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Maharashtra

Bombay HC Orders Audit Of Slum Areas Act, Says ‘Slum-Free Mumbai’ Dream Remains Unfulfilled

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Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the state government to set up a high-level expert committee within four weeks to conduct a performance audit of the Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, observing that the dream of a “slum-free Mumbai” remains far from reality even after more than five decades.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within 10 months. The bench remarked that improving Mumbai’s planning and housing situation would require political will and executive commitment.

A special bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Advait Sethna said slum rehab projects should not come “at the expense of open spaces” and called for a scientific, areawise approach to redevelopment. The special bench was constituted to hear the suo motu plea regarding a review of the Slum Act following a Supreme Court judgment on July 30, 2024. The apex court had earlier highlighted concerns about the Act’s implementation and asked the HC to conduct a ‘performance audit.’

In a strongly-worded 264- page judgment, the bench said, “The official machinery… has failed to eradicate the slums to fulfil the dream of 1971 to convert the city into a slum-free city.”

The judges noted that large parts of Mumbai continue to remain under slums, raising serious questions about urban planning. “The problems which are discussed certainly reflect an abysmal progress of the ideals of town planning expected of an international city like Mumbai. Any town planning which does not sail with the time is questionable,” the court said.

The court also recommended a complete freeze on cut-off dates for recognising slum dwellers, saying no further extensions should be granted. According to the bench, people migrating to cities should secure housing either through public housing schemes or the open market, and illegal encroachments should not be incentivised through free rehabilitation housing.

The judgment also flagged the condition of slums around the international airport, saying such areas project Mumbai as a “city of slums” to domestic and international travellers. The bench said there was an urgent need to relocate slums situated near vital installations and in areas where redevelopment is not feasible due to restrictions.

Raising concerns over the quality of rehabilitation buildings, the court warned against the creation of “vertical slums”, criticising the role of inexperienced “by-night developers” in slum projects. Quoting the iconic song from movie ‘CID’, the judges observed: “Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahan, zara hatke zara bachke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan.”

Crime

Stall operator booked after two die of electrocution in Mumbai Lalbaug Ganesh pandal

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Mumbai, Sep 20: An FIR has been filed following a tragic electrocution incident near a Ganesh festival pandal in Mumbai Lalbaug area early on Sunday, which resulted in the deaths of two people, including an 8-year-old girl.

Two people, including an eight-year-old girl, died and four others were seriously injured after receiving electric shocks from a loose wire at a Pepsi-Cola stall near Aastha Hospital on Dattaram Lad Marg in Kalachowki, Mumbai, early Sunday.

Police have registered an FIR against nearby stall operator Kamal Shetty under Sections 106(1) and 125(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alleging negligence, and have begun an investigation.

According to information from the fire brigade, the incident occurred at around 2 a.m. on Sunday when devotees were present near the pandal.

Two boys and three girls, aged between 8 and 20, reportedly came into contact with the electrical current and suffered burn injuries.

Following the incident, all five victims were rushed to Masina Hospital in Byculla for treatment. Doctors declared the 8-year-old girl Raghni Ghanshyam Yadav dead upon arrival.

Meanwhile, a second victim, a woman who was admitted to Global Hospital in Parel, later succumbed to her injuries. Her identity was yet to be ascertained.

Kiran Akbar Naik, 19, Tanvi Narsh Hande, 19, Sahil Sandip Tare, 19, and Ruhi Singh, 12, were undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the incident.

Among the injured, one girl was reportedly in critical condition and was shifted to Global Hospital in Parel for further treatment. The remaining three injured victims are undergoing treatment at Masina Hospital and have been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), where their condition remains serious.

According to the FIR filed at Kalachowki Police Station, the wire allegedly came into contact with the girl, Raghni, and others nearby.

The girl was declared dead at Masina Hospital, while another woman, identified as 33-year-old Sujata Thorati, died at Global Hospital. Four injured persons were admitted for treatment.

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Maharashtra

17-year-old among three killed in Mumbai high-end car accident (Lead)

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Mumbai, Sep 20: A 17-year-old was among the three people who were killed in a serious accident involving a high-end car on the Mumbai Coastal Road early on Sunday, officials said.

Another person is critically injured and is currently receiving treatment.

According to information received from the Coastal Road Control Room, the accident occurred at around 5.20 a.m. near Lotus Jetty, opposite Lala College.

The car was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle due to overspeeding.

The speeding vehicle crashed onto the Coastal Road and hit a boundary wall. It fell off the bridge into an area where construction work was underway.

The severity of the accident was evident from the extent of the damage to the car.

The vehicle tore off through the signboard hanging from the bridge. The roof of the car was pushed inwards, the windshield was shattered, and the bonnet was completely destroyed.

Following the accident, all four occupants of the car were rushed to Nair Hospital, where emergency medical teams assessed their condition.

According to an update issued by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Nair Hospital at around 8.40 a.m., three of the occupants were declared brought dead by doctors.

Two of the deceased have been identified as 21-year-old Shanay Gajjal and 17-year-old Dhirya Seth. The identity of the third deceased is yet to be ascertained.

The injured has been identified as 23-year-old Aditya Oswal.

Speaking about the incident to media, Senior Police Inspector Meena Jagtap said: “At around 5:20 a.m., a black BMW was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali in the northbound direction when it fell from the Coastal Road. There were four people in the car. Three people died, while Aditya is currently at Nair Hospital.”

She said that it is yet to be ascertained whether the occupants of the car were in an intoxicated state when the accident occurred.

Police are investigating the case.

Further details are awaited.

On September 3, several people were booked after Mumbai Police took cognisance of a viral video showing luxury and high-performance cars speeding and racing dangerously inside the Marine Drive-Southbound Coastal Road tunnel.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, three people were critically injured after a speeding off-road SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) hit them near PKC Hospital in Vashi, Navi Mumbai.

The driver fled the spot after the crash instead of helping the injured.

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Maharashtra

BEST bus driver injured after head-on collision with private travel bus in Mumbai

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Mumbai, Sep 20: A BEST bus operating on Route 496 collided head-on with a private travel bus in Mumbai Mulund West early on Sunday, leaving its driver injured and triggering a minor fire in the vehicle.

The incident took place at around 5.50 a.m. in Mulund West, where ongoing Metro construction work on LBS Marg had restricted traffic movement to a single lane.

The BEST bus was travelling from SEEPZ towards Teen Hath Naka in Thane when it was involved in a collision with an oncoming private travel bus.

The impact of the head-on collision caused the steering wheel of the BEST bus to strike the abdomen of its driver, identified as 40-year-old Sandeep Namdev Karande.

He sustained injuries to his abdomen and right leg and also suffered heavy bleeding following the collision.

Soon after the impact, a minor fire broke out in the bonnet of the BEST bus, creating an additional emergency at the spot.

The conductor of the bus immediately responded by using the fire extinguisher available onboard and managed to douse the flames.

Following the accident, the conductor immediately arranged for the injured driver to receive medical attention, and Karande was rushed to the Agarwal Hospital in Mulund.

Authorities said that Karande was conscious and in a stable condition after being admitted to the hospital.

He was being treated for the injuries sustained in the collision.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, three people were killed, and another was critically injured in a serious accident involving a high-end car on the Mumbai Coastal Road early on Sunday, officials said.

According to information received from the Coastal Road Control Room, the accident occurred at around 5.20 a.m. near Lotus Jetty, opposite Lala College.

The car was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle, reportedly due to overspeeding.

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