Ahead of vote counting for the recently held Maharashtra elections 2024, Pune Collector Suhas Diwas said that the administration is fully prepared, adding that the necessary barricading has been completed at the counting centres, ANI reported. Suhas Diwas speaking to ANI on Thursday about the preparations for counting days said, "Necessary barricading has been done. We are ready in terms of logistics. For counting, we have appointed micro observers and counting supervisors." He further said, "We will start counting the postal ballots first at 8 am. One hour before that, the storeroom will be opened... On average, 400 postal ballots will be counted at each table." Elections for 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra concluded on Wednesday, and the vote counting will take place on Saturday, November 23. Various exit polls have projected that the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is most likely to form the government, while others predicted a close competition, ANI reported. Meanwhile, Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat on Thursday showed confidence in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) winning the Maharashtra Elections 2024, saying that the alliance is assured to form the government. As per ANI, Balasaheb Thorat said, "We held a meeting today and are confident of winning this assembly election. We discussed the matter with Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. If anyone wishes to join us, they are welcome. It's a positive environment. We are winning seats and will form the government soon." According to the P-MARQ exit poll, the Mahayuti alliance is expected to win 137-157 seats, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi is expected to secure 126-147 seats, with others likely to win 2-8 seats, ANI cited. Chanakya Strategies projected that the Mahayuti would win 152-160 seats, the MVA 130-138 seats, and the others would secure 6-8 seats. In Maharashtra, the main competition is between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), ANI cited. The ruling alliance, Mahayuti consists of BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, while the opposition MVA includes the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-led NCP. (With inputs from ANI)
22 November,2024 09:17 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai is expected to experience clear skies on Friday, November 22, with temperatures ranging from a cool 19 degrees Celsius in the morning to a warm 34 degrees Celsius during the day, according to the latest Mumbai weather updates from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). According to the Mumbai weather updates of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 33.6 degrees Celcius. The Met Department data showed that the Colaba observatory recorded a temperature of 32.9 degrees. According to the latest Mumbai weather updates by the IMD, the maximum temperature will likely be around 35 degrees Celsius, and the minimum temperature will likely be around 20 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity is 57 per cent. The sun rose at 06:50 AM and will set at 5:59 PM. The IMD’s latest Mumbai weather update forecasts a "clear sky" for the city and its suburbs over the next 24 hours. Mumbai weather updates: City's AQI in 'moderate' category On November 22, the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app reported in its latest Mumbai weather updates that the city’s air quality remained in the 'moderate' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 125 at 8:05 AM. As per the SAMEER app dashboard, many areas across Mumbai showed 'moderate' AQI. Borivali East, Ghatkopar, and Malad West recorded 'poor' air quality with an AQI of 213, 242, and 210, respectively. Kandivali and Colaba recorded 'moderate' air quality with an AQI of 119 and 140, respectively. Chembur, Kurla, and Worli recorded 'moderate' air quality, with AQIs of 166, 121, and 156. According to data from the SAMEER app, Navi Mumbai recorded air quality in the 'moderate' category with an AQI of 126, while Thane registered a 'moderate' AQI of 146. The air quality index from 0 to 100 is considered 'good', 100 to 200 'moderate', 200 to 300 'poor', 300 to 400 'very poor' and from 400 to 500 or above 'severe'. Meanwhile, as air pollution levels continue to rise in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revised guidelines issued last year for construction sites. The civic body will also form squads at the ward level to visit construction sites and act if guidelines are flouted. Sensor-based air pollution monitoring systems will be installed at all construction project work sites and immediate action to be taken if pollution levels are detected above the limit.
22 November,2024 09:02 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWith vote counting for the Maharashtra Assembly elections set to take place on November 23, Pune NCP president Deepak Mankar has expressed confidence in a resounding victory for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. According to Mankar, the alliance is poised to win 180 seats and sweep all eight assembly seats in Pune district. Speaking to ANI, Mankar shared his optimism, stating, "The atmosphere in Maharashtra is in favour of the Mahayuti. Our work on the ground speaks for itself, and we know that the public supports us. The results will reflect this. I am confident that Mahayuti will win 180 seats, and in Pune, we will secure all eight seats." As the counting day approaches, Pune Collector Suhas Diwase assured that the administration is fully prepared for the process. "All necessary barricading has been completed, and logistics are in place. We have appointed micro observers and counting supervisors to oversee the counting procedure," Diwase told ANI. Elaborating on the vote-counting procedure, Diwase explained that postal ballots will be counted first, starting at 8 am. "One hour before the counting begins, we will open the storeroom. Each table will count approximately 400 postal ballots," he added. Voting for the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly concluded on November 20, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 23. Most exit polls have predicted a victory for the Mahayuti alliance, though some have forecasted a close contest. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole maintained his optimism about the opposition's chances, stating that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance would emerge victorious despite exit poll projections favouring Mahayuti. Patole attributed the MVA's expected success to issues such as inflation and unemployment, which he believes have resonated with voters. "The Maha Vikas Aghadi will form the next government, and we will ensure that what happened in Haryana doesn't happen here," Patole said, referring to the BJP's recent victory in Haryana. He further stated that the youth, women, and unemployed voters turned out in large numbers, adding that the BJP would face significant setbacks due to its failure to address key issues. Patole also responded to BJP’s allegations of "Vote Jihad," accusing the party of distributing money and liquor during the campaign, questioning, "Was it not jihad?" The Mahayuti alliance, led by the BJP, includes the Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The opposition MVA consists of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar. As per ANI reports, the results on November 23 will determine the fate of both alliances. (With inputs from ANI)
22 November,2024 09:01 AM IST | PuneShiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat has reiterated that his party will stand by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, no matter the direction he takes following the assembly election results. Shirsat, speaking ahead of the election results, affirmed that Shinde’s leadership is trusted and that Shiv Sena MLAs will fully support his decisions, whether or not they align with their current alliances. Shirsat, who represents Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (West) in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, made the comments when asked about the possibility of Shinde forming an alliance with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar in the event of Shinde seeking a second term as Chief Minister. The MLA stated, "We are committed to whatever Eknath Shinde decides. We will be solidly with him. We trust him, and that trust will always remain." The remarks come ahead of the highly anticipated results of the Maharashtra state assembly elections, where the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising Shinde’s Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and NCP's Ajit Pawar, will face off against the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction. Shirsat, one of the Shiv Sena MLAs who supported Shinde during the 2022 rebellion that saw the CM break away from Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, emphasised that Shinde only makes decisions in the “right direction” for the party, a stance that has been demonstrated by his leadership so far. He further asserted that the decision regarding the future Chief Minister would be entirely in Shinde's hands, and whatever he chooses will be acceptable to the party, without dispute. The comments came in response to a query about a possible scenario where Shinde does not retain the Chief Minister’s position, even if Mahayuti wins. To this, Shirsat pointed out that the decision regarding the CM position is solely Shinde’s prerogative and added that they would not comment further on this. BJP leader Pravin Darekar quickly distanced the party from Shirsat’s comments, stating that his remarks do not represent the official position of the party. Darekar reaffirmed that an alliance between Shinde and Sharad Pawar’s NCP was unthinkable, given that both parties had contested against each other in the elections. As per PTI, the voting for the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly concluded on November 20, with the results set to be announced on November 23. (With inputs from PTI)
22 November,2024 08:52 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs per an RTI filed by a south Mumbai resident on January 23, 2023, the Mumbai Police has said it has no records of missing firearm weapons. This is now part of a suo moto matter that was recently heard by the division bench of the Supreme Court, which expressed deep concerns over the proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition. It was observed that the existing regulatory frameworks and laws under the Arms Act, 1959, and Arms Rules, 2016, though rigorous, are insufficiently enforced. Following these submissions, the Supreme Court is contemplating a comprehensive action plan, directing the creation of state and UT-level committees chaired by chief secretaries, the matter is next slated for January 30, 2025. mid-day in its February 10 article titled, “Cops have no record of missing licenced firearms” highlighted the RTI, which revealed the arms department had no record of missing files. Expressed deep concern “The suo moto matter aims to curb the menace by evaluating nationwide statistics, reported by states and Union Territories, on un-licenced firearm-related incidents and enforcement actions. Despite extensive data, these affidavits reveal inadequate steps from the authorities to effectively combat illegal arms proliferation. Maharashtra’s affidavit failed to account for missing licenced firearms, and the Union Home Ministry’s submission outlined regulatory suggestions without addressing long-standing issues, such as the handling of firearms that have been unaccounted for since 1947,” said Advocate Mohini Priya, advocate on record, Supreme Court of India, representing Mumbai based businessman in the matter. Suggestions made The court-appointed Amicus Curiae, S Nagamuthu, suggested technological and legislative interventions, including measures to make bail provisions more stringent and shifting the burden of proof in certain cases, urging a proactive stance. These suggestions highlight that beyond current enforcement, innovative solutions like RFID tracking, digital firearm record management, and smart gun technology are essential, added Adv. Mohini Priya. RTI reveals missing firearm records The intervention of Amrish Kilachand underscores an alarming gap in governmental accountability regarding firearm record-keeping. His RTI findings revealed that police records on missing firearms are often old and unmaintained. His recommendations to the Amicus Curiae, including guidelines for quicker FIR registration, real-time record updates, international collaboration, and fast-tracking firearm-related cases, aim to modernise firearm regulation. Way out “Following these submissions, the Supreme Court is contemplating the creation of state and UT-level committees chaired by chief secretaries. These committees are mandated to draft state-specific plans, inspect firearm-related facilities, secure data on illegal arms, and study patterns of firearm usage in crime. The court’s directives seek to fortify public safety and mitigate the adverse impact of illegal firearms on Indian society,” said Adv Mohini Priya. The flashback The original case before the Apex court was of Rajendra Singh V/s State of Uttar Pradesh, wherein an un-licenced firearm was used in the commission of murder. The petitioner had challenged the Allahabad High Court's final judgement and order dated June 1, 2022, by filing a special leave to Appeal before the Apex Court. “We have come across cases where there is this phenomenon of use of unlicensed firearms in the commission of serious offence and this is very disturbing,” the Apex Court stated in its order dated February 13, 2023. The court further stated, “Unlike the Constitution of the United States of America, where the right to bear firearms is a fundamental freedom, in the wisdom of our founding fathers, no such right has been conferred on anyone under the Constitution of India.” Intervener speaks When contacted intervenor Amrish Kalichand, speaking to mid-day, said, “This order is basically of enormous significance, with regards to the missing arms, as it is very serious in Maharashtra, and especially in Mumbai and I hope that the Apex court along with the recently appointed committee, take a deep look into the state of affairs in light of the recent shootouts in Mumbai.”
22 November,2024 07:57 AM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar MenonThe Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) at IIT Bombay, one of India’s premier technology business incubator, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Over two decades, SINE has nurtured close to 250 startups. “SINE has incubated startups that have collectively generated over 300 intellectual properties across critical sectors such as ICT, healthcare, cleantech, and industrials. Many of these startups have gone on to become industry leaders,” said Professor Santosh J Gharpure, Professor-in-Charge of SINE. Moreover, SINE has mentored over 60 other incubators nationwide under Central government initiatives. “For any Ministry planning a startup program, SINE has become the go-to incubator,” he added. SINE over the years has supported over 245 startups and 1,000 entrepreneurs, with 81 companies currently incubated and 103 having successfully graduated. While 48 ventures have ceased operations, 13 have achieved mergers or acquisitions. Collectively, SINE startups have raised R7,600 crore ($950 million) in funding and have achieved a combined valuation of R29,000 crore ($3.5 billion). These efforts have generated employment for approximately 10,000 people and led to the filing of 300 intellectual property assets. Celebrating success stories SINE has played a pivotal role in shaping some of India’s most remarkable startup success stories. From pioneering CAR-T cell therapy to developing energy-efficient BLDC technology for fans, its portfolio exemplifies technological innovation. Gupshup became the first academic-incubated company to achieve unicorn status in 2021, while ideaForge was the first to be listed publicly in 2023. Other notable ventures include ImmunoACT (cancer immunotherapy), Atomberg (energy-efficient fans), Sedemac (two-wheeler control systems), SAFE Security (cyber risk management), and Zeus Numerix (autonomous guided munitions). Looking ahead As India aspires to increase its startup density, SINE has outlined an ambitious roadmap to expand its operations fourfold over the next decade. “Our focus has been to bridge the gap between academia and the market by fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among students, researchers, faculty, and alumni,” said Professor Milind Atrey, deputy director (Academics, Research, and Translation) at IIT Bombay. SINE startups have not only contributed to economic growth but have also created significant social impact in areas like medtech, clean energy, sustainability, agritech, and mobility. “Startups are selected based on their potential economic, social, or national strategic impact,” said Shaji Varghese, CEO of SINE. To accelerate its expansion plans, SINE is in the process of launching a R100 crore Venture Capital (VC) fund to support deep-tech startups and ventures addressing national priorities. Post regulatory approvals, SINE plans to engage IIT Bombay alumni, many of whom are industry leaders, to raise subscriptions for the fund. “This fund will be transformative, building on SINE’s 20-year legacy of supporting startups that have collectively raised $942 million and achieved a valuation of $3.56 billion. We aim to focus on high-impact sectors such as science, biotech, space, and defense,” said Varghese.
22 November,2024 07:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghA pedestrian underpass at Kherwadi, Bandra East, along the Western Express Highway has been shut for a long time. But, if you take a peep inside, you will find a bunch of children enjoying a swim in the water that has accummulated there during the monsoon. A shopkeeper nearby said there has been no maintenance work done here ever since the subway was shut. After someone broke open the grille gate, kids from the nearby slums come every day for a swim. The shopkeeper said, when warned against going inside and playing in the filthy, garbage-filled water, the children argue back and continue to come here. When mid-day attempted to contact Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Bangar and Girish Nikam, head of the roads and bridges department, through calls and messages, neither responded. Swapnaja Kshirsagar, assistant commissioner of H East ward, too, did not respond to queries. An official with the BMC, who did not wish to be identified, said that the subway has been closed after there were complaints of severe leakage inside. It now needs major repairs before it can be reopened. The job comes under the roads and bridges department.
22 November,2024 07:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta KasaleThe transgender community has raised its voice, seeking to be included under the "Ladki Bahin Yojana," a scheme launched last year in Maharashtra by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde aimed at making women economically independent. Many transgender individuals are school or college dropouts, and due to their limited education, often end up begging. They are questioning why they have been excluded from such a beneficial scheme that could help them achieve economic independence. A 46-year-old trans leader Neeta Kene from Kinnar Asmita Foundation said “A trans leader Dr Sanvi Jethwani had met the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde requesting him to include the trans community too under the Laadki Bahin scheme. Despite receiving assurance from him, we did not get any benefit till date. Are we not the ‘Bahin’ (sister)? Why are we often neglected?” “All the government-run schemes including Laadki Bahin Yojana should be made transgender-friendly,” she said. “There is no problem in making voter ID cards, but we have to struggle a lot to make Aadhaar cards and PAN cards. And in the sheer lack of these crucial documents (Aadhaar/PAN cards), we cannot avail facilities of other schemes designed to benefit transgender. So, our transgender identity card should be made a legal document to avail all the government schemes,” she said. Meanwhile, a trans advocate Dr Pawan Yadav said, “We are thankful to the ECI for giving us the opportunity to cast our votes in the democracy, but we have been excluded in the Laadki Bahin Yojana of the state government. I would request the government to include us also in the same scheme so that we can also avail the benefit.” “We would unanimously demand from the officials concerned to reserve at least one seat in the state Assembly for our community so that the elected member can understand the problem and raise the issues in the Assembly,” Dr Yadav told mid-day. Adding further, Dr Yadav said, “In a bid to uplift the living conditions of our community, a Maharashtra Transgender Welfare Board has been constituted in the state, but it has been lying dysfunctional for months. If it is made active, at least somehow the community can reap benefits.” “We don’t easily get houses on rent and when we approach the police to complain, our complaints go unheard. So, society needs to be sensitised so that we can also live our life happily,” said Dr Yadav. Voting for better lifestyle A group of transgenders used their democratic rights in Virar on Wednesday. They said they have voted so that their lifestyle can change. They thanked the Election Commission of India for allowing the community to use their democratic rights. Talking to mid-day, 30-year-old Alia Pawar said that the life of a transgender is very tough, ‘as hardly people come to help us to uplift.’ “People talk a lot about our community but the ground reality remains unchanged. Today I am working as a computer operator at Vasai Tahsildar office but our life is full of struggle,” said Pawar. “Almost all the transgenders, who joined me today in using our democratic rights in Virar, are into the begging business. They are either school or college dropouts. We are not pro or against any government but our lifestyle must change,” Pawar said. “We struggle to share workstations at government offices, people call us to seek blessings but they do not want to share their dining table with us. This needs to change, so we have voted to bring changes in our lifestyle,” Pawar said. The transgenders also voted at Byculla and Jogeshwari.
22 November,2024 07:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaMumbai recorded a voter turnout of 54.89 per cent in the Assembly elections in 36 constituencies on Wednesday. Bhandup West, a Shiv Sena stronghold came on top with 62.88 per cent polling, and Colaba in South Mumbai finished at the bottom with 44.44 per cent. Mumbai has historically struggled with low voter turnout. Not just in Assembly elections but also during the Lok Sabha elections. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the city recorded a turnout of 55.4 per cent, which dropped to 52.4 per cent in 2024. Even in Assembly elections, the trend is consistent. This time however Mumbai has bettered its record and managed to record voter turnout up by almost 4 per cent as compared to the 2019 Assembly election when the voter turnout was 50.67 per cent. Overall Mumbai voter turnout in previous years (as per data released by the ECI): Highest voter turnout The constituency with the highest voter turnout percentage in 2024 is Bhandup West, which recorded an impressive 62.88 per cent, up from 56.24 per cent in 2019. This was closely followed by Borivli at 62.32 per cent and Mulund at 61.42 per cent, both of which also showed substantial increases in voter participation. Lowest voter turnout The constituency with the lowest voter turnout in 2024 is Colaba, which recorded a turnout of 44.44 per cent in 2024, up from 40.15 per cent in 2019. Mumbadevi follows with 48.76 per cent in 2024, though it also improved from 44.38 per cent in 2019. Increase polling Several constituencies witnessed notable increases in voter turnout. For example, Goregaon rose significantly from 46.45 per cent in 2019 to 55.61 per cent in 2024, indicating improved voter engagement. Similarly, Versova saw an increase from 42.38 per cent in 2019 to 51.44 per cent in 2024. Chembur recorded a rise from 52.26 per cent in 2019 to 54.97 per cent in 2024, while Kurla showed a major jump from 44.92 per cent in 2019 to 53.15 per cent now. The most significant increase was observed in Magathane, which increased from 55.27 per cent in 2019 to 59.35 per cent in 2024, albeit remaining relatively high overall. Decreased polling A few constituencies experienced slight declines in turnout. Anushakti Nagar dropped from 55.30 per cent in 2019 to 54.04 per cent in 2024, and Mahim decreased marginally from 52.69 per cent to 50.01 per cent. Total Mumbai City voter turnout Total electors: 2,543,610Total voters: 1,339,299Overall voter turnout percentage: 52.65% Total Mumbai Suburbs voter turnout Total electors: 7,686,098Total voters: 4,334,513Overall voter turnout percentage: 56.39%
22 November,2024 07:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghThe overall voting percentage points of Mumbai increased compared to the last election, but there are a few suburbs where the voting has increased as much as 10 percentage points. Andheri West, Versova, Goregaon, Mulund, Borivli, Bandra West, Kurla and Bhandup showed the highest percentages in terms of an increase in voting. Interestingly, BJP candidates were contesting from most of these constituencies. Anushakti Nagar is the only constituency where the voting percentage decreased this year. Voting percentage across the state increased by five to seven points. In the 2019 Assembly election, the voting percentage of the Suburban district was 51.28 and City district was 48.22. This time, voting in the suburbs increased to 56.39 percentage while in the city, the turnout was 52.65 percentage. Though the overall difference is around five percentage, there are a few constituencies which showed higher turnout than others. In the Andheri West seat, contested by BJP’s Ameet Satam and Congress’s Ashok Jadhav, the voting percentage increased from 43.52 per cent in 2019 to 53.67 per cent this year. This is the highest difference recorded. Even Versova and Goregaon where there were fights between BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates registered more than nine per cent growth. Mulund, Borivli and Bandra West where the voting percentage increased by six per cent were also contested by BJP. Malad West is the only constituency with a BJP candidate where relatively low growth of two per cent was recorded. The Kurla constituency which saw a fight between both Senas, also registered eight per cent growth. Bhandup, Jogeshwari East and Mahim, which had Shinde Sena candidates in the fray, also registered higher growth in voting percentage points. Sewri where Mahayuti didn’t give any candidate against MVA and there was a straight fight between Sena UBT and MNS also registered six percentage points growth. Anushakti Nagar, a Muslim-dominated area, is the only constituency where there was a decrease in voting. Byculla, Chembur, Dharavi, Vikhroli, Dindoshi and Chandivali where Shinde Sena was contesting, registered less than 2.5 percentage points growth. Politician Speak Bhalachandra Shirsat, BJP spokesperson for Mumbai, said, “Voters from the educated and elite classes, who are generally reluctant to vote, stepped out on Wednesday and this will help the BJP and Mahayuti.” Shinde Sena spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre, attributed the increase in voting percentage points to three issues. “A large number of women voters came out to vote after the Lakli Bahin scheme was announced. Secondly, we worked with various organisations like the RSS and VHP at the micro level. Lastly, polling centres were well-managed. Voters came to know that it takes hardly 10 minutes to vote and that’s why many opted to turn up in the last two hours. This is something unusual,” she said. Sanjana Ghadi, spokesperson of Sena (UBT) was not available for comment till the time of going to press.
22 November,2024 07:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta KasaleAfter Vikhroli, another railway level crossing at Chunabhatti is set to shut down in the next few years. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to construct a rail overbridge (ROB) and a separate foot overbridge (FOB) at the Chunabhatti crossing. The bridge is expected to be completed within three years of the project’s commencement. The Chunabhatti rail crossing connects Duncan Causeway in Sion with V N Purav Marg in Chunabhatti. This crossing disrupts both harbour railway traffic and road traffic. The proposal to close the level crossing was first suggested in 2019. Now, the BMC has invited a tender worth R37.41 crore. Vikas Dhulekar, a biker, said, “I regularly use this road as I live in Chunabhatti. Sometimes we have to wait for up to half an hour. If the bridge is constructed, it will greatly benefit motorists like me.” Rajan Naik, a local, said the bridge will bring a lot of relief to pedestrians As per the records, around 40 to 45 BEST buses pass through this level crossing daily. Rajan Naik, a pedestrian and resident of Chunabhatti, said, “If there is a foot overbridge for pedestrians, it will bring relief. Senior citizens and women with children especially suffer due to this railway crossing,” he added. As per Harbour Railway records, the level crossing is kept closed during peak hours—8 to 9 am and 7 to 8 pm. Generally, the gates remain open for two to three minutes every 15 to 20 minutes, though closures can sometimes last up to 25–30 minutes. A BMC official told mid-day, “There will be a separate FOB for pedestrians alongside the vehicular bridge. The work will be completed within 32 months of its start. We have invited tenders for the project and aim to begin work as soon as possible.” The bridge will be 290 metres long and feature two lanes. In 2010, Mumbai Railways sought the help of consultancy firm Final Mile to find solutions to prevent accidents caused by track crossing. Crossing railway tracks remains one of the leading causes of fatalities even today. Final Mile identified three key issues: 1. Ineffective warning signs – Text-based signs failed to grab attention. 2. Horn sounds – Train horns either became too familiar to be effective or were sounded too late to warn people. 3. Misjudgement of train speed – Many people underestimated the train’s speed, leading to overconfidence and fatal miscalculations. To address these issues, the following design interventions were implemented: Text-based warning signs were replaced with photographs of actual victims, showing their expressions moments before being struck by a train. Optimal distances for train horns to sound near trespassing points were calculated. Yellow stripes were painted on sleepers at intervals. These bright stripes attracted attention and, as they disappeared under a moving train, helped the brain subconsciously recalibrate its perception of the train’s speed.
22 November,2024 07:22 AM IST | Mumbai | Sameer SurveADVERTISEMENT
