ET NEWS

Mumbai: NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday demanded that Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu be removed from his post until the probe into Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's plane crash is completed.The legislator, who is the nephew of the late NCP leader Ajit Pawar, also claimed that the VSR company, whose Learjet plane carrying his uncle crashed in Pune's Baramati town last month, was being protected.The civil aviation minister and his party (Telugu Desam Party) are close to the VSR company owners, he charged at a press conference."Some former ministers from Maharashtra and top TDP ministers from Andhra Pradesh attended the marriage of Rohit Singh, son of the VSR owner VK Singh. The company is allowed to operate and top politicians are still using the Learjet planes of the company," he claimed.Naidu should not continue as civil aviation minister on moral grounds, Rohit Pawar said.There is not even a preliminary probe report yet, and there is reason to believe that efforts are being made to save the VSR company, the NCP (SP) leader added.He said it was good that the NCP leadership, including his aunt and Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and demanded a CBI probe into the January 28 air crash that killed Ajit Pawar.Sunetra Pawar, accompanied by senior NCP leaders Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel, Hassan Mushrif, and elder son Parth Pawar, met Fadnavis on Tuesday and handed over a letter seeking a CBI probe."Many issues that I raised have been included in the letter," Rohit Pawar said.The probe needs to be impartial and the report needs to be submitted to a committee which includes aviation experts, political leaders, he opined.NCP leader Ajit Pawar and four others were killed in a plane crash at Baramati in Pune district on January 28.The aircraft accident probe agency, AAIB, on Tuesday said that special support has been sought for the retrieval of data from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the Learjet 45 plane involved in the fatal crash.Rohit Pawar said his family has expressed concern for his safety since he has taken on the "high and mighty"."I wonder why BJP trolls were criticising me for demanding justice for my uncle. One troll with a verified handle had posted about a political earthquake in the state two days before the plane crash," he claimed.The MLA also said that if there was a political angle to the accident, it involved two possibilities: one, speculation that the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) might join the NDA after merging with the NCP; and two, that Ajit Pawar could quit the NDA following the merger.Some groups were unhappy with either scenario, he claimed.

Indian applicants seeking US visitor visas may find sharply different wait times depending on the city they choose, with Chennai showing just a 1-month wait for the next available B1/B2 interview, according to data released by the US Department of State on February 13, 2026. In contrast, Mumbai lists a 10-month wait, while New Delhi and Hyderabad show 8 months each. According to data from the Department’s Global Visa Wait Times portal, backlogs for student (F, M, J) and work (H, L, O, P, Q) visas also vary across consulates, with several categories moving faster than visitor visas.Visitor visa slots differentiate across cities Mumbai remains the most backlogged post, with a 9.5-month average wait and a 10-month next available slot for B1/B2 visas. New Delhi shows a 6.5-month average but an 8-month next available appointment. Hyderabad reports a 7.5-month average and an 8-month next slot. Also read: US senators push back on social media check for tourist visasChennai stands out with a 1.5-month average wait and a 1-month next available appointment. Kolkata lists a 2.5-month next available slot. The variation suggests that applicants willing to travel to another city may find significantly shorter timelines. Student and work visas move faster Student visa categories (F, M, J) show shorter wait times across most cities. New Delhi lists availability in less than half a month, while Chennai shows 1 month. Mumbai and Hyderabad both report 2.5 months. Petition-based work visas (H, L, O, P, Q) also reflect faster movement. New Delhi shows availability in under half a month, Mumbai at 1.5 months, Hyderabad at 3 months, and Chennai at 2 months.Also read: US can't keep Indians out even with $100,000 H-1B feeCrew and transit visas (C/D) remain among the quickest categories, with most cities showing availability within one month or less.US visa wait times in India (February 2026)CityInterview Required(B1/B2)Average wait timesInterview Required(B1/B2)Next available appointmentInterview Required(F,M,J)Next available appointmentInterview RequiredPetition-Base (H,L,O,P,Q)Next available appointmentInterview RequiredCrew and Transit(C,D,C1/D)Next available appointmentMumbai9.5 months10 months2.5 months1.5 months1 monthNew Delhi6.5 months8 months< 0.5 month< 0.5 month1 monthHyderabad7.5 months8 months2.5 months3 months< 0.5 monthChennai1.5 months1 month1 month2 months< 0.5 monthKolkataNA2.5 months2 monthsNANA What this means for applicants The latest figures indicate that visitor visa demand continues to outpace appointment supply in high-volume centres such as Mumbai and Delhi. At the same time, student and employment-linked categories show relatively shorter queues.The US Department of State said visa wait times are updated monthly and are based on the previous month’s data. It noted that embassies and consulates regularly open new appointment slots, and applicants can reschedule to an earlier date if slots become available. The department also clarified that average wait times do not guarantee appointment availability within a specific period.Applicants are advised to regularly check the official appointment system and the website of the US embassy or consulate where they plan to apply, as wait times can change depending on demand and staffing.