Connect with us
Tuesday,03-June-2025
Breaking News

Maharashtra

Shinde-Fadnavis combine loses no time to dismantle MVA legacy

Published

on

 Barely hours after they were sworn-in on June 30 evening, the new Chief Minister Eknath S. Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis indicated that they meant business.

One of the first major decisions was to strike down the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) proposal to construct the Mumbai Metro 3 car-shed in Kanjurmarg, instead of the lush green Aarey Colony — where it was originally planned by Fadnavis during his tenure as the CM (2014-2019).

The Shinde-Fadnavis’ move, though anticipated, attracted howls of protest from greens, activists and even former CM Uddhav Thackeray — who was like a �godfather’ to Aarey Colony — and his son ex-Minister Aditya Thackeray.

A sad Thackeray publicly appealed, with �folded hands’ to Shinde-Fadnavis, not to bring back the Metro car-shed to Aarey Colony forests in the interests of Mumbai and the city’s environment, while Aditya urged the new regime not to vent their angst against the Thackerays on Mumbaikars.

Fadnavis responded with the right noises that he would �respect’ Thackeray’s sentiments before taking any final decision and days later, uprooted the Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to reinstate her as the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (MMRCL) Managing Director.

In October 2019, as the then MMRCL MD, Bhide — often regarded as the �mother-in-law’ of Mother Nature, had shocked the nation when Aarey Colony overnight got a massive haircut — 2,141 trees were chopped off in barely 40 hours, or @1 tree/minute�!

Thackeray Jr., Congress workers, green groups and activists have been fuming and protesting at the new regime’s latest reversal, but Bhide is entrusted with the task of pushing through the contentious proposal.

After the MVA allies, Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party, had scuttled the Centre’s plans to construct the terminus for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project in the Bandra Kurla Complex, the Shinde-Fadnavis ministry took a relook at the much delayed mega-project.

They have resolved to build the Bullet Train terminus at the original intended BKC site and ordered the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to shut down and pack up its 2-year-old Covid Jumbo Field Hospital there within 2 months, by September.

In another jolt, the government has scrapped over 4,000 big and small water conservation projects in the state worth more than Rs 5,000 crore, designed to make the state �drought-free’ by 2025.

However, in contrast, the government has decided to �revive’ the “Jalyukt Shivar Project”, the pet scheme of Fadnavis when he was the CM, but which was struck down by the MVA.

The Thackeray regime had based its decision on an open enquiry into the project after the CAG expressed doubts about the JST’s effectiveness, and later a probe panel had submitted a report highlighting various irregularities in that scheme.

The government has also opted to bring back the Emergency Pension Scheme, introduced by Fadnavis in 2018, rewarding those who had undergone jail terms during the Emergency (1975-1977), considered a dark chapter in Indian history.

The MVA government had yanked off the EPS — Fadnavis suspects it was done under pressure from the Congress — which entitled a pension of between Rs 5000-Rs 10,000 depending on the period of imprisonment the beneficiary had undergone.

Shinde also struck down the decision cancelling direct election of village Sarpanches and Municipal Council Presidents – introduced in 2017 by Fadnavis, and which was removed by the Thackeray government in 2020.

These reversals or cancellations have taken place despite an assurance by the Shinde-Fadnavis government that they would refrain from dumping any policies, projects or schemes of the MVA, unless they are found to be absolutely inessential.

However, giving a minor concession, the three-week old government assured that it would �review’ the MVA’s proposal to rename Aurangabad as �Sambhajinagar’ and Osmanabad as �Dharashiv’. The AIMIM has cried foul and the Nationalist Congress Party had dissociated itself from the original move.

Now, the Sena-NCP-Congress combine is worried that the axe could fall on several other mega projects it had launched during the 31-month-long MVA rule.

Of particular concern are the Rs 1,600-crore water desalination plant to make Mumbai self-sufficient in drinking water, and the ongoing Mumbai Coastal Road Project — both intended to be �show-pieces’ of the Shiv Sena ahead of the BMC elections.

Maharashtra

Thieves caught stealing MTNL cables in Vakola, Senior officer caught them red handed

Published

on

Thieves were caught red handed while stealing cables from MTNL’s underground manhole in Vakola area of ​​Mumbai.

A senior MTNL official caught the thieves while they were removing the cables with the help of a JCB machine and a tempo. This incident took place just 100 meters away from Vakola police station, while a police blockade was also going on at a distance of just 50 meters.

MTNL’s goods, tempo and JCB machine have been taken to the police station.

According to sources, the involvement of some scrap dealers (Bangar Wale) and some MTNL workers is suspected in this theft. At present, interrogation is going on at Vakola police station.

So far, MTNL has suffered a loss of about Rs 500 crore due to cable theft in Mumbai.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Visit to Deonar Bakra Mandi on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, important meeting led by Mumbai Congress President Prof. Varshatai Gaikwad

Published

on

Mumbai: On the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, a delegation led by Lok Sabha MP and Mumbai Congress President Smt. Prof. Varshatai Gaikwad saheb visited Deonar Bakra Mandi (Slaughterhouse).

On this occasion, she had a special meeting with the General Manager of Deonar Slaughterhouse, Mr. Kaleem Pasha Pathan and discussed in detail the problems faced by the public and traders present in the mandi.

The main points of the discussion were as follows:

Problems faced by traders
Care and maintenance of animals
Cleanliness situation in the mandi
Traffic problems and their solutions
Difficulties faced by common citizens

Professor Gaikwad saheb gave necessary instructions to the concerned authorities for the early resolution of all these problems and assured that Mumbai Congress stands with the people.

Honorable MLA Mr. Aslam Sheikh Sahib, Honorable MLA Mr. Amin Patel Sahib, MLA Dr. Jyoti Tai Gaikwad Sahib, former Corporator and former Chairman of Mumbai Congress Minority Wing Haji Babbu Khan Sahib and other senior leaders and office bearers of Mumbai Congress were also present in this important visit.

The visit was a positive effort for mutual discussions, identification of problems and effective steps to resolve them, which makes an auspicious occasion like Eid more meaningful.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

ATS crackdown on 22 members including suspected member of Padgha Daesh Saqib Nachan, ATS conducted midnight operation on relatives

Published

on

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has claimed to have seized several important documents and items during raids at the homes of Saqib Nachan, a former member of ISIS and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), and 22 of his close associates and relatives. The ATS had received information that important documents and other items were hidden at the homes of Saqib Nachan and his close associates, after which the ATS launched the raids at 2 am last night and the operation continued till 4 am, after which the ATS team left for Mumbai. During this operation, the ATS team also cordoned off the entire area. In Borivali Pargham, ATS has conducted raids on Abid Ashraf Mulla, Moaz Mulla, Aqib Saqib Nachan, Abdul Latif Shadab Kaskar, Urmesh Irfan Mulla, Hashim Nadvi, Farooq Mulla, Nabeel Malik Khot, Qais Arif Khot, Kaif Nachan, Sahil Munyar, Adnan Mulla, Shero Deokar, Sharjeel Nachan, Sajid Nachan, Zeeshan Mulla, Atif Mulla, Shams Khot, Asjad Mulla, Raif Khot, Abid Khot. During this time, some of them were on Hajj trips, so they were not present at home.

In this case, ATS conducted raids and did not arrest anyone during house searches. Zubair Mulla, a resident of a small mosque who deals in land, was on a Hajj trip. Zubair Mulla was convicted in the 2002 and 2003 bomb blasts and was also sentenced. Now he is lodged in Delhi jail along with Saqib Nachan in the case of ISIS connection in Delhi. Abdul Latif Kaskar is employed in Godam and is also a friend of Farhan Sousa in the Delhi ISIS case. Shams Khot, Rais Khot, Abid Ashraf Mulla, Moaz Ashraf Mulla, Qais Asif Khot were not present at the house during the search, while a raid was conducted at Kalyan’s house in Sahil Munyar and he was also not present here.

ATS had found Saqib Nachan active in terrorist activities again since 2017. During this time, ATS had kept an eye on him and a case was also registered against him, but in this case, NIA had arrested Saqib Nachan in the ISIS case. First, his son Aqib Nachan was arrested and then Saqib will also be arrested. ATS has also claimed to have seized several important documents during the operation, which will be investigated and then the action will progress accordingly. Maharashtra ATS has conducted raids at 15 places including Mumbai police station Bhiwandi Kalyan and during this, action has also been taken against suspected members of ISIS. In this operation, ATS is expected to find many important documents and evidence. The ATS has taken action in this case against those accused of being involved in anti-national and illegal activities. ATS is taking further action in this case, while no arrest has been made so far after searching anyone.

Continue Reading

Trending