# Delhi rain diverts 15 flights, Revanth Reddy flags US visit snub 2026-08-24T21:02:28+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Heavy rain lashed Delhi-NCR on Thursday, causing widespread waterlogging and traffic snarls. At least 15 Delhi-bound flights, including two international flights, were diverted. The India Meteorological Department issued red and orange alerts for heavy to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms with winds of up to 40 kmph. Air India and IndiGo advised passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport. Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy accused the Centre of insulting four crore people of the state after the Ministry of External Affairs denied political clearance for his proposed US visit. Reddy questioned why Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel was allowed to travel abroad while his Telangana Rising 2047 trip was rejected. An MEA spokesperson said the programme was not considered appropriate to the office and purpose of the visit. Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay announced three free LPG cylinders a year for eligible beneficiaries, with the amount credited directly to bank accounts. He also launched the Vetri Payanam scheme expanding fare-free bus travel for women and transgender persons from October 2, with no income ceiling or trip restrictions. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The denial of political clearance to Revanth Reddy highlights the MEA's discretionary power under the 1969 Passports Act to assess a chief minister's foreign travel proposal. Similar rejections have occurred before, in 2017, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was denied clearance for a UK trip over a scheduling dispute. With the Telangana assembly elections due in 2024, Reddy's accusation of discrimination adds a political layer to what is procedurally a routine security and protocol assessment. The next signal to watch is whether the MEA provides a more detailed reason or if Reddy approaches the courts. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Leads with the weather disruption and reports political dispute as straight facts without taking a side. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: C Joseph Vijay, Delhi, India Meteorological Department, Ministry of External Affairs, Revanth Reddy, Telangana Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-rain-diverts-15-flights-revanth-reddy-flags-us-visit-snub/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-rain-diverts-15-flights-revanth-reddy-flags-us-visit-snub/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/