropping today, here’s a little starter pack of quotes and moments that capture the vibe. Think of this as your warm-up to a conversation that’s equal parts honest, fun, reflective and unmistakably Rohit Saraf. Watch out for the full episode with Rohit Saraf on the Bombay Times YouTube channel, dropping soon.

Rohit shakes a leg to Panwadi from Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari

‘It is easy to get swayed by the love online, but meeting your fans is the real deal’Reflecting on the immense popularity he enjoys, Rohit says, “It is so easy to be swayed by all the love that you get on Instagram, but the real deal is when you meet people in person, I absolutely love it. When people give you a hug, and you see a fan crying because you’ve given them a hug – those moments stay with you. Every single time that happens, it feels like a scene from a film.” Looking back at his journey, he says, “When I came to Mumbai at 15, I literally knew no one and had no idea what I was doing. Starting from there to wherever I’ve reached today and the kind of love I enjoy, I don’t think it’s something that I would give up for anything.” While he has shared screen space with many renowned actors, there’s one leading lady he is crazy about. Rohit shares, “It’s a known fact, but whoever does not know this, I am completely obsessed with Vidya Balan ma’am. She’s incredible. I think she’s a beautiful human being and a phenomenal actor. I’m actively, every single day, manifesting a project that I get to work with her on.”But behind the popularity is immense hard work, and it does get tough sometimes. The actor says, “There have been times when I felt, why am I putting myself through this when it’s just easier to not. But then I remind myself why I started out doing this, and I know this sounds like such an Instagram quote – ‘Remind yourself of why you started’, but honestly, that’s what’s helped me.”

The actor with Prajakta Koli in Mismatched

‘I am fascinated by people who are ambitious’Rohit made the term ‘future wife’ in Mismatched a viral trend. When asked what are the traits his future wife needs to have, he replied, “I think ambition is very, very important to me. Not just my future wife, but any person I meet and anyone I talk to – I am really fascinated by people who are ambitious. Also, she should be respectful, and if she has long hair, it’ll be a bonus.”‘I’m single’Ask him about his relationship status, and he says, “I would really like it if my fans stop thinking that I date every single actress I work with, or every girl I am seen with. It’s crazy! Contrary to many different opinions on the internet, I’m single.”

Rohit on the Bombay Times Lounge

Rohit’s sweet newspaper nostalgiaTalking about being excited to himself in the newspapers, Rohit shared an anecdote from his school days. He said, “When we were in school, we would see photos of toppers with their percentiles published in newspapers. For us, that was like the biggest thing ever… like you have arrived in life if your photograph is in the newspapers. The school would make cutouts of the articles and put them up on notice boards. And I would say to myself…one day I’ll be there. So now, every time I see myself on the pages of a newspaper, I secretly want to take a cutout and go back to school and pin it up on those notice boards.”The promo for the episode with Rohit Saraf drops today. Look out for the conversation filled with spontaneous, charming and unforgettable moments that drops soon on the Bombay Times YouTube Channel.Sponsors:Title sponsor: Philips LatteGoPowered by: instax FUJIFILMIn association with: Skechers & U.S. Polo Assn.

NEW DELHI: Air travel will get majorly impacted in India and across the globe with the world’s largest selling single aisle — Airbus A320 family of planes — going to be grounded this weekend for a software upgrade. In India, over 350 A320 family planes of IndiGo and Air India Group will be grounded for this upgrade that is expected to be over in 2-3 days. They are expected to resume flying by next Monday or Tuesday. Globally about 6,000 aircraft are likely to be impacted.The upgrade is in wake of an American low cost carrier JetBlue’s A320 operating from Cancun to Newark on Oct 30, 2025, “unexpectedly pitch(ing) downward without pilot input.” The uncontrolled descent “likely occurred during an ELAC (flight control computer) switch change,” according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The aircraft diverted to Tampa, where some passengers were hospitalised.Tackling this issue requires a software upgrade. For the new A320 family planes, the work requires about half an hour on each plane through “loading facility.” On older A320s, some hardware upgrade will also be required and hence the overall work will take longer.In India, almost all IndiGo A320 family planes are the new variants. The older A320s are in single digits. So IndiGo, which has over 350 A320 family planes in its fleet, upgrade on the required 250 aircraft should be over by Monday or Tuesday, said sources. Air India, which has about 120-125 A320 family planes, should also have the same situation, with over 100 impacted, sources added.Airbus said in a statement: “Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 family aircraft currently in-service which may be impacted. Airbus has worked proactively with the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an alert operators transmission (AOT) in order to implement the available software and/or hardware protection, and ensure the fleet is safe to fly. This AOT will be reflected in an emergency airworthiness directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).”Airbus “acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers” and apologised “for the inconvenience caused”. The European airspace major said it “will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority.”

Speculation swirls around Rajasthan Royals potentially changing hands before the IPL 2026 auction, fueled by a recent viral social media post from industrialist Harsh Goenka, brother of Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka.

The 2008 IPL champions, mirroring Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)’s open pursuit of buyers at a USD 2 billion valuation, have stayed silent on any sale, yet reports highlight internal resets including a blockbuster player trade. This comes amid soaring franchise valuations, drawing interest from buyers in Pune, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and the USA.​

I hear, not one, but two IPL teams are now up for sale- RCB and RR. It seems clear that people want to cash in the rich valuations today. So two teams for sale and 4/5 possible buyers! Who will be the successful buyers- will it be from Pune, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru or USA?

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) November 27, 2025

Rajasthan Royals trade Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings for a whopping deal

The Royals traded longtime captain Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings for INR 18 crore, acquiring Ravindra Jadeja at INR 14 crore and Sam Curran at INR 2.4 crore in return, signalling a strategic overhaul. Owner Manoj Badale described Samson as emotionally drained after 11 seasons and over 4,000 runs, praising his off-field contributions while welcoming Jadeja’s homecoming from the 2008 title-winning squad. These moves coincide with backroom staff changes and venue explorations, as tensions with the Rajasthan Cricket Association prompt talks for Pune’s MCA Stadium, potentially hosting at least four home games.​

Also READ: IPL 2026: 5 franchises that can target Anrich Nortje in the mini-auction

Ownership turmoil and legal battles intensify

Royals Sports Group, via Emerging Media Sporting Holdings Limited led by Badale, controls 65% of the franchise, with minority stakes held by Lachlan Murdoch (13%) and RedBird Capital Partners (15%), the latter linked to Liverpool FC, AC Milanand FC Toulouse. RedBird’s 2022 entry valued the team at USD 250 million, underscoring global appeal amid IPL’s growth. Badale remains hands-on in daily operations despite the buzz.​

Complicating matters, former co-owner Raj Kundra, once holding shares with wife Shilpa Shetty Kundra, filed a petition at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) accusing partners of coercing him out post-2015 betting scandal links. Kundra claims illegal 2015 share transfers worth over Rs 1,000 crore without consent, undervalued 2019 settlements, fund diversions, and record manipulations, with the next hearing set for January 5. This echoes the franchise’s 2013 two-year suspension, testing stability as IPL 2026 looms.

Also READ: IPL 2026: 5 teams that can target Andre Russell in the mini-auction