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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Activists to paint potholes in Navratri hues to protest against bad condition of roads

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Unlike previous years, the BMC this Ganeshotsav failed to rid the roads of potholes for the last visarjan procession, which means people will have to endure the menace until the end of the monsoon. To make things worse, heavy rain over the past few days has added new craters to the city’s roads. Tired of official apathy, activists have come up with a unique protest. “We have decided to paint the potholes in Navratri hues—nine colours for nine days,” said an activist.
This year, the condition of roads is even more pathetic, with huge craters lining multiple stretches. Activists said they are tired of not getting a resolution despite repeated complaints to the BMC and posts on social media.

“Hence we have decided to protest the poor condition of roads through the celebration of the upcoming Navratri festival, by painting the potholes in Navratri hues—nine colours for nine days,” said Godfrey Pimenta, an activist.
On September 26, which is the first day of Navratri, the potholes will be painted white, followed by red the next day and so on, Pimenta said. The other colours of Navratri are royal blue, yellow, green, grey, orange, peacock green and pink.

He urged Mumbaikars to take part in the unique celebration, so that the authorities hear their protest against the deadly roads loud and clear. “Potholes and bad roads cause so many problems. People miss flights, trains, get late to schools, potholes lead to traffic jams, accidents, damage to vehicles,” said Mushtaque Ansari, an activist.

Usually, the BMC fills up potholes before the final day of Ganpati visarjan, and as the rain recedes, the authorities address the issue. However, this year, due to intermittent showers, the civic body claimed to have faced difficulty in filling up the potholes.

H ward officials recently sent people to fix potholes in Bandra West, on the complaint of Ansari. “They filled up the potholes while it was raining. Even they knew it won’t last,” said the activist.

“We asked the ward office to fix the potholes, but it needs at least two to three days of sunlight to dry the patches so it can hold the mix,” said a civic official. The BMC chief has ordered the resurfacing of the bad patches once the monsoon ends.

Maharashtra

Thief who came from Mumbai and committed several thefts arrested

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Mumbai: Police have claimed to have arrested a thief who committed theft in the limits of Milind police station, against whom several cases of theft and burglary are registered in Mumbai. Mumbai Zone 7 DCP Vijay Kant Sagare, while addressing a press conference here, said that the accused came to Mumbai by flight with the intention of stealing and broke into several 5 houses.

Theft cases are registered against him in Nehru Nagar, Milind, Alwaye, Navi Mumbai. One and a half lakh silver ornaments weighing two kg, totaling Rs 15 lakh have been seized. Cases of stalking are also registered against the criminal Rajesh in Dombivali, Vishnu Nagar, Vishai, Vitthalwadi, Manpara, Pan police stations.

The accused told that he came to Mumbai from Varanasi by plane on March 13, 2025 and robbed five houses in 15 days.

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Maharashtra

Struggle Against Land Mafia in Waqf Properties: New Amended Bill Adds to the Challenges

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New Delhi : In the ongoing battle to protect Waqf properties and ensure their benefits reach the deserving, land mafias, encroachers, and illegal groups were already a major hurdle. Now, the government’s newly amended bill has emerged as another significant challenge. Advocate Dr. Syed Ejaz Abbas Naqvi has strongly criticized this move and demanded immediate reforms. He stated that the primary objective of Waqf was to benefit the needy, but unfortunately, this objective has completely failed. On the other hand, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the largest Sikh religious organization, has been actively involved in the welfare of its community for decades. As a result, the Sikh community has nearly eradicated beggars and human rickshaw pullers.

Illegal Encroachments and Misuse of Waqf Lands Exposed :
According to Dr. Naqvi, Waqf properties have suffered the most due to unlawful encroachments by vested interest groups. The most unfortunate fact is that many Waqf lands were originally donated for the shrines (Dargahs) of Syed families, but they have been grossly misused. He revealed that a well-known individual shamelessly sold an acre of prime Waqf land on Mumbai’s Altamount Road for just 1.6 million rupees, a blatant violation of Waqf principles and laws.

Demand for a Stricter Amendment in Section 52 :
Dr. Naqvi has called on the government to take strict action against those who illegally sell Waqf properties. He has urged for an immediate amendment to Section 52 of the Waqf Act to introduce

capital punishment or life imprisonment* for unauthorized Waqf land sellers. This issue is a major setback for those fighting to safeguard Waqf properties, who are already battling corrupt elements and illegal land grabbers. It remains to be seen whether the government takes these concerns seriously and enacts effective legislation to protect Waqf lands.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Cleanup Marshal and Swachh Mumbai campaign ended, fine collection from citizens also stopped, BMC helpline number released

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Mumbai: Mumbai BMC has abolished the clean-up marshal policy, after which now the clean-up marshal has disappeared from the streets of the city. The Municipal Corporation has completely banned the clean-up marshal and the Swachh Mumbai Mission has been stopped. This means that now no clean-up marshal will be able to force citizens to pay fines or take any other punitive action. After complaints against clean-up marshals, Mumbai BMC has decided to stop and suspend the service of clean-up marshals from today.

The Solid Waste Management Department of Mumbai Municipal Corporation, under the Department of Garbage and Sanitation, oversees public cleanliness in Mumbai and the ‘Swachh Mumbai Mission’ has been closed from April 4, 2025. However, the Municipal Corporation administration has appealed to the citizens that if any fine has been imposed on them despite this, then they can complain about it. Complaints regarding cleanup marshals can be made to the divisional control room of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation at 022-23855128 and 022-23877691 (extension number 549/500).

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