In a joint initiative, the Dadar Traffic Division and the BMC have begun installing iron railings on the Kavi Keshavsut Flyover outside Dadar West railway station. The move aims to prevent vehicles from taking U-turns and alleviate persistent traffic jams. A day-long observation by mid-day revealed that the primary cause of traffic congestion at Dadar West is vehicles taking U-turns. Traffic police officials reported that 15-16 U-turns along the 2.5-kilometre stretch from Matunga to Dadar and Prabhadevi contribute significantly to these jams. To address the issue, authorities plan to reduce the number of U-turns to just four or five. Local shopkeepers and residents told mid-day they have witnessed numerous accidents at these junctions, often linked to vehicles making U-turns on the flyover. Iron railings being installed on the flyover; bikers use the gaps in between the barracades and ride on wrong side because of the jam Dadar, one of Mumbai’s busiest junctions, serves as a key link between the Central and Western Railway lines. Over 35,000-40,000 vehicles, including taxis, tempos and private cars, navigate the roads outside Dadar West railway station daily, particularly near the Kavi Keshavsut Bridge on Senapati Bapat Marg. Senior Inspector Kanhaiyalal Shinde of the Dadar Traffic Division explained, “We conducted several meetings with the BMC and finalised plans to install iron railings on the Kavi Keshavsut Flyover. The installation has started, and soon, cement dividers will barricade the entire stretch. The main causes of traffic congestion and accidents are U-turns at this junction. Blocking these U-turns is a joint effort by the traffic police and the BMC to address the issue.” The heavy vehicles taking a U-turn block the road creating major blocks which often leads to bikers and other smaller vehicles using the wrong way to ply. According to officials, the four or five U-turns will at Dadar Kohinoor, Bal Govind Das Road at Matunga, the Vegetable Market at Dadar and the Takandas Kataria Marg signal at Matunga. “U-turns pose serious risks for bikers and other vehicles,” Shinde said. “In January, a major accident on this flyover claimed the life of a youth who was crushed by a dumper. Blocking these U-turns will make the stretch safer. Currently, it takes at least 15 minutes to cross the Matunga-Dadar stretch during peak hours, but we expect this initiative to save time and reduce risks.” Multiple cars taking a U-turn at the same location, leading to traffic congestion Rahul Mulchandani, a garment shop owner in Dadar, said, “I’ve witnessed many accidents at the junction near Dadar Station. Vehicles dropping passengers often take U-turns, leading to jams and making it difficult for us to unload goods. Blocking these U-turns will improve the situation for everyone.” Pushkar Vishwaro, a Gokhale Road resident, shared, “Crossing this stretch is risky. Just this week, a tempo taking a sudden U-turn outside Dadar station blocked my way and caused a jam. Blocking U-turns will benefit pedestrians and ease traffic.” A car taking a U-turn just after the southbound end of Kavi Keshavsut Flyover, the authorities planned to close this U-turn and Iron railings installed by the authorities on the flyover, which will be extended further Similarly, Amit Pawaskar, a resident of Dadar, commented, “The U-turns make it even worse. I avoid crossing near the flyover because of the risk from vehicles making sudden turns. Blocking them will make the area much safer for pedestrians.” 15-16Approximate number of U-turns on the Matunga-Dadar stretch
27 November,2024 07:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaThe Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set a new deadline to lower the second girder of the Gokhale bridge. After mid-day reported that a fifth deadline for the bridge work had been missed, the BMC started lowering the second girder, and as per the new deadline, this will be completed by November 30. The pier works of both approaches may be completed by February. Earlier, the BMC had set a November 14 deadline to lower the second girder from a height of 15 metres to 7.5 metres. However, the girder remained at the same height as it was two-and-a-half months ago. The civic body started lowering the girder only after mid-day highlighted the issue in its November 18 edition. Due to its heavy weight, (1,300 tonnes) the girder cannot be brought down at one go and is being lowered by one to two feet daily. The girder after BMC started lowering it. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi “The girder will be lowered by November 30 as we are getting blocks from Railways on alternate days. The rest of the work, like asphalting, can be completed within a month or so. The work of piers on both sides for approach roads is near completion except for one pier on each side which can be started only after the lowering of girders and removal of cranes. All piers will be completed by mid-February and the entire work, including both approaches, is set to be completed by April,” said a BMC official. Following the girder installation, other works, including the installation of crash barriers, asphalting, access roads, streetlights, and road painting are expected to be completed by April 2025. So far, several deadlines set for the bridge work have lapsed. These include an assurance to complete two lanes by May 2023 and four lanes by the end of 2023, but the BMC failed to do so. “The work is slightly delayed, but it is still within a timeframe and we are hopeful the entire work will be completed by April and the bridge will open for traffic before the next monsoon,” said Abhijit Bangar, additional commissioner of BMC. Declaring the Gopal Krishna Gokhale Bridge dilapidated, the BMC closed it in November 2022 and assured that it would be completed by May 2023. After rigorous follow-ups from citizens, the BMC started two lanes of the bridge on February 26, 2024, with height restrictions. Currently, only light vehicles including cars and two-wheelers can ply on the bridge. The bridge is not yet open for buses. Each girder is 13.5-metre-wide (accommodating three lanes in each direction) with a 1-metre-wide walkway, and 90 metres in length. The girders weigh approximately 1,300 tonnes each. A heavy-duty, 360-degree rotating crane is being used due to the limited space at the project site, allowing precise adjustments to the beam and its placement over the rail section.
27 November,2024 07:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta KasaleSome candidates of Shiv Sena (UBT) who lost in the recent Maharashtra assembly polls pointed fingers at the functioning of EVMs during their interaction with the party head Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday. Thackeray took stock of lacklustre performance of his party at a meeting held at his residence in Mumbai. Some legislators who lost the polls raised doubts about the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), said a former MLA who attended the meeting. Thackeray appealed to the party leaders not to lose hope and work to rebuild the party. A day earlier, Thackeray met with all victorious MLAs of Shiv Sena (UBT), a constituent of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi. The Thackeray-led party had won 20 out of 97 seats contested in the elections. The poll verdict saw the Mahayuti coalition, comprising Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, retaining power with a massive mandate, pushing the MVA to margins. The Mahayuti won 230 seats and MVA only 46 in the 288-member House. Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) emerged as the largest party in the opposition camp by winning 20 seats, followed by Congress which bagged 16 constituencies, while the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) sits at the bottom with a tally of 10 seats. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 November,2024 07:30 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesThe Western Railway (WR) will run additional AC local trains on the Mumbai suburban section starting Wednesday (November 27), replacing a few existing non-AC trains, officials said. According to the officials, the WR is introducing 13 new AC services, which will take the total number of AC services from 96 to 109 on weekdays and from 52 to 65 on the weekends (Saturdays and Sundays). WR Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Vineet Abhishek said, “There has been a substantial rise in the number of commuters travelling by AC local trains. Hence, for the benefit of passengers and to ease the crowd, 13 more AC services are being converted by replacing existing non-AC services. These services will run as AC services on all days of the week.” He said that there will be no change in the total number of train services that are already running. Currently, 1,406 trains run on the Western line, including 109 AC services. Starting Wednesday, the first of newly introduced AC locals will run from Churchgate at 12.34 pm. Of the additional 13 services being introduced, six will be towards Churchgate and seven towards Virar. Trains going towards Churchgate will be two services each between Virar-Churchgate and Bhayandar-Churchgate and one service each between Virar-Bandra and Bhayandar-Andheri. Similarly, trains going towards Virar will have two Churchgate-Virar services, one each between Churchgate-Bhayandar, Andheri-Virar, Bandra-Bhayandar, Mahalaxmi-Borivli, and Borivli-Bhayandar. New rail corridors The railways had on Monday announced new rail corridors that will feed the city’s nine rail termini, which are being upgraded simultaneously. On Monday, the Union cabinet approved three multi-tracking railway projects in Maharashtra. The three projects are—Jalgaon-Manmad 4th line, Bhusawal-Khandwa 3rd and 4th line, and Manikpur-Iradatganj 3rd line. These projects aim to improve railway infrastructure across the state. The proposed multi-tracking projects will ease operations and reduce congestion, leading to much-needed infrastructure development on some of the busiest sections. Mumbai has eight rail terminal stations, including Mumbai CSMT, Mumbai Central, Dadar, Bandra, Kurla LTT, Kalyan Vasai, and Panvel, and the ninth at Jogeshwari is under construction.
27 November,2024 07:26 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarA MID-DAY report on the possibility of Mumbai’s AC local trains getting a push with the BJP and Mahayuti government being back in power has triggered a massive debate, with the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) and BJP accusing each other of stalling and delaying the project. The plan to convert Mumbai’s local fleet into AC trains had been stuck due to political opposition from the NCP since August 2022 with the party’s President Sharad Pawar calling for their complete withdrawal from the city and restoration of regular services for working-class commuters after which Central Railway (CR) discontinued ten new services, citing law and order issues. In July 2023, the NCP split into two factions with the group led by Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit later being allowed to use the original party’s name and electoral symbol. The Sharad Pawar-led faction came to be known as the NCP-SP. In September 2024, NCP-SP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said the opposition was to the higher fare structure, not to AC trains per se, challenging Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to get it done. ‘Not opposed to AC trains’ Responding to mid-day’s report, Crasto, on Monday, reiterated his stand in a fresh statement, saying the opposition was always to the enhanced fare structure, not trains themselves and that the party was fighting for Mumbai’s commuters. “The fare of AC trains is more than that of regular locals, which is not acceptable by commuters. We are representing commuters and fighting for them,” he told mid-day. “Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw must walk the talk. A fake narrative was created in the name of Sharad Pawar when [the state government was] asked why Mumbai’s AC local train plans were stranded. Will he implement the plans now that the BJP has the mandate in Maharashtra or find another excuse?” Crasto said. BJP reaction Reacting to this, the BJP on Tuesday lashed back at the NCP-SP, stating that it has a “bad habit” of opposing the BJP-led welfare schemes just because it is in the Opposition. BJP Chief Spokesperson Niranjan Shetty said, “Whenever the BJP introduces welfare schemes, the people’s enthusiastic response to it causes pain in the stomach of the Opposition. But as the life of the people starts getting better with these schemes and BJP’s popularity begins increasing, the Opposition, irritated by their own earlier stand, start making strange and lame excuses.” “As soon as Vaishnaw announced a welfare scheme to make all local trains in Mumbai air-conditioned, Sharad Pawar opposed it. The opposition to a welfare scheme by a veteran leader like Sharad Pawar, who has been a chief minister of Maharashtra and Union minister and has been in politics for a long time, was incomprehensible. In fact, it was expected that he would welcome the scheme. His party should not have politicised a matter related to welfare schemes at least,” Shetty added. “After a huge response from Mumbaikars to the plan announced by the Union railway minister, the sand began to slide under the feet of the NCP and they took a new stance. It is surprising that a leader who has been a Union minister can’t understand that while people are getting the benefit of technology, we can’t avoid its costs. It is not possible to avoid the necessary expenditure of any technology-driven welfare scheme,” he said.
27 November,2024 07:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarBeyond the boundary A young boy is fixated on the action across multiple cricket pitches at Oval Maidan in Churchgate. Make way for Koliwadas’ stars Singers Nivedita Hamav and Vishal Chandi will join the contest Following the trend of shows that highlight music talent, Versova’s Koli community has started their own competition, Singing Star, to encourage local voices. “In the past five years, there has been a rise in singing talent in Mumbai’s Koliwadas. But these talents remain confined to our community. The idea behind the online competition is to expose them to the world,” Ravindra Kharde, head of the event, told this diarist. Singers will be assessed on the basis of YouTube likes on their video and later, by a panel of judges. “The competition is open to anyone who can sing Koli and Agri songs and the submissions are open till December 10,” Kharde told us. Chhattisgarhi repast in Mumbai Participants in a discussion at a previous community dinner Mumbaikars have a chance to indulge in the flavours of Ramsama village in Chhattisgarh right here at 3 Art House. The dinner menu, crafted by Sangeeta Toppo (below), reflects her influences from growing up in her village. Toppo moved to Mumbai in 2019. “She was excited when we proposed this idea and created most of the menu. The idea is to unearth flavours and showcase the diversity of Chhattisgarhi cuisine,” said founder Jasmeet Kaur Bagga. This weekend’s spread includes vegetarian dishes like dal dubki, mooli ka saag, and arsa roti. Bagga added, “Every month, we aim to spotlight one culture and collaborate with someone familiar with its cuisine to reveal these rare dishes.” A canvas of Bapu’s life An illustration of Mahatma Gandhi at the Dandi March (right) a portrayal of Gandhi reading the newspaper What better place for a Gandhian to display his love for the Mahatma than his own home? Hyderabad-based veteran artist Shankar Pamarthy, who has created over 150 artworks of the Mahatma since his early experiments in the 1980s, is exhibiting 20 of his best pieces at the Gandhi Film Foundation behind Mani Bhavan till December 3. Shankar Pamarthy “I never sketched with the goal to present my works for the public. As a youngster, I deeply admired Gandhiji’s principles and began creating the sketches as a personal tribute,” Pamarthy revealed to us. The artist’s first ever solo exhibition at the venue features his unique line art and caricature-inspired depictions of Gandhi in landmark events in Indian history, contrasted by moments of quiet solitude that capture the essence of Gandhi’s life. Threading ideas Mithani with an embroidered artwork The new gallery space at Kemps Corner, Milaaya Art, unites the traditional handiwork of artisans and artistic exploration with their opening exhibition, Metamorphosis. “It reflects what Milaaya Art stands for — a transformation of traditional craft into contemporary art,” said founder Gayatri Khanna of the exhibition that will conclude in January. The team of artisans collaborated with South Asian artists such as Dannielle Tegeder and Sharmistha Ray, Viraj Mithani, Sakib Afridi, and Priyantha Udagedara to create works that express the artists’ ambitions. Mithani, whose works were brought to life using a zardozi thread work, added, “My paintings explore many different dichotomies. They challenge the traditional notions of storytelling and representation by both embracing and transgressive narrative forms.” Turn up the volume in Bandra Singer Yanchan and SVDP (right) at a previous gig. Pic Courtesy/Instagram It seems like music venue Bonobo is aiming to amp up its vibe to match the city’s year-ending festive vibe. Starting this week, the Bandra-based venue will launch its new IP, Big Gig, Small Room, with a performance by Tamil-Canadian musician SVDP and Mumbai-based rapper ShiaxZero Chill on Thursday. “The idea was to get bigger artistes to play in smaller rooms. It is a more intimate gig than usual,” shared co-owner Nevil Timbadia (right). He revealed that the idea has been on the backburner since the Australian prog-metal band Karnivool performed an acoustic set at the venue back in 2012. “It was the first time a heavy metal band did an intimate acoustic gig,” he pointed out. For now, the plans are to keep the gigs a quarterly event. “Though the space remains the same, we will try to add a viewing gallery for our patrons, while keeping a minimal entry charge,” Timbadia told this diarist.
27 November,2024 07:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-dayThree days after the Assembly election results were declared, the stalemate continued over nominating Maharashtra’s chief minister-elect. However, statements made by a minister and information from various quarters indicated that incumbent Eknath Shinde’s wish to continue in the top job would be far from fulfilled and, as expected, his deputy, Devendra Fadnavis, would make a grand comeback in the coveted office, provided the party high command doesn’t throw a surprise as seen in some BJP-ruled states where popular choices were replaced by the low-profile candidates who fitted the party’s social engineering. The delay was punctuated by the BJP and Sena canvassing for their respective choices. Supporters held prayers, conducted havan and visited temples to seek ‘divine intervention’ to make their leader the CM. But what stood out on Tuesday was Union Minister of State for Social Justice and President of RPI Ramdas Athawale’s information that he knew that Fadnavis was the BJP’s only pick for the posthead of the Maharashtra government. A leader close to Fadnavis said a decision was expected soon. Athawale’s advice “It has been decided by the BJP high command that Fadnavis be installed as the next CM. Like Fadnavis, Shinde should also accept the Dy CM’s post, and if he doesn’t want it, he should be a minister in the Union government. Modi-ji and Amit-ji will definitely think about it,” said Athawale in New Delhi on Tuesday. He wished that the matter was resolved as early as possible so that the trust the people had reposed in Mahayuti was not breached. Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis and CM Eknath Shinde at Varsha Bungalow, on the day Assembly poll results were announced. Pic/Shadab Khan Athawale said Shinde had done a good job as the CM and won 57 seats, but the BJP, with many more seats in hand, had decided to have its CM, and it would not entertain requests from allies. He advised Shinde to step back, take up a role other than the CM’s, and get rid of unhappiness. Insiders said every single MLA (BJP or otherwise) who visited Fadnavis in the past two days has pledged support to him. The Ajit Pawar camp is in favour of the ex-CM. It was also learnt that the Shinde camp had reached out to Ajit Pawar’s side to know whether they would back Shinde. Sena reacts Athawale’s statements led to sparks in the Shinde camp. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said that Athawale had no role in deciding the CM and hence his remarks carried no weight. “The three parties will declare their CM candidate at a press conference very soon. Whichever the name, we will abide by the decision,” he said, denying a rift in the Mahayuti. “We support each other. My opinion or any other state leaders’ opinions have no value. It will be a collective decision of Modi, Shah, Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar,” he said, dismissing a question about whether there would be a repeat of the 2019 post-election MVA-like formation. “We gave a stable government in the past two years because we were natural allies. Those who went with Congress and NCP have met their fate.” BJP state chief cautious State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, a staunch Fadnavis supporter, reiterated that his central leadership, the CM and two DyCMs would take a final call [on the CM candidate]. “We will give the strongest ever government,” he said. Asked about Athawale’s remarks, he said he was not responsible for responding to each and every statement made by others. Bawankule’s information that the government formation took time because it was a three-party arrangement that needed to consider everything before making a final decision, gave some idea as to what would be the scene behind the curtains. Power formula revision Along with the CM’s nominee, the alliance would have to revise a formula to share power because the partners’ respective strengths in the Lower House have changed drastically. The arrangement of a CM and two DyCMs will also stay in the new government. The BJP would, naturally, want more share because it has 75 seats more than the Sena, and 91 more than the NCP. If the BJP takes the CMO, its partners would want plum departments that allow public outreach and control over crucial matters. The outgoing government had 29 ministers. The Sena had 10 cabinet ministers including the CM, the BJP had 10 cabinet berths including DyCM, and NCP’s share was nine cabinet berths, including DyCM. The strength of the Maharashtra council of ministers has been capped at 43. Deciding on the respective number of cabinet and minister of state berths depends on the government. For example, the outgoing government didn’t have ministers of state to assist cabinet ministers. Run for home Henceforth, the formation is expected to change, though the Mahayuti partners would be faced with a problem of plenty. There are a large number of aspirants against a limited number of ministerial berths. As a procedure, the number of ministers and departments to be given to the partners will be decided. In addition, the sharing of state-run corporations will also take place now and later. In the outgoing government, CM Shinde didn’t have the home department [Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena didn’t get it in the MVA and Yuti governments]. So, a tussle is expected over home, the most important charge that Fadnavis held as DyCM and also as the CM between 2014 and 2019. As the CM and Uddhav’s minister, Shinde, was in charge of urban development, another contentious department. Fadnavis had kept it with him as the CM. Infrastructure-related housing, energy and public works, rural development, agriculture and social and tribal justice, which have a massive budget and revenue complete the list of most-wanted departments. Ajit Pawar is unlikely to part with the finance department and other good departments his colleagues headed. It is said that whoever doesn’t get the CM post would want more plum departments. This exercise is expected to take some time, but cannot be delayed inordinately ahead of the Winter Session of the state legislature to be held in December in Nagpur. The government will need at least 10-15 experienced cabinet and junior ministers to handle the two-week business, even though the Opposition’s strength has been reduced to a new low. The cabinet could be expanded after the Winter Session. The Sena, BJP and NCP had decided on appointments to the state-run corporations early this year, but it is said the distribution ratio would be revised for the incoming government. Caretaker CM from today On Tuesday, Shinde tendered his resignation to the governor C P Radhakrishnan, who asked to continue as the caretaker CM till the next government is formed. Shinde was accompanied by Fadnavis, Pawar and some ministers. As per convention, the caretaker CM is not supposed to take any major policy decision. Don’t do it: Shinde CM Shinde appealed to the party workers to not assemble in large numbers in Mumbai to pledge support to him. He said on X that the Mahayuti was intact. “Because of their love for me, some people have appealed to you to come to Mumbai. I’m indebted to you and I appeal to you to not gather in Mumbai to show support for me. Please do not gather anywhere, including Varsha [the CM’s residence]. The Mahayuti is formidable for a stronger and able Maharashtra.”
27 November,2024 06:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra JoreDo you know what the stars hold for you in terms of love life, career, business and personal wellness today? Well, read on to know your astrological predictions as per your zodiac sign for November 27. Aries March 21 – April 20Think issues through carefully, considering all ramifications and outcomes before making up your mind. There’s nothing wrong in keeping information to yourself. Health is good.Cosmic tip: Be independent as much as is possible. Taurus April 21 – May 20Living a new kind of a life is a surprise and delightful when it does manifest. Cosmic tip: Accept bounty of karma when cosmic vibes shower you with new experiences, stability and financial abundance. GeminiMay 21 – June 21Letting go of a habit that causes unhappiness and arguments in the family is wisely given up. This karmic cycle supports diversifying the business.Cosmic tip: Don’t follow well intentioned advice without thinking carefully first. Cancer June 22 – July 23Tension and worry fade away once an ordeal ends. Later you feel it wasn’t so bad. Cosmic tip: Avoid saying things you regret later once it’s too late to do anything about it. Leo July 24 - Aug 23Being burdened with work is a part of the karmic journey; not complaining, dealing with it helps change the karmic cycle quicker.Cosmic tip: Live through constrained circumstances in an amiable and courteous manner. Virgo Aug 24 – Sept 23In-spite-of repeated messages sent, you would rather just move away to a fresh lot of circumstances that promise better environments. Cosmic tip: Realize how lucky you are by doing a bit of soul searching. Libra Sept 24 – Oct 22Relationship with family has gone through a major makeover, and it seems like this is a new life altogether. Legal matters take up time. Cosmic tip: Spend quality time with friends and family. Scorpio Oct 23 – Nov 22Coping with extra work is easier if health is at an optimum level. Singles enter a karmic cycle of meeting a karmic soul-mate. Cosmic tip: Be prepared to take action according to what’s been decided. Sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 22Prepare very carefully if called for a job interview. Unexpected expenses are slightly surprising. Do get enough sleep.Cosmic tip: Make decisions that have a very small percentage of them haunting you later. Capricorn Dec 23 – Jan 20Some cherished wishes manifest. A challenging project requires mental and creative flexibility. Missing someone is inevitable as you leave on a business trip. Cosmic tip: Let go of past episodes that caused so much stress. Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 19Considering a job change brings so many dilemmas into focus (keep the decision on hold). Cosmic tip: Don’t try to cover up the fact you are delighted to casually come across someone you admire. Pisces Feb 20 – March 20Wanting to hone work skills, yet afraid to walk a new path is so unlike you. Move ahead with courage and an optimistic attitude. Cosmic tip: Be prepared for life and circumstances to change suddenly.
27 November,2024 02:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirley BoseA flat on the 16th floor of a high-rise building caught fire in Kalyan town of Maharashtra's Thane district on Tuesday evening, a civic official said, reported the PTI. The fire broke out in a flat on the 16th floor and quickly spread to 17th and 18th floors of the residential building in Kalyan, said the official. After receiving the information regarding the blaze, firefighters with equipment and vehicles rushed to the spot and launched a fire-fighting operation. The incident took place at around 6.30 pm, the civic authorities and municipal staff reached the spot following the incident to douse the flames, he added. No casualties were reported in the blaze, the official said, according to the PTI. The cause of the blaze was not immediately known, he said, adding that the investigations were underway, as per the PTI. Woman, her children rescued after fire breaks out at society in Noida Meanwhile, in an another incident in Uttar Pradesh, a woman and her two children trapped on the third floor of a society building in Noida were rescued after a fire broke out on the ground floor of the property, the officials said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. No casualties were reported in the incident, they said. According to the news agency, the fire, that broke out late Monday at Mayur Gold Apartment in Balaji Enclave Society of Bisrakh area, destroyed as many as six vehicles parked on the ground floor of the building, they said. Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Pradeep Kumar Choubey said that on Monday night, the blaze was caused by a short circuit on the ground floor of the building. Upon receiving information, four fire tenders were dispatched to the site and the fire brigade officials rushed to the spot. The fire was brought under control after 30 minutes, he said. During the incident, a woman on the third floor with her two children shouted for help, following which fire department personnel and police safely evacuated them, the CFO added, the news agency reported on Tuesday. He said that there were no casualties in the incident. (with PTI inputs)
26 November,2024 09:53 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe long walk and detour at T2 Airport Metro Station on the underground Aqua Line 3 may soon be a thing of the past, as a new temporary walkway with direct connectivity to the airport building is being built, an official said on Tuesday. Aseem Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department of the Maharashtra government, during an inspection today, instructed agencies involved in metro operations to facilitate a temporary walkway above the under-construction Metro Red Line 7 station to provide seamless connectivity and enhance the travel experience for commuters. Gupta, along with officials from MMRC, MMRDA, MMMOCL, and MIAL, visited the CSMIA-T2 metro station today to resolve the issue of shorter and direct connectivity to the airport terminal from the Metro Line 3 station. As of now, T2 has a temporary ramp to the main road on two sides-- one near the Sahar Cargo Complex road and bus stop outside the airport, and the other near the Sahar police station road on the opposite side. However, this is a very long, almost half-a-kilometer walk just to exit or enter the station, which is not advisable for senior citizens. Works on two other Mumbai Metro stations (Red Line 7 and Gold Line 8) are in progress on either side of the temporary walkway. The station also features the tallest escalator in the country at 21 meters.
26 November,2024 09:36 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday lashed back at the NCP (SP), stating that it has a "bad habit" of opposing welfare schemes just because it is in the opposition. "It always opposes good things," the party said. "Whenever the BJP introduces welfare schemes, the people's enthusiastic response to them causes pain in the stomach of the opposition. But as the lives of the people start getting better with these schemes and BJP's popularity begins increasing, the opposition, irritated by their own earlier stand, starts making strange and lame excuses," BJP chief spokesperson Niranjan Shetty said. "As soon as Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announced a welfare scheme to make all local trains in Mumbai air-conditioned, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar opposed it. The opposition to the welfare scheme by a veteran leader like Sharad Pawar, who has been the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, a Union Minister, and has been in politics for a long time, was incomprehensible. In fact, it was expected that he would welcome the scheme. His party should not have done politics in the matter of welfare schemes, at least," Shetty added. "After a huge response from Mumbaikars to the plan announced by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, the sand began to slide under the feet of the NCP, and they took a new stance. "We wanted the Mumbai local trains to be air-conditioned without increasing ticket prices," he said. "But don't you find this weird? It is surprising that a leader who has been a Union Minister doesn't understand that while people are getting the benefit of technology, we can't avoid its costs. It is not possible to avoid the necessary expenditure of any technology-driven welfare scheme," Shetty said. A mid-day article on the possibility of Mumbai's AC local trains getting a push now that the BJP and Mahayuti government are in power has firmly triggered a reaction from the NCP's Sharad Pawar on Monday. NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said the opposition was to the higher fare structure, not to AC trains per say, challenging Vaishnav to get it done. "The fare of AC trains is more than the regular local trains, which is not acceptable to the commuters. We are representing commuters and fighting for them," he told mid-day. "Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw must walk the talk. A fake narrative was created in the name of Sharad Pawar, when asked why Mumbai’s AC local train plans were stranded. Will he implement the plans now that the BJP has the mandate in Maharashtra? Or will he find another excuse?" Crasto said.
26 November,2024 09:26 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarADVERTISEMENT
