Mumbai, Oct 6: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday inaugurated ‘Participate Mumbai’, a digital platform to enhance collaboration between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), corporates, NGOs, experts and citizens for the city’s development through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

He said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ‘Samagra’ organisation will help improve the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) service delivery system, simplify administrative processes, and boost efficiency. Both these initiatives will combine public participation with swift administration to speed up Mumbai’s development.

CM Fadnavis remarked that ‘Participate Mumbai’ is not just a platform to secure CSR funds, but a collaborative platform centered on the idea of “What can you and I together do for the last person in society?”

Information about various projects on BMC’s requirements for partnership will be made available on this portal. Companies, NGOs, or citizens willing to work in sectors such as education, healthcare, water, employment, environment, parks, beautification, and poverty alleviation can select projects aligned with their interests, he said.

If an organisation wishes to work in a specific field, it can also present its own proposal on the platform. The Chief Minister expressed confidence that this would bridge the gap between the BMC and the social and corporate sectors, thereby accelerating development work.

CM Fadnavis emphasised that rather than focusing solely on the amount of funds spent through CSR, what matters more is how much public welfare was achieved and what real impact was created. Through CSR partnerships, the government gains access to new technologies, modern management practices, robust monitoring mechanisms, and flexible working methods. Traditional government administrative processes have certain limitations; therefore, combining government machinery with CSR partners yields far more effective results.

While the BMC has executed major work in infrastructure, there is an urgent need for more effective interventions in education, health, and nutrition. Issues like malnutrition, stunting, and wasting among children persist in certain parts of the city. CSR partnerships must be effectively leveraged to reach children in slums and underprivileged areas with proper nutrition.

He said nutrition directly impacts brain development, academic performance, and immunity in children; thus, targeted interventions will yield long-term benefits for the next generation.

An Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based system has been implemented in the BMC’s building proposal department for scrutinising construction plans. CM Fadnavis stated that the goal moving forward should be to minimise or eliminate human intervention in this process, which will significantly boost ease of doing business in Mumbai.

The administration must adapt with time, and the mindset of “We have done it this way for years; who is going to teach us?” needs to change, Fadnavis said.

Bhavnagar, Oct 6: Seven people travelling to work at the Alang shipbreaking yard were killed after their SUV crashed into a stationary trailer on a service road along the Bhavnagar-Somnath national highway in Gujarat Bhavnagar district on Tuesday.

The accident took place around 10 a.m. near Trapaj village in Talaja taluka, under the jurisdiction of Alang police station.

According to police, the SUV was travelling from Bhavnagar towards Alang when it rammed into the rear of the trailer, which was parked on the service road.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Nitesh Pandey said six people died on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries during treatment.

“The trailer was parked on the highway’s service road near Trapaj village when the Bolero, travelling behind it, rammed into its rear. Six people died on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries during treatment,” he told media.

The collision left the Bolero completely mangled, with its front portion badly damaged after becoming lodged against the trailer. The force of the impact also pushed the stationary trailer forward.

Rescue efforts were complicated by the extent of damage to the SUV. Police and local rescuers had to force open its doors using iron bars to remove the occupants.

Local reports also said CCTV footage from the area captured the collision. All the occupants were travelling to Alang, where they worked at shipbreaking yards.

Local reports identified the deceased as employees associated with Alang shipbreaking operations, although police had not immediately released a full official list of identities.

Police and emergency ambulance services reached the spot after receiving information about the crash. The bodies were taken to a government hospital for postmortem examinations.

The accident briefly affected traffic movement in the area as police and rescue personnel worked at the site and removed the damaged vehicles.

Police have begun an investigation to establish the circumstances leading to the collision, including how the SUV crashed into the parked trailer.

New Delhi, Oct 6: The Anti-Narcotics Squad of Delhi Police’s South District has seized 265 kg of illegal and banned firecrackers and arrested a 39-year-old man for storing and selling them during the festive season.

Acting on specific information regarding the illegal sale and storage of firecrackers, the police team conducted a raid in Madangir on October 5 and recovered a substantial quantity of firecrackers from the premises.

The accused was identified as Vipin Garg, a resident of Neb Sarai, Delhi. He was apprehended from the spot and arrested in connection with the case.

According to the police, the Anti-Narcotics Squad had been maintaining close surveillance over the illegal sale, storage and use of banned firecrackers in the national capital and had been taking strict action against violators.

Following the receipt of the information, the police team verified the input and conducted a raid at the identified premises. During the operation, Garg was found in possession of a large quantity of firecrackers intended for discreet sale during the festive season.

A total of 265 kg of illegal firecrackers was recovered and taken into police possession. A case under relevant sections was registered at Ambedkar Nagar Police Station, following which the accused was arrested.

The operation was conducted by a dedicated police team and was led by Inspector Anuj Chaudhary, under the close supervision of ACP/Operations Balram Beniwal.

The police said further investigation is underway.

The recovery of the banned firecrackers is expected to prevent their illegal sale and potential use during the festive season. Delhi Police said the action reaffirms its commitment to public safety and strict enforcement against the illegal storage and sale of banned firecrackers.