Mumbai: As part of the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign launched by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), various departments are carrying out a drive to remove encroachments to ensure safe, convenient and obstacle-free routes for pedestrians. In the first phase of this campaign, 134 out of 200 marked footpaths have been cleared of encroachments, effectively freeing a total area of ​​197 km. Moreover, action was taken against 94 unauthorised stalls on footpaths near Bhandup Railway Station (West) in the last two days. Under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, as per the directions of the High Court, the BMC is implementing the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign to immediately remove unauthorised hawkers and encroachments from footpaths across Mumbai. Commissioner Bhide has directed the Additional Municipal Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners to ensure strict implementation of this campaign. She is also personally reviewing the progress made in each administrative ward and the actions taken by various departments within these wards. The municipal administration has appealed to the business community and citizens of Mumbai to cooperate in this campaign. The ‘Pedestrian First’ (Padachari Pratham) campaign has been launched in Mumbai to make footpaths accessible to pedestrians. Accordingly, emphasis has been placed on removing obstructions from footpaths in areas with heavy pedestrian traffic such as the areas around Bhandup railway station. In the first phase, encroachments are being removed from 14 footpaths in Bhandup area. The work of removing encroachments from about 11 of these footpaths has already started. The operation was conducted under the guidance of Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr. Avinash Dhakane, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 6) Mr. Santosh Kumar Dhonde and Assistant Commissioner (S-Ward) Samrin Syed.

The operation has cleared the way for pedestrians to and from Bhandup Railway Station. This will help in reducing traffic and pedestrian congestion during peak hours. Moreover, citizens will now have access to an obstacle-free footpath leading from Bhandup Railway Station area towards Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg. The operation involved 5 JCBs, 10 dumpers, over 50 officers and staff members, 100 labourers, and over 70 police personnel. Along with the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign, ‘S’ ward is also making special efforts to eliminate ‘garbage vulnerable spots’ (GVPs) which are prone to accumulation of large quantities of garbage.

Appeal to business owners and citizens
The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration appeals to citizens to remember that footpaths are designed for the safe and easy movement of pedestrians. Do not create obstructions by placing unauthorized shops, stalls, structures or any other material on the footpaths. The corporation is continuously taking action to keep the footpaths clean under the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign, and strict action will be taken against violators as per the rules. The campaign was carried out at 1,459 locations in the municipal corporation areas. In the first phase of this campaign, encroachments will be removed from 200 footpaths. Out of these, work has been completed on 134. Nearly 197 km of footpaths have been cleared of obstructions, with enforcement actions being carried out at 1,459 locations. The campaign is being carried out in all 26 administrative wards of the Municipal Corporation.

After the mischief and violence of the miscreants returning from the Eid Milad-un-Nabi (peace be upon him) procession in Mumbai’s Lalbagh Parel, tension spread after the religious flag and flag were desecrated in the VP Road Arab Gali area, but the police have taken the person who insulted the flag into custody and started questioning him. Now the situation is peaceful, but the tension persists. The public should exercise patience and restraint and not pay attention to the rumors. Police arrangements have been increased. An incident of alleged desecration of a religious and Islamic flag belonging to a specific sect has come to light in the VP Road area of ​​South Mumbai.

After the incident, the police have deployed heavy contingents in the area.
The police have registered a case under Section 299 of the BNS and have arrested a person on charges of desecration of the flag.

The police are questioning the person to find out what is the motive behind this act.
Heavy police deployment has been made to ensure law and order in the area. The situation is currently normal and peaceful and senior police officers are present at the scene. DCP Ragsodha said that after insulting and allegedly desecrating the religious flag, the police have taken one person into custody and a case has been registered and an investigation has begun. Currently, peace is restored, but tension persists. The police have issued an alert and arrangements have been increased.

Mumbai, Aug 29: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai Zonal Unit, has busted an alleged drug trafficking network and seized 547 grams of a substance that tested positive for cocaine/methaqualone during an operation in Mira Road, Mumbai, the agency said in a statement.

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers launched surveillance after receiving information that a Kenyan national was travelling by bus from Indore to Mumbai to allegedly deliver a consignment of narcotic drugs to a Nigerian national.

According to the agency, DRI officials intercepted the Kenyan woman along with a Nigerian national who had arrived in Mira Road to receive the suspected drug consignment.

During the examination of the Kenyan national’s bag, officers recovered two packets marked “LV”. The packets contained a white crystalline substance with a combined weight of 547 grams. The substance was tested using an NDPS field-testing kit and was found to be positive for cocaine/methaqualone, the DRI said.

The recovered substance has been seized, and both individuals have been arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The agency said further investigation into the case is currently underway.

In its statement, the DRI said, “This operation reflects DRI’s continued commitment to intelligence-led enforcement against the trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, thereby disrupting drug trafficking networks and safeguarding public health and society from the menace of narcotics.”

The agency said such operations are aimed at identifying and disrupting organised networks involved in the illicit movement and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Intelligence-led surveillance, it added, remains an important component of efforts to prevent illegal drug trafficking and curb the circulation of narcotics.

The DRI also linked the latest enforcement action to the broader government campaign against drug abuse and illicit narcotics. The agency said sustained enforcement efforts contribute to the Government’s vision of a ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ by reducing the availability and illegal circulation of narcotic drugs.

The seizure in Mira Road comes as enforcement agencies continue to intensify efforts against drug trafficking networks operating across state and international boundaries. The DRI’s investigation is expected to establish the source of the seized substance, its intended destination and the wider network, if any, connected to the two arrested individuals.

Further details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.