City briefs

Unaided schools can hike fees up to 50%: GR
The state government has issued a government resolution (GR),allowing unaided schools to hike their fees in order to implement the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations for school teachers and staff with retrospective effect from January 1,2006. Deputy Education Secretary AM Bhattalwar issued the GR on Friday which states the fee hike should not be higher than 50 per cent. Earlier,on March 4,the government had issued a GR,prohibiting private unaided schools from hiking fees after protests from parents.

Firearms seized from UP man
The Vikhroli unit of the ATS on Friday arrested a man and seized firearms from him. Mohammed Irshad Halwai (29) of Lucknow had reached Kurla by the Gorakhpur Express in the morning. In the afternoon,the ATS got a tip-off on a possible weapons transaction and apprehended Halwai. They said they seized 12 bullets and five pistols,including two high-end ones,from him. Pradeep Sawant,Deputy Commissioner of Police said,“We will probe if there is a bigger group behind this delivery and the purpose of the weapons. We have information on the person to whom they were to be delivered and are making enquiries.”

Protests against SRA allotments
A group of people held a protest on Friday against illegal allotment under MHADA and SRA schemes. “SRA staff are hand-in-glove with developers and are indulging in illegal activities. Poor slum dwellers are suffering,” said activist Nicholas Almeida. The comes after reports of sitting and former legislators having been allotted High Income Group homes in MHADA buildings violating norms. Almeida urged the SRA CEO to look into the matter. The protesters addressed the request to the CEO on a Rs 100 stamp paper and used locks and keys to indicate all houses given to non-deserving people be locked by the authorities.

WR gets 35 more 12-car trains
The Western Railway (WR) will convert 35 nine-car train services into 12-car services from May 24. This is expected to increase the carrying capacity of trains by 35 per cent. Of these,26 services are between Churchgate and Borivali,seven between Churchgate and Andheri and two between Churchgate and Goregaon.