Mumbai news today: On January 31, the state government provided details to the HC on the status of work in progress undertaken by it. (Representational/File)Maharashtra news Highlights, 6th February 2023: The work along the stretch of the Mumbai-Goa National Highway (NH-66) will be completed before February 2024, the Maharashtra government said in its compliance report regarding the widening and upgradation work of the highway submitted before the Bombay High Court earlier this week. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), meanwhile, has submitted that the maintenance work along the first 42-km stretch will be completed by February 28, and the 42 to 84-km stretch by March 31.
In other news, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said he has requested NCP president Sharad Pawar and leaders of Congress to honour the political tradition in the state to ensure unopposed bypolls to the seats that fall vacant due to the death of sitting lawmakers. The byelections to Kasba Peth and Chinchwad constituencies in Pune, scheduled for February 26, were necessitated due to the death of MLAs Mukta Tilak and Laxman Jagtap, respectively. Both of them belonged to the BJP, according to a news report by PTI.
Meanwhile, the much-anticipated sewage treatment plant (STP) project of Mumbai is finally set to see the light of the day after 14 years. The project was first conceived in 2009 by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The idea of constructing STPs was first floated in 2002 during the erstwhile Congress regime, but it was only in 2009 when the project was solidified. The basic idea is to construct STPs in seven locations across the city, including – Worli, Dharavi, Bandra, Versova, Ghatkopar, Bhandup and Malad.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (File)
Further, the BMC has allocated an additional fund of Rs 40 crore for creating a women’s hostel, a shelter home for the homeless and a day care centre. (Express photo)
Ahead of tabling the budget this year, Chahal had invited suggestions from citizens for creating the overall outlay of the budget. (Representational)
While Tambe did not explicitly name Patole for being responsible, his attack was evidently directed at him. (File)
A fire broke out on the seventh floor of an under-construction high-rise in Prabhadevi area of central Mumbai on Monday, an official said.
No casualties were reported in the blaze that erupted in the 55-storey India Bulls Sky Forest building on Senapati Bapat Marg around 8.40 pm, he said.
The fire brigade was pressed into service and the blaze was extinguished around 9.10 pm, he said. (PTI)
A court here on Monday granted exemption from personal appearance for a day to veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar in a defamation case filed by a lawyer over his alleged remarks against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during a television interview.
The lawyer, Santosh Dubey, had in October 2021, filed a complaint against the 77-year-old lyricist-poet before the metropolitan magistrate court at suburban Mulund under sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). (PTI)
Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekharan will head the Maharashtra state Economic Advisory Council (EAC) which also includes Karan Adani and Anant Ambani, a government resolution said on Monday. Karan Adani, the CEO of Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, is the son of Gautam Adani, who is battling allegations of stock manipulation and fraud in Adani Group raised by Hindenburg Research. The Adani Group has denied the allegations, which created a political firestorm and eroded his networth. (PTI)
Nagpur based Congress leader Ashish Deshmukh has demanded change of guard in MPCC. " We don't want state Congress president Nana Patole to continue as our leader," Deshmukh said.
"All liked minded leaders in Congress will meet in Gandhi Bhawan on February 10. We will discuss the matter in detail," he added.
The Congress on Monday demanded the Centre seize the passport of Gautam Adani, who is battling allegations of stock manipulation, to prevent him from escaping the country as the opposition party held protests against Adani outside offices of LIC and SBI.
A Mumbai Congress leader said businessmen Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi could escape the country because the BJP government didn't confiscate their passports in time. (PTI)
No new case of coronavirus or casualty was recorded in Mumbai in the last 24 hours, a civic official said on Monday. The city has reported 11,55,262 cases, including 19,747 fatalities so far, he said.
The count of recoveries has reached 11,35,501, leaving the city with 14 active cases, the official said. As per data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the recovery rate is 98.3 per cent and the doubling rate of cases stands at 3,89,934 days. (PTI)
Tribals from Aarey Colony and other adjoining areas of Mumbai held a protest for their land, forest and farming rights near the Bandra collectorate office on Monday morning. They also protested against displacement issues and for the issuance of caste certificate.
Workers of the Nationalist Congress Party were booked and those from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party were detained and let off with a warning for separate protests in south Mumbai on Monday, police officials said.
Five NCP functionaries were taken into custody after the party protested against the ruling BJP in front of the Life Insurance Corporation building in south Mumbai over the stock market upheaval connected with Gautam Adani and the insurance behemoth's investment in the billionaire's group. (PTI)
Gopal Krishna Gokhale Bridge connects Andheri west to east. It has been shut for traffic and pedestrian movement since November 7, 2022, causing a lot of inconvenience to people while commuting around Andheri and adjoining areas in the Northern suburbs.
The Bombay High Court told the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday that it should ensure “actually walkable” footpaths are available for pedestrians including elderly and disabled people by removing encroachments by unlicensed hawkers.
A bench of Justices Gautam S Patel and Neela K Gokhale asked the civic body to file an affidavit in reply identifying specific problems and indicating the solutions it would offer to deal with the issue. Read more
Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat has complained to the high command about his alleged humiliation by the party’s state chief, Nana Patole, especially over the controversies around the former’s nephew Satyajeet Tambe, who was recently elected as an independent MLC.
It is perhaps the first time a senior Congress leader has vented his spleen about the “style of functioning” of the party’s state chief. Read more
The Maharashtra government has planned a memorial for late singer and Bharat Ratna recipient Lata Mangeshkar. The proposed memorial will be erected at Tardeo’s Haji Ali Chowk, close to where the singer lived on Peddar Road. Designed by Lekha Washington, the memorial has been planned in the shape of a tree, as an ode to the ‘Nightingale of India’.
The Bhoomi Pujan was done Monday, on the first death anniversary of Lata Mangeshkar, by Usha Mangeshkar, singer and sister of Lata Mangeshkar. Usha Mangeshkar was the chief guest of the event. The construction of the memorial has been proposed by Maharashtra Tourism Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha. Read more
In an attempt to ensure transparency and reduce chances of irregularities, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will launch an online software tool to manage the transfer of teachers and headmasters in civic schools.
The annual budget of the BMC education department, presented on Saturday, mentions the development of online software for managing the transfers of headmasters and teachers. Read more
The Social Service Branch of the Mumbai police on Sunday conducted a raid at a flat in Goregaon, arrested a woman, and rescued two others, including a minor, from a prostitution racket, officials said.
The police received a tip-off that a 35-year-old woman was running a prostitution racket inside a flat in a colony in Goregaon (West), officials said. “We then sent a team to the flat and conducted a raid. The woman who was running the racket was caught while two women (victims) were rescued,” a police officer said. Read more
With a day to go before the last date for filing nominations for the Kasba Peth bypoll in Maharashtra, the Congress on Monday declared Ravindra Dhangekar as its candidate. The election was necessitated due to the demise of sitting legislator Mukta Tilak in December.
Dhangekar will be the candidate of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an alliance of the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena, against BJP’s Hemant Rasane. Read more
The Bombay High Court on Monday granted time to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to respond to the plea by environment activist Zoru Bhathena, seeking to quash and set aside a notice issued by the Tree Authority of the civic body, inviting suggestions and objections for removing 177 trees at Aarey. In his plea, Bhathena said the January 12 notice was “in breach of a Supreme Court order”.
A division bench of acting Chief Justice Sanjay V Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep V Marne was hearing a plea by Bhathena who claimed the notice was issued following an application by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL). He said that after the Supreme Court in November last year allowed BMC to pursue its plea for felling 84 trees for Metro, MMRCL had submitted an application to the Tree Authority. Read more
Balasaheb Thorat spoke for the first time after his nephew and independent MLC Satyajeet Tambe slammed state Congress president Nana Patole for hatching a conspiracy against Thorat and Tambe families.
He was speaking online from Mumbai on Sunday evening at a cultural program organised in Sangamner. Thorat said, "After change in power, workers in Sangamner (his constituency) are being targeted. But we have always faced struggle. Satyajeet won and we congratulate him for that. The politics played during that has hurt me. I have conveyed my sentiments to high command. I don't want to comment in public about internal politics. We will surely take care of it... in between there were some news reports whereby we were almost made to join BJP. Not only that, we were even given the ticket of the BJP. Some people have been purposely spreading rumours. But let me assure you that, we are of Congress ideology and worked as per it till now. And even in future, we will be Congressmen. "
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "Jeetendra Awadh often ends up making statements which hurts the sentiments of people. Awadh makes these statements to appease certain sections which is dominant in his constituency. But while playing appeasement politics, he should be mindful not to undermine the significance of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj as they are highly revered by everybody in and out of Maharashtra. If you make controversial statements there is bound to be reaction."
The BJP Yuva Morcha has demanded an apology from NCP (MLA) Jeetendra Awadh for his controversial remark that Moghul rural Aurangzeb was cruel but not a Hindu hater. A large number of police personnel are deployed at Thane to avoid clashes between BJP and NCP workers.
Nagpur Maha Metro will be offering 30 per cent concession in travel fare to school students till 12th standard.
The Shiv Sena ( UBT) MP, Sanjay Raut, in a response to the appeal for an unopposed by-elections said, "We don't give any importance to CM and MNS chiefs appeal. We want contest. We will not allow elections unopposed."
The appeals by chief minister Eknath Shinde and MNS chief Raj Thackeray's for unopposed by-elections for Kasbapeth and Pimpri-Chinchwad assembly seats has been rejected by the Opposition.
A court here has sentenced a businessman to three months' simple imprisonment, 12 years after his pet Rottweiler dog bit a man, observing if reasonable care is not taken while going out with such an aggressive canine, then it is “certainly harmful for the public”. (PTI)
A day before the last date for filing nominations for the Kasba Peth Assembly bypoll, the BJP in Maharashtra has offered to withdraw its nominated candidate and field a family member of deceased sitting legislator Mukta Tilak if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) agrees to unopposed elections in the constituency. Tuesday is the last day for filing nominations. Read more here
Dhangekar is a former corporator and has contested elections against former Kasba Peth MLA Girish Bapat in 2009 and 2014 as MNS candidate and secured impressive votes as well. He had worked in the Shiv Sena before working with MNS.
Dhangekar joined the Congress in 2017 in the presence of then state Congress chief Ashok Chavan.
Nearly five senior IPS officers in Maharashtra do not have a post since December-mid as they were not assigned a position while being transferred. As some of them have been waiting to get the new postings, others are using this as an opportunity to spend time with their families, until they are called on duty again. The new postings are likely to be announced in the next few weeks. Read other stories here
The MHADA Konkan Board has been constructing these houses, comprising 2 BHKs of 600-sq-ft, on a total 17.64-hectare land parcel. Read why
Maharashtra's Thane district has reported one new case of coronavirus, raising its infection tally to 7,47,451, a health official said on Monday. (PTI)
The two new Vande Bharat Express trains, to be introduced on CSMT-Shirdi and CSMT-Solapur routes, are equipped with “additional parking brakes” and “traction motor system” that will enable these trains to stop in case of signalling or emergency, and prevent it from rolling down on both routes comprising Ghat sections, said a senior Central Railway officer.
No other Vande Bharat is equipped with the said advanced systems, said the official, adding that the two trains have the systems to enable them to cross the ghat section which is the steepest in gradient. The officer further explained that express trains passing through the Ghat sections are attached with a banking engine that eliminates chances of uncoupling or the train rolling down the gradient. The additional engine assists in hauling a train up a steep gradient. With advanced systems, the Vande Bharat trains will not need the banking engine to pull the train, added the official. Read more...
Maharashtra witnessed a nine-fold rise in cases of swine flu in 2022 as compared with the previous year—the highest to be reported since 2018. However, due to increased vigilance among the public, the mortality rate remained low.
The Bombay High Court is set to hear the state and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s response on the current policy about unlicensed hawkers today.
A day after several women seeking recruitment in the Mumbai fire brigade held a protest saying they were disqualified despite meeting the requirement, which led to a clash with the police, the civic body on Sunday said their applications were rejected because they neither reached the venue in time nor fulfilled the height criterion. (PTI)
The much-anticipated sewage treatment plant (STP) project of Mumbai is finally set to see the light of the day after 14 years. The project was first conceived in 2009 by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The idea of constructing STPs was first floated in 2002 during the erstwhile Congress regime, but it was only in 2009 when the project was solidified. The basic idea is to construct STPs in seven locations across the city, including – Worli, Dharavi, Bandra, Versova, Ghatkopar, Bhandup and Malad. Know more here
A team from the Mumbai police Sunday visited the Bandra residence of former cricketer Vinod Kambli to issue him a notice to join a police investigation against him.
On Saturday, an FIR was registered against Kambli at the Bandra police station for allegedly assaulting and abusing his wife in an inebriated state. Andrea Hewitt, in her complaint, alleged that he verbally abused and thrashed her. No arrest has, however, been made so far in connection with the alleged incident. Read more
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has termed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) budget as ‘contractor-driven’ and with a set of misplaced priorities that do not factor in the aam aadmi.
The BMC on Saturday presented a whopping annual budget of Rs 52,619 crore. However, the AAP said that beyond the large figure it is an altogether different story. “More than 60 per cent of the budget for capital expenditure remains unused and most developmental projects are progressing at a snail’s pace,” AAPs Mumbai chief Preeti Sharma Menon observed. Read more
A court in Thane district has acquitted a 40-year-old man accused in a case under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), giving him the benefit of doubt.
Special Judge A N Shirsikar, hearing cases pertaining to the MCOCA, in the order on Saturday held that the prosecution failed to prove the charges against the jailed accused, Mohammad Nadeem Merchant alias Nadeem Chikna, defence counsel Poonit Mahimkar said on Sunday.
The prosecution told the court that the accused ran a crime syndicate in and around Mumbra area of Thane and resorted to extortion from builders, hoteliers, citizens, businessmen and media persons. The accused and his associates and threatened people with dire consequences, the prosecution alleged. (PTI)
Popular television actor Urvashi Dholakia's car met with an accident in Maharashtra's Thane district adjoining Mumbai, but she did not suffer any injury, a police official said on Sunday.
The accident took place on Saturday in Kashimira locality when a school bus carrying children dashed against the actor's car from behind while she was on way to a studio in Mira Road area for shooting, the official said.
Dholakia did not file any complaint against the bus driver. However, local police have taken all details of the bus driver, the official added.
The actor had won the sixth season of the reality show "Bigg Boss". She is also known for her role in television serial 'Kasautii Zindagii Kay". (PTI)
The body of a 45-year-old man was found floating in a creek in Maharashtra's Thane city on Sunday, a civic official said.
The fire brigade received a call around 8.30 am about the body in Gaikukh Chowpatty on Ghodbunder Road, said Avinash Sawant, chief of the regional disaster management cell said.
The local firemen and the team of RDMC fished out the body and sent it for post-mortem, he said. According to the police, a case of accidental death has been registered and a probe has been initiated. (PTI)
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has termed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) budget as ‘contractor-driven’ and with a set of misplaced priorities that do not factor in the aam aadmi.
The BMC on Saturday presented a whopping annual budget of Rs 52,619 crore. However, the AAP said that beyond the large figure it is an altogether different story. “More than 60 per cent of the budget for capital expenditure remains unused and most developmental projects are progressing at a snail’s pace,” AAPs Mumbai chief Preeti Sharma Menon observed.
“This budget is not for the aam aadmi but is for the contractor lobby. Education, healthcare and BEST have all seen reduction in allocation,” she asserted. Read more
Residents of EKTA Tripolis - Luxor in Goregaon (West) hold a peaceful protest against MHADA and civic authorities. BJP's Gopal Shetty is also present.
The number of children dropping out of cancer treatment at Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) in Mumbai, the country’s premier cancer-care centre, has declined significantly over the last 12 years — from 10 of every 100 paediatric patients in 2010 to just two of 100 in 2022.
TMH says it has achieved this sharp drop through a cost-effective approach that includes logistical, nutritional and treatment support.
Last year, 2,085 cancer-affected children below the age of 15 were registered at the hospital. Of them, 47 opted out before completion of treatment. In 2010, this corresponding number was much higher — out of 1,131 patients, 118 opted out in the middle of treatment. Read more
Police have arrested a man and seized 108 bottles of a banned cough syrup from his possession in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, the police laid a trap in Mumbra area on February 2 and spotted three persons with bags in their hands.
On seeing the police, two of them ran away while one was caught, Mumbra police station's assistant police inspector Krupali Borse said. The police found him to be carrying 108 bottles of the banned cough syrup which he had planned to sell, the official said.
A case was registered against the accused, identified as Mumbra resident Ashraf Abdul Razzak Sheikh (21), under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the official said. Efforts were on to nab the two other persons, he said.
The police were enquiring as to from where the three persons got the cough syrup stock and to whom they planned to sell it, the official said. (PTI)
An FIR has been registered against former cricketer Vinod Kambli at the Bandra Police Station in Mumbai based on a complaint filed by his wife Andrea. In the plaint, she alleged that he verbally abused and thrashed her in an inebriated state. No arrest made yet.
According to news agency PTI, the incident happened at his home in suburban Bandra. "No arrest has been made so far in connection with the alleged incident which took place on Friday," PTI quoted an official as saying.
Kambli's wife Andrea in her police complaint alleged that he threw the handle of a cooking pan at her due to which she suffered a head injury, the official from Bandra police station said. The incident took place between 1 pm and 1.30 pm on Friday when Kambli reached his flat allegedly under the influence of alcohol and started abusing his wife, he said.
Their 12 year-old son, who was present at that time, intervened in the fight, but Kambli went into the kitchen, brought the handle of a broken frying pan and allegedly threw it on his wife due to which she got injured, the official said quoting the complaint. Kambli's wife later went to the Bhabha Hospital for a medical examination.
Based on her complaint, the Bandra police on Friday registered the FIR against Kambli under Indian Penal Code Sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), the official said. An investigation is on into the case, he added.
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