Ganesh Visarjan procession from Mumbai's Girgaon Chowpatty on Friday. (Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)Maharashtra Ganesh Visarjan 2023 Highlights (September 29): As of 6 am today, 39, 235 Ganesh idols were immersed in Mumbai, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). While 6,601 were sarvajanik, 32,190 were Gharguti idols. 444 Gauri idols were also immersed. Of these, immersion of 11,097 idols was carried out in the artificial lakes created by the civic body. BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and Bollywood actors Rajkummar Rao and Manushi Chhillar took part in a clean-up drive at the Juhu beach.
In other news, a 16-year-old boy passed away after being struck by lightning at Juhu Beach, while he was watching Ganesh idol immersions. The incident occurred when Mumbai received heavy rains, thunder and lightning as devotees made their way to natural water bodies and artificial lakes on last day of the Ganesh festival. IMD has stated that the city and its neighbouring districts can brace themselves for a week of thunderstorms coupled with lightning and gusty winds.
Meanwhile, observing “there cannot be denial that Article 21 of the Constitution protects every citizen’s right to seek good and affordable healthcare,” the Bombay High Court Wednesday pulled up Thane Municipal Corporation for its alleged apathy in completing the construction of a 100-bed hospital at Kausa in Mumbra area which was planned 15 years ago.
The reservation of Other Backward Classes (OBC) will not be touched while giving quota to the Maratha community, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Friday.
During the day, CM Shinde held a meeting with representatives of the OBC and Nomadic Tribes at Sahyadri Guest House. It was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar as well as senior ministers and officials.
Representatives from these segments put forth their demand in the meeting.
"The government's stand is quota of any community will not be diluted. While giving reservation to the Maratha community, the quota of other communities will remain unaffected," Shinde said.
He added that the government stands firmly behind those from the Nomadic Tribes.
Shinde said officials have been directed to start 72 hostels for OBC students. (PTI)
The Maharashtra government is thinking of launching its own weather satellite to get advance intimation of cyclones, cloud bursts, landslides and similar events, a state minister said here on Friday.
The project can, however, take off only after getting necessary approvals from the Union government, said Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Anil Patil.
He was speaking with the media after reviewing the damage caused by floods in the city earlier this week.
His ministry is mulling launching its own weather satellite which will be a first for any state, he said.
A special financial package will be given for controlling flooding in Nagpur and the government is working on the development of necessary infrastructure to stop overflowing of the Nag river, Ambazari lake and canals around the city, the minister said.
He has directed the administration to complete panchanamas or inspection reports of the flood damage by October 2, he said. (PTI)
A total of 15,000 stray dogs will be vaccinated in Mumbai during a 10-day drive to make the metropolis rabies free, a civic official said on Friday.
A release from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said 15,000 dogs will be vaccinated in P-North, R-South, R-Central, R-North, S and T wards administrative wards in the northern part of the city between September 29 and October 10.
Around 100 volunteers and 15 NGOs will be engaged for this drive, which will be mobile app based, it said.
"For the first time, app based rabies vaccination will be done in the state. The photo of the vaccinated dog, the place of vaccination and health information will be integrated in the app. After vaccination, the dogs will get QR code collars on an experimental basis," the official said.
Scanning the QR code will help in getting information about the dog, including feeder details, vaccination and medical information, the release said. (PTI)
A special CBI court in Mumbai on Friday granted bail to former policeman Sachin Waze in connection with a 2021 extortion case filed on the complaint of a hotelier.
Waze had approached the special court in August this year after being denied bail by a metropolitan magistrate.
Waze, currently in judicial custody in the Antilia bomb scare and other cases being probed by Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation, was placed under arrest in the extortion case in November 2021.
Waze's bail plea was allowed by special judge S U Hake, informed his lawyer Aarti Kelkar.
In his plea filed before the special court, Waze contended he is accused of offences for which the maximum sentence is three years in jail.
Since he had completed more than half this term as an undertrial prisoner, the plea said he was entitled for bail under the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
The CBI opposed the plea and told court the charges invoked against Waze are punishable with imprisonment of upto 10 years. (PTI)
At least 13 persons were killed, including nine due to drowning, during the Ganesh idol immersion processions in parts of Maharashtra, police said on Friday.
The immersion processions were taken out on Thursday on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi, marking the end of the 10-day Ganesh festival. In some cities, including Mumbai, the processions continued till Friday afternoon.
In Nashik, three persons drowned in Panchvati and an equal number in Nashik Road area, a police official said.
A six-year-old boy was killed at Chunchale Shivar near Ambad MIDC in Nashik city around 10 pm on Thursday after being hit by a tractor that was part of an immersion procession, he said.
"The driver of the tractor lost control over the vehicle when it was on a steep slope, due to which it hit some of the people standing on the roadside to watch the immersion procession. The boy, identified as Rudra Raju Bhagat, lost his life, while his father suffered injuries in the incident," the official said, adding that a case was registered with Ambad police station. (PTI)
The Board of the Bombay Stock Exchange Brokers’ Forum (BBF) unanimously appointed Shri Kishor Kansagra as the Chairman of the BBF Governing Board effective 29-Sep-2023.
Shri Kishor Kansagra is a Chartered Accountant by qualification and has over three decades of experience in Indian Capital Markets. Shri Kishor Kansagra said "It is an honour and a privilege to take over this role. BBF will continue its vision to work for benefit of the Indian Capital Markets in general and the members of BBF in particular”.
Shri Kishor Kansagra replaces the outgoing Chairman Shri Lalit Mundra, who served for two years as Chairman of the Board.
The police action of arresting a music teacher and illegally detaining him for a bailable offence smacks of police high-handedness and insensitivity, the Bombay High Court said on Friday while directing the Maharashtra government to pay Rs 2 lakh in compensation to the man.
A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Gauri Godse passed the order on a petition filed by Neelam Sampat alleging that the police had illegally detained her husband Nitin Sampat and that he was arrested although the charges against him were bailable.
“This is a case, where there is a gross violation of Nitin's right guaranteed to him under Article 21; his right to be released on bail in bailable offences; and a clear violation of Supreme Court judgments that say that arrest in cases should be made only when it is absolutely warranted,” the bench said.
“The facts as narrated in the case smack of police high-handedness. It smacks of their insensitivity. It reveals their lack of knowledge of legal provisions. This action of the police has resulted in unjustified trauma — physical, emotional and mental to the petitioner's husband — Nitin,” the court said in its order. (PTI)
In a temporary relief to Baramati Agro Ltd, a firm controlled by NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, the Bombay High Court on Friday extended till October 6 the effect of a closure notice issued by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.
Claiming that the board’s decision was passed under political influence, the firm controlled by the MLA from the Sharad Pawar-led party challenged the notice. The notice, which was issued on Wednesday and served early on Thursday, sought closure of the industrial unit within 72 hours.
The plea was mentioned before a bench of Justices Nitin M Jamdar and Manjusha Deshpande, which posted further hearing to October 6 and extended the direction in the board’s notice till then. Read more
Express Photo by Pradip Das
At least 12 persons were killed, including nine from drowning, during Ganpati idol immersions over the past 24 hours across Maharashtra, police officials said on Friday.
The immersions began on Thursday on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi, marking the end of the 10-day festivities.
In Nashik, three persons drowned in Panchvati and an equal number in Nashik Road area, an official said.
Umbraj in Satara, Wajirabad in Nanded and Karjat in Raigad near Mumbai reported one death each from drowning, he added.
In Ratnagiri district in the state's Konkan region, two persons were killed when a tempo ploughed into a idol immersion procession after the vehicle's brake failed.
A 17-year-old girl and the tempo's driver died, he said.
In Juhu in the western part of the metropolis, a 16-year-old boy was rescued from the beach amid immersion on Thursday but he was declared 'dead on arrival' by doctors at nearby civic-run Cooper hospital. (PTI)
Amid heavy rains, devotees bid adieu to Lord Ganesh in Latur city of Maharashtra as the 10-day-long festival dedicated to the elephant-headed deity came to a close.
The festival, which began with 'Ganesh Chaturthi' on September 19, concluded on 'Anant Chaturdashi' on Thursday.
Processions for the immersion of idols of Lord Ganesh installed by people at their houses and at 'sarvajanik mandals' (public pandals) began on Thursday morning. A large number of people participated in the processions taken out in the city amid the beating of drums and chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' From 2 pm, heavy rains started lashing the city, which continued till around 6 pm. However, the showers failed to dampen the spirit of the devotees as the processions continued largely unperturbed.
People thronged the streets to catch a glimpse of the idols of some popular Ganesh mandals, including Bappa Ganesh Mandal, Shri Ausa Hanuman Ganesh Mandal, Vishwacha Raja and Laturcha Raja Ganpati. (PTI)
Bollywood stars Rajkummar Rao, Manushi Chhillar and Saiyami Kher brought some celebrity heft to the Juhu beach clean-up drive here on Friday, a day after hundreds of Ganesh idols were immersed in the sea.
The Cleanathon 2.0 2023 Ocean Waste Management event, organised by Divyaj and Bhamla Foundations, saw celebrities joining volunteers and locals to collect debris littered across the vast expanse of the famous waterfront.
"This is a very important initiative. I come here for walks, so it feels very nice to be greeted by a clean beach. Today, I got an opportunity to participate in it myself," Rao told PTI.
The "Newton" actor also praised PM Modi for initiating the 'Swachh Bharat' campaign.
"It's a very important initiative and I'd want us all to participate in it,” he added.
Former Miss Universe Manushi Chhillar, who was last seen in 'The Great Indian Family', said movie sets are becoming more eco-friendly nowadays. (PTI)
The INDIA bloc will take precautions to ensure that there are no disputes among its alliance partners in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh where elections are due in a few months, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Friday.
He was speaking to reporters at Baramati in Maharashtra's Pune district. Pawar also spoke about issues like Maratha reservation and export duty on onions.
More than two dozen opposition parties have formed the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on the BJP in next year's general elections.
Replying to a question about apparent friction in West Bengal as the Congress has staked claim to some seats, the veteran politician said there are no elections there in the immediate future.
“When elections near, the possibility of differences (among INDIA bloc partners) cannot be ruled out. However, we will sort the issues by sending neutral leaders from the alliance,” he said. (PTI)
BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and Bollywood actors Rajkummar Rao and Manushi Chhillar took part in a clean-up drive at the Juhu beach on Friday morning.
As of 6 am today, 39, 235 Ganesh idols were immersed in Mumbai, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). While 6,601 were sarvajanik, 32,190 were Gharguti idols. 444 Gauri idols were also immersed.
More than 20,000 idols were immersed in Mumbai till 9 pm on Anant Chaturdashi. 20,195 idols were immersed, comprising 18,772 household ones, 1,019 'sarvajanik' or public idols and 304 of goddess Gauri.
As per civic data, 7,381 of the 20,195 idols were immersed in artificial ponds set up by the civic body. The 7,381 idols comprise 7,084 household idols, 204 'sarvajanik' ones and 93 of goddess Gauri.
The police in Mumbai have registered a case after a 34-year-old man alleged that he was assaulted by four persons for refusing to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram'.
The alleged incident took place around 11.45 pm on Monday at Gokulnagar in Kandivali East when complainant Siddharth Angure was returning home from work. Angure told the police that he was stopped by four persons who insisted that he chant ‘Jai Shri Ram'. The accused beat up and abused Angure after the latter refused to chant the religious slogan, according to the first information report (FIR).
Angure claimed that he was dragged on the road by the four, who also kicked and punched him, as per the FIR. The complainant was rescued by his brother and a relative, the police said.
According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reports, a total of 7,950 Ganesh idols have been immersed until 6 pm. Of these, 329 are Sarvajanik, while 7513 were household idols. Meanwhile, 108 were Gauri idols.
Furthermore, data shows that 2,999 of the total idols immersed until now were immersed in artificial lakes.
A 16-year-old boy died after being struck by lightning at Juhu Chowpatty on Thursday. The police said that as per the primary investigation, it appears that the teenager had come to see Ganpati immersion at Juhu Chowpatty on the final day of Ganeshotsav festivities.
According to the BMC officials, the victim has been identified as Hasan Yusuf Shaikh (16), a resident of Vakola in Santacruz.
Assistant Commissioner of police Mahesh Mugutrao (Santacruz division) said, "Prima facie, it appears that he had come alone to see the Ganesh idol immersion at chowpatty. There was no Ganpati with him or he was not accompanying any pandal. While he stood near the water at the beach, he got struck by lightning and fell on the water."
The police said that the incident took place at around 4.30 pm. "It was raining heavily then while there were also thunderstorms and lightning at the time," said an official.
The victim's body was retrieved from Juhu Beach by officials of Drishti lifeguard, taken to Andheri's Cooper Hospital, where he was declared 'brought dead'.
The police said that the incident was also witnessed by a lifeguard who was standing around 300 meters away from Shaikh.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde flagged off the state-wide 'Shetkari Samvad Yatra' undertaken by Shetkari Sena, a farmers' wing of his party Shiv Sena.
The aim of the initiative is to know the problems faced by farmers across the state and inform them about various government schemes. The functionaries of the Shetkari Sena are taking part in the yatra.
CM Shinde flagged off the yatra at Tembhi Naka, from where his mentor and late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe used to operate. During the yatra, the Shetkari Sena office-bearers will reach the doorsteps of the farmers and understand their problems. They will try to address their issues on the spot if possible. If required, the chief minister will connect with the farmers online and hold talks.
The cross-examination in connection with the disqualification petitions filed by Shiv Sena MLAs will start from November 23, according to a schedule issued by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, a move dubbed a delaying tactic by the Shiv Sena (UBT). As per the schedule, the cross-examination will be conducted twice a week.
If there was one seat that nobody in the BJP was willing to bet on in Lok Sabha polls, it was Baramati. The home of the Pawars remained unconquered for the BJP in the 2014 and 2019 polls, which it fought on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity. But as Ajit Pawar has joined hands with the saffron party, will Baramati turn into a slippery pitch for Supriya Sule in 2024? Read more
Amid a yellow alert which was issued for the city and its neighbouring districts for the fifth consecutive day on Monday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials have said that the monsoon withdrawal may commence in Mumbai on October 15. Read more
Even though the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has kept its plan of reconstructing the Malabar Hill Reservoir on hold, following resistance from local residence, the civic body’s internal report shows that the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay has recommended constructing a new water supply facility to maintain uninterrupted water supply. Read more
Thanks to an initiative by the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) Police Commissionerate which was set up in October 2020 to track cold cases, a 28-year-old murder in which several members of a family were wiped out was solved by them in December last year.
Due to increasing population in the stretch between Mira Road and Virar which earlier had skeletal police presence and was governed by Thane (rural) police, several cases remained unsolved due to lack of resources. Read more
In what can be seen as an attempt to strengthen the party’s base in Mumbai, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction Wednesday appointed Lok Sabha MP Sameer Bhujbal as its Mumbai unit chief.
Bhujbal is a nephew of senior NCP leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal.
“We never managed to win more seats in Mumbai. Our only Lok Sabha victory was in the form of Sanjay Dina Patil. Even we leaders are responsible for this. We could not give much attention to Mumbai, while working in the rest of Maharashtra. But Sameer knows how Mumbai works and he has a vision. Sameer now has a responsibility to bring a revolution in Mumbai,” said Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Read more
Mumbai traffic authorities have announced restrictions on the roads in and around Girgaon chowpatty, Dadar chowpatty, Juhu beach and several other roads leading to ‘visarjan’ points in the city for smooth flow of traffic on Anant Chaturdashi.
According to traffic officials, the curbs will be in force from 10 am on Thursday till 1 am on Friday. Read the full list of restrictions here
The Bombay High Court said Wednesday that if the FIR against NCP chief Sharad Pawar, his daughter and MP Supriya Sule, and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, as well as others pertaining to the Lavasa hill station project, is not registered by the police, the petitioner can file a private complaint before a magistrate.
The Court said political pressure may influence the police, not the magistrate. Read more
Owing to the immersion procession of Ganesh idols of various pandals in Lalbaug and Kalachowkie area in central Mumbai, the traffic authorities on Thursday issued an advisory informing citizens about the roads closed in and around the area and alternate routes.
Read the full list of traffic restrictions here
This year’s Ganesh festival brought a unique collaboration to light as two doctors, the founders of Rang De Neela, partnered with the Andheri Cha Raja Ganpati pandal. Their joint effort aimed to launch an extraordinary mass outreach campaign centred around educational videos addressing diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), all presented through the captivating medium of Kathputli art (puppetry). Read more
Observing “there cannot be denial that Article 21 of the Constitution protects every citizen’s right to seek good and affordable healthcare,” the Bombay High Court Wednesday pulled up Thane Municipal Corporation for its alleged apathy in completing the construction of a 100-bed hospital at Kausa in Mumbra area which was planned 15 years ago.
“There cannot be any justification for such unexplained and inordinate delay in completion of a project concerning healthcare of the general public,” the court said. Read the full story here
The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday on Friday on account of Eid-e-Milad.
Seas of devotees descended on the streets, dancing to drums, showering flowers and colours, chanting ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’ to bid an emotional goodbye to Lord Ganesha in Mumbai on Thursday, the last day of the elephant-headed God’s annual 10-day sojourn on Earth.
The Mumbai police has deployed more than 19,000 police personnel on the streets across Mumbai. Several other platoons of State Reserve Police Force, quick response team (QRT) teams, (rapid action force) RAF company and home guard personnel shall also be assigned at various points in the city.
BMC has deployed nearly 10,000 staffers on the final day of immersion, along with setting up 71 control rooms in different parts of the city to track real-time situation on the ground.
Watch updates from the city here
Girgaon Chowpatty, a major site for Ganesha idol immersion especially for areas like Fort, Girgaon, Mazgaon, Byculla, Dadar, Matunga, Sion, Chembur, is seeing a steady stream of devotees despite the downpour.
Heavy rains have started in Andheri west, apart from thunder and lightning.
The IMD has placed Mumbai under yellow alert for today and tomorrow, in its latest 3 pm bulletin.. The city is likely to experience moderate rains coupled with thunder and lightning for the next 24 hours. Alongside Mumbai, Palghar, Thane and Raigad have also been placed under yellow alert, while an orange alert is being issued for Ratnagiri for tomorrow, indicating heavy to very heavy rains.
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has awarded a contract for In-Building Solutions for providing telecom infrastructure for Metro Line 3. ACES India Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Riyadh-based ACES Co., emerged as the winning bidder. This will now ensure uninterrupted mobile and internet connectivity during commute on Aqua Line.
ACES India has implemented the In-Building Solutions at Bangalore Airport and Surat Diamond Bourse. The licence fee realised per station is approximately 2.5 times of any other metro line in India. Since Mumbai Metro Line 3 is entirely underground, with station concourses at 10-14 m below ground and platforms at depths of 18-20 m below ground, mobile network and internet propagation is a significant challenge at present.
To address this issue and ensure mobile and internet access to commuters during the journey, MMRC planned to deploy cellular coverage from mobile service providers such as Jio, Vodafone, Airtel and MTNL. This will be achieved through In-Building Solutions, by installing antennas and repeaters within underground stations and tunnels. Read more.
The Mumbai police on Wednesday said that more than 19,000 police personnel will be deployed on the streets across Mumbai Thursday on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi, that will mark the end of the 10-day long Ganesh festival.
Along with Mumbai police officials, several other platoons of State Reserve Police Force, quick response team (QRT) teams, (rapid action force) RAF company and home guard personnel shall also be assigned at various points in the city.
According to the press note issued by the Mumbai police, eight Additional Commissioners of Police, 25 Deputy Commissioners of Police, 45 Assistant Commissioners of Police along with 2,866 police officers and 16,250 constable-rank personnel have been deployed. Read more.