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Maharashtra

BMC Orders Strict On-Site Engineer Presence For Desilting, Mandatory Mesh Barriers To Prevent Plastic Waste

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Mumbai: To enforce strict accountability and transparency in the desilting of rivers and drains, Deputy and Assistant Engineers must remain on-site full-time without exception. Work shall follow rigorous drain-wise and day-wise planning, with mandatory daily updates in the system, warned Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar on Wednesday. Installation of mesh barriers at key points to prevent floating solid waste—especially plastic—has been made compulsory; non-compliance will not be tolerated, he added.

As part of pre-monsoon works, desilting of rivers and major and minor drains across Mumbai is underway. Bangar inspected ongoing river and drain-cleaning operations in the western suburbs on Wednesday. He conducted on-site visits to Walbhat River in Goregaon (East) near the Western Express Highway, Oshiwara River near the Goregaon (West) Metro station, the SNDT drain near Gazdharbandh pumping station, and the North Avenue drain in Santacruz (West).

Bangar began his inspection at the Walbhat River in Goregaon (East), which originates from Sanjay Gandhi National Park and flows about 5 km through Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari and Gokuldham before meeting the Bimbisar nullah. Noting heavy silt inflow from the national park during monsoon, he reviewed ongoing desilting works and directed that excavated silt be disposed of within the stipulated time and prevented from re-entering the river. Bangar also instructed that ramps for deploying heavy machinery be constructed under the supervision of Storm Water Drains (SWD) and ward engineers, who must remain present on-site. To avoid public misunderstanding, he further directed that clear signage be displayed at ramp sites explaining the purpose of the work.

He also reviewed the recurring waterlogging near Oberoi Mall, Goregaon (East), caused by obstruction in the Piramal nullah originating from Dindoshi.

Bangar stressed the need for a permanent solution, directing the SWD Department to overcome constraints posed by traffic on the Western Express Highway. He ordered thorough desilting and cleaning of culverts with mandatory video documentation, and instructed steps to enhance flow capacity. Noting that two 5 m x 2.5 m culverts beneath the Oberoi Mall junction have lost capacity due to utility lines and heavy siltation, he directed removal of all debris and careful, possibly mechanised cleaning, ensuring no public inconvenience.

Bangar called for augmentation of the SWD near the SRPF compound service road in P South ward, where drainage is sluggish. He instructed immediate pumping arrangements for monsoon relief, along with preparation and approval of estimates, tendering during the monsoon, and execution post-monsoon. At Oshiwara River near Goregaon (West) Metro station, he noted that a permanent ramp has been successfully provided for deploying machinery, calling it a good practice model. Bangar reviewed ongoing works at Oshiwara River, Mogra Nullah, and Irla Nullah, where pumping stations are being constructed.

During inspection of the SNDT nullah at Bandra (West), Bangar noted that multiple drains—including Shastri Nagar, Relief Road, PNT, Raheja Plot, North Avenue, South Avenue, and Main Avenue—feed into it, causing earlier flooding in the Link Road and SV Road (J.K. Mehta Road) stretch. He observed that box drains at Link Road and drainage upgrades at J.K. Mehta Road have resolved waterlogging, while 3-metre-high mesh barriers at Main Avenue have significantly reduced solid waste inflow. He directed thorough cleaning of culverts 24 and 25 near the railway colony stretch of SV Road and instructed coordination with Metro authorities to ensure timely completion of works in active construction zones.

Crime

Mumbai Shocker! Man Shot, Stabbed To Death In Kurla; 3 Arrested

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Mumbai: A shocking incident has come to light from Mumbai’s Kurla, where a man was shot and stabbed to death. According to the Mumbai Police, three accused have been arrested in the case.

the incident took place on April 29 at around 10 pm near Pipeline Block No. 3 in Kurla’s V B Nagar. The deceased, identified as Baba Pawar, was shot by one person while two others stabbed him.

After the information was received, Pawar was rushed to Bhabha Hospital for treatment. However, he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.

A case was registered at V B Nagar police station under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Arms Act for murder and other offences. Later, it was reported that the police arrested all the three accused involved in the crime. Currently, further investigation is underway to determine the circumstances and motive behind the gruesome killing.

Meanwhile, in another recent incident, a man allegedly stabbed a shopkeeper five to six times after thinking that he and his brother were laughing at him. The incident occurred in Agripada’s Baby Garden area, where two brothers were chatting and laughing over something in their shop.

When the accused arrived at the shop, he thought the two brothers were laughing and mocking him and in a sudden outburst, Mansuri pulled out a knife and attacked one of the brothers multiple times. 

Prior to this, another stabbing incident took place in Mira Road’s Naya Nagar, where a 31-year-old man, Zaib Zubair Ansari, attacked two security guards after being questioned about their religion. The attack took place near Asmita Grand Mansion in Mira Road East, where two security guards were on duty when Ansari approached them, initially asking for directions to a nearby mosque. Later, Ansari questioned one of the guards about his religion before attacking him with a knife. He then entered the security cabin and allegedly asked the second guard to recite the ‘Kalma’.

Ansari was arrested within hours after police reviewed CCTV footage. He was later produced before a Thane district court, which remanded him to police custody until May 4.

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Maharashtra

Marathi language requirement: Senior drivers should be given concessions for their language skills, no one’s permit should be cancelled immediately on the basis of language: Abu Asim

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has requested Transport Minister Pratap Sarmaik to provide relaxation to rickshaw and taxi drivers in the matter of Marathi language mandatory from May 1 and give them time to learn Marathi. In a letter, Azmi said that the new Marathi mandatory law will come into effect from May 1, 2026. This has created a wave of concern among rickshaw and taxi drivers, especially the elderly. The purpose of any law is reformative, but it should not take away anyone’s livelihood. Maharashtra is a state that provides employment to citizens across the country, and this is the real identity of our state. Many drivers who have settled here from other states have received education in their mother tongue, so we cannot deny the fact that they need time to learn Marathi. From a scientific point of view, it becomes difficult to learn a new language after the age of 45 to 50. Therefore, I demand that this rule be restricted to the youth between the ages of 18 and 45 and that experienced and senior drivers be completely exempted from it. For such drivers who are the sole breadwinners of their families, the government should appoint a special officer and give them an extension of at least two years so that their livelihood is not disrupted. Moreover, the language test format should be simplified and made online, with drivers getting at least four chances every year. It would be unfair to cancel permits just because of language. Another important point is that there is no such strictness on the use of Marathi in the corporate sector, as this sector is considered a major source of income for the state. However, we should not forget that rickshaw and taxi drivers are also an important part of the state’s economy. They serve the public from morning till late at night. When big corporate houses can get relaxation and flexibility in language regulations, why burden these low-income drivers, who toil all day in the sun and rain, with strict regulations? Justice should be equal for all. Therefore, instead of imposing regulations, the government should set up free training centers at the ward level. We should understand that if thousands of drivers become unemployed, the possibility of an increase in crime due to economic hardship in the society cannot be ruled out. According to Article 21 of the Constitution of India, every citizen has the right to live with dignity and earn his livelihood. The Supreme Court has also clarified in the Olga Telles vs. Bombay Municipal Corporation case that the right to livelihood is an integral part of the right to life. Therefore, cancelling someone’s permit just because they do not know the language would be a violation of the Supreme Court’s decision. Azmi requested Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik to consider this principle not as a mere political issue but as an educational and social campaign to maintain the inclusive tradition of Maharashtra by giving adequate time to drivers from migrant migrant states to learn Marathi and by giving appropriate concessions to senior citizens.

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Maharashtra

Bhiwandi Samadia School road in dilapidated condition, Eknath Shinde assures of resolution of public issues and redressal of complaints

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi met the Deputy Chief Minister of the state Eknath Shinde and gave him a memorandum and demanded the completion of the project related to public interest and to take necessary steps regarding the problems and development projects of Bhiwandi. He gave details of the problems faced by the people of Bhiwandi and demanded their solution. Azmi said that the main road from Samadia Bagh to Samadia School is completely dilapidated and only potholes and mud tracks are visible on the road. More than 1,000 children are studying in Samadia School, due to which the students, their parents and passers-by are facing a lot of problems. Keeping in mind the rainy season, Azmi requested that all the work be completed before the rains to avoid mud and accidents. He said that the VP Stadium of Bhiwandi West is a big stadium for local players and senior citizens, but today it is also in a dilapidated condition. The condition of the ground is very poor, the jogging track is broken, and during the rains it becomes difficult to practice due to waterlogging. Therefore, the Sports Department should be directed to immediately provide necessary funds for the reconstruction and repair of the stadium, so that the youth can get better sports facilities. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has assured positive steps on public interest issues.

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