A man accused of dacoity and robbery in Uttar Pradesh and on the run for 17 years has been arrested in Maharashtra’s Thane city. The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF), in collaboration with the Thane Police, apprehended the accused, identified as Satish Babulal Gupta, also known as Satish Tiwari, on Monday evening. Gupta, a native of Almapur village in Unnao district, Uttar Pradesh, had been absconding since 2007. He was wanted in connection with two cases of dacoity and robbery in his home state. According to an official from the Anti-Extortion Cell of Thane, Gupta was traced to the Wagle Estate area of Thane city after extensive search efforts. As per PTI reports, the UP STF initiated a coordinated operation with support from the Thane Crime Branch's Anti-Extortion Cell. The search for Gupta involved tracking him across multiple locations, ultimately leading to his arrest in Maharashtra. The apprehension marks the culmination of years of investigation and effort to bring the accused to justice. An official involved in the operation stated that Gupta had been evading arrest by frequently changing locations and maintaining a low profile. His capture is seen as a significant achievement in the fight against organised crime and absconding offenders. PTI reports that Gupta’s alleged involvement in dacoity and robbery had made him a key target for the UP STF. His arrest is expected to provide further insights into the cases he was implicated in and potentially reveal additional details about the network of individuals involved in such criminal activities. The arrest was made without any reported resistance, and Gupta is now expected to be transferred to Uttar Pradesh for further legal proceedings. Authorities have expressed confidence that this operation sends a strong message to absconding offenders that they cannot evade the law indefinitely. According to PTI, the collaboration between the UP STF and the Thane Police highlights the importance of inter-state cooperation in tackling crime and ensuring justice is served, even in cases that span decades. (With inputs from PTI)
27 November,2024 09:11 AM IST | MumbaiPleading to save a designated open space with a green patch of over 200 trees from being permitted for commercial development in a chemical zone at Pawane in Navi Mumbai, an environmental group has moved the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has allotted a part of the plot dominated by big and small trees to a project-affected person (PAP) for a hotel, boarding and lodging facility which cannot be allowed in the designated open space, NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar argued in his application filed with the NGT’s western zonal bench. Kumar clarified that he has no objection to the MIDC helping any PAP, but the green space must be maintained. The application said the PAP could be resettled in any other suitable place. The land OS-7, measuring over 3,600 sq mtr was originally leased out for ten years in 2000 to a chemical company, Expanded Incorporation, for plantation, NatConnect said quoting a response from the MIDC under the RTI Act. The environmental watchdog sought information on the status of the land as some white lines were being drawn and holes dug amid greenery on the plot. The RTI response also recorded that the MIDC, however, decided in 2008 to take back the plot for allotting it to PAPs and accordingly informed Expanded Incorporation of this decision much later, in January 2024. Kumar said in his application that the tree plantation in Open Space No. 7 started 23 years ago, in May 2001, and the long-standing decision to maintain a robust belt of trees in the plot is now arbitrarily being illegally reversed. Kumar submitted that tree cover, a well-maintained lawn, and flowering plants must be retained. Trees play a crucial role in absorbing excessive air pollution in the region and insulate the residential areas from health issues and other detrimental consequences arising from the pollution generated from the MIDC industrial area. The application submitted that the MIDC’s own Comprehensive Development Control & Promotion Regulations (CDCPR) stipulate that those structures meant only for common use such as a gym, yoga pavilions, kindergartens, libraries and civic amenities such as water tanks and electric substations may be permitted in open spaces. Thus, commercial structures are prohibited. Moreover, Kumar pointed out that the Supreme Court held in a recent judgement that open spaces/gardens left in an approved layout, cannot be allowed for the purpose of construction. OS-7 at Pawane is part of an MIDC-approved layout. In another case, the Bombay High Court set aside the CIDCO’s plan to allot an open space, meant for a sports complex, for real estate. The Supreme Court subsequently upheld the verdict. Stating that the open spaces are essential to uphold the fundamental rights of the people, the High Court had observed that there would be a gross failure on the part of the government and other public bodies if such vital issues are overlooked and/or intentionally sought to be buried in creating urban jungles. “If we do not have a foresight, concern and care for the future rights of the citizens, and from all possible perspectives, we are abdicating the Constitutional principles which recognizes an overall development of an individual, which is part of the right to livelihood as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution and as interpreted in its various dimensions, in catena of judgments of the Supreme Court,” the HC said. NatConnect, therefore, stressed the importance of maintaining green lungs in the chemically polluted area which is in close proximity to Pawane village. Commercial development on the 300 sq mtr plot allotted to the PAP would result in the destruction of 34 trees. But a much more serious problem would arise if this precedent is set, change of use on OS-7 is permitted, Kumar said and expressed the fear that the entire green patch would be wiped out.
27 November,2024 08:52 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentThe Bombay High Court has held as illegal the arrest of a policeman, a recipient of the President's medal, for a faulty probe in a murder case and directed the Maharashtra government to pay him Rs 2 lakh as compensation. The police officer, Sambhaji Patil, petitioned the high court, seeking an inquiry against the additional superintendent of police, Satara, who had arrested him. He also sought compensation of Rs 10 lakh. Patil was arrested in March 2013 on the charges of destruction of evidence and intentional preparation of a faulty report in a murder case he had probed in 2009. He was granted bail a day after his arrest. A division bench of Justices A S Chandurkar and Rajesh Patil on Monday said the power of arrest has not been cautiously exercised and that the police officer was arrested in an illegal manner. It further noted that this was not an exceptional case where the petitioner's arrest was imperative, and the offences were bailable. “A case has been made out by the petitioner for seeking compensation in public law on account of his illegal arrest that has resulted in violation of his fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” the bench said. It pointed out that the petitioner policeman received the President's Police Medal in January 2004 for his meritorious service and the Director General of Police insignia the same year for rendering excellent service. The court said the petitioner was entitled to receive Rs 2 lakh compensation from the state government. It directed the government to pay the sum within eight weeks and said it would be open for the government to recover the money from the officer found guilty of dereliction of duty. Patil served as the officer in charge of Karad city police station in Satara district in 2009 when he probed a murder case. After his transfer, the case was probed by another officer. In 2012, the petitioner was called upon by the additional superintendent of police, Satara, to explain the manner of investigation undertaken by him in the case. In March 2013, the petitioner appeared before the additional superintendent of police and was informed that he was being arrested on the charges of destruction of evidence and intentional preparation of a false report. He was released on bail the next day when he was produced for remand before a magistrate's court. The petitioner claimed he was illegally detained for a day and was not informed of the grounds of his arrest. He also claimed he was implicated in the case. The bench, in its order, noted that as per provisions of law, once the petitioner was arrested, he ought to have been produced before the superintendent of police, who was the superior officer. 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 08:14 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesA high-level meeting involving the district administration, senior police officials, and a letter of assurance from the Union Shipping Ministry's office has led Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) project-affected fishermen from Hanuman Koliwada to postpone the channel bandh agitation yesterday to December 21. This decision followed discussions held on Monday. The preparation for the channel bandh was already executed by placing fishing boats and a large number of fisherwomen, already stationed at strategic points inside the creek, to prevent any restriction from police. However, they all were called back, post the discussion. High-level meeting Parmanand Koli, secretary of the Maharashtra Small Scale Traditional Fish Workers Union said, “Some of our representatives were called for a high-level meeting on Monday afternoon, which was attended by Bharat Waghmare, deputy collector (rehabilitation) and senior police officials. The agenda for the meeting was to appraise the project-affected fishermen about the latest development in our demands and they requested us to call back the channel bandh protest, to which we agreed as per their assurances.” Chalo Delhi... “The deputy collector informed us that he would take two of our representatives to Delhi on December 9, and would appraise the situation personally to high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, so that the issue could be resolved at the earliest. He also assured us that a tender for the construction of internal roads at the proposed plots for rehabilitation near JNPT township (villages Jaskhar and Funde), will be floated soon. And that the work on the same would be commenced once the tender was awarded to the contractor,” said Koli. Hanuman Koliwada fishermen during a high-level meeting with the deputy collector (rehabilitation) and senior police officials “We have unanimously agreed on the name of Ramesh Koli, general secretary, Maharashtra Small Scale Traditional Fish Workers Union, and will soon finalise the second name to visit Delhi, to persuade our plea and condition,” said Koli. Property card demand “Furthermore, our demand for handing over the 7/12 property cards as owners of the plot has been kept pending for approval from the central government. Only after this approval can JNPA transfer the proposed rehabilitation land to the collector of Raigad, and only then can the revenue department prepare the 7/12 property cards in the names of each of the 256 families who need to be rehabilitated,” said Koli. “During the meeting, the issue of overflowing gutters and accumulated garbage, which have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and crawling creatures, was also discussed. The fishermen were assured that the gutters would be cleaned, and the garbage would be cleared immediately. However, even after nearly 24 hours since the meeting, we are still waiting for these assurances to be fulfilled,” said Koli Other side When contacted, Bharat Waghmare, deputy collector (rehabilitation) for Raigad district, confirmed that he would accompany two fishermen to Delhi to meet senior officials at the ministry. “The officials will receive first-hand accounts from the affected fishermen and understand the seriousness of the issue, which should help in making a timely decision,” Waghmare said. When asked about the expenses for air tickets and accommodation, the deputy collector stated, “We will request JNPA to handle the costs.” Regarding the tender, he mentioned, “The tender for road construction at the proposed site is ready for approval. We estimate the cost to be over '3 crore, and once approved, it will be floated, and the work will be assigned. The entire rehabilitation process is awaiting consent from the central government.”
27 November,2024 08:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar MenonA routine security check at the Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport blew the lid off the fake identity of a Bangladeshi man who was found to be living in India for the past 26 years without scrutiny, leading to his arrest. Immigration officials stopped Swapan Kumar Haripada Mandal from boarding a flight to Riyadh on Saturday after noticing anomalies in his passport details, a police officer said on Tuesday. Mandal’s interrogation disclosed that he was using a fake Indian passport. During immigration checks, authorities discovered multiple forged documents in Mandal’s possession. Investigations showed that he had previously travelled to China and the UAE twice on a fake passport. “Immigration staff noticed that Mandal’s passport was issued in Jeddah. However, his manner of speaking raised suspicions, prompting officials to question him further,” said an official. The accused told officials that he is a Bangladeshi citizen who has been illegally living in India for the past 26 years using forged identity documents. “Further scrutiny disclosed that Mandal’s passport contains forged details. It showed Indian documents were used while the listed address is in Bangladesh,” the official said. A fake passport belonging to his wife was also recovered from his possession. Immigration authorities handed over Mandal to the Mumbai police. Further investigations are underway, added the official. 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 08:05 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesUnmarked and poorly maintained speed breakers are an often-overlooked hazard on Mumbai’s roads, posing a serious risk to motorists and pedestrians alike. As part of mid-day’s ongoing campaign to ensure all speed breakers are fixed to proper specifications with reflective stripes, we visited several locations across the city. Our findings reveal a concerning trend: many speed breakers lack markings or are in disrepair, increasing the likelihood of sudden braking and collisions, particularly at night. This report highlights specific danger spots in Lokhandwala, the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), and Borivli, along with firsthand accounts from residents and commuters. Their stories emphasise the urgent need for authorities to act before these road hazards lead to preventable accidents. Lokhandwala We observed two speed breakers in poor condition during our visit to the stretch of Lokhandwala Complex Road that runs from the SVP Nagar MHADA signal towards Lokhandwala Circle and back. One is opposite Beverly Hills in the northbound direction, while the other is in the south opposite a residential building. The markings on both speed breakers have faded significantly. This road is an arterial route used by thousands of motorists and two-wheeler riders daily. The poor visibility of the speed breakers can lead to emergency braking, increasing the risk of accidents. Speed breaker with incomplete markings on Lokhandwala back road in Andheri. Pic/Anurag Ahire Resident Indraneel Sadadekar said, “This is dangerous, as two-wheeler riders and motorists often have to apply sudden brakes, increasing the chances of accidents. Cars coming from behind might collide with vehicles ahead. Traffic police should urgently notify the BMC to repaint these speed breakers and install visible signs, such as ‘SPEED BREAKER AHEAD,’ along with reflectors.” Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road JVLR is a crucial east-west corridor used by thousands of motorists, not only during peak hours but also late at night. During our visit to the stretch between the Western Express Highway signal near Jogeshwari and the Poonam Nagar junction, we found several speed breakers with faded or completely missing markings. On the eastbound stretch near Shyam Nagar signal, a speed breaker has no markings at all. Further along, opposite Oberoi Splendor Tower, another unmarked speed breaker poses a serious hazard. A rickshaw driver at the location, speaking anonymously, said, “Unmarked speed breakers on arterial roads are extremely dangerous, especially at night. Two-wheeler riders often have to apply emergency brakes. Are authorities waiting for fatalities before acting? Speed breakers must be repainted urgently to prevent accidents.” Two more speed breakers on either side of the road near Majas Depot have markings, but the paint has faded significantly. Similarly, on the westbound stretch between the Poonam Nagar signal and the Western Express Highway, a speed breaker opposite Green Fields Rocks End building has faded markings, increasing accident risks. Sai Lee hospital, Link Road Two speed breakers are located within a 100-metre stretch on this road. Both are unmarked and difficult to notice, especially in the evening. A local resident said, “At night, vehicles often speed on this road as it sees less traffic. These unmarked speed breakers catch drivers off guard, causing sudden braking and skidding noises. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.” Don Bosco High School Two speed breakers—one eastbound and one westbound—are situated near Gate 2, the main entrance used by schoolchildren. Both are unmarked and in poor condition, posing a risk to students. Elroy Dias, a concerned parent, said, “These speed breakers should be properly maintained. Motorists don’t notice them until they are very close. The westbound speed breaker is broken in half, forcing two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws to swerve dangerously. It’s crucial to fix these to ensure children’s safety.” Metro Mall, Borivli East A speed breaker near the service gate entrance of the mall and the West Side-II complex exit often goes unnoticed, especially in the evening due to poor lighting. Is there an unmarked speed breaker in your area? Tell us! mid-day is campaigning to fix unmarked and dangerous speed breakers with proper specifications and reflective stripes. If you know of any such locations, email us at mailbag@mid-day.com with a photograph and the exact location.
27 November,2024 07:51 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav | Prasun ChoudhariIn 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. AklekarADVERTISEMENT
