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Maharashtra

Mira-Bhayandar: Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial Project Moving At Snail’s Pace, MBMC Refutes Claims

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Mira-Bhayandar: Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial Project Moving At Snail's Pace, MBMC Refutes Claims

Mira-Bhayandar: Nearly four years after the state government gave its approval for allocating funds amounting Rs.25 crore for the construction of a world class art gallery in memory of Maharashtra’s iconic leader and Shiv Sena founder, late Balasaheb Thackeray, the construction work in Bhayandar is moving at a snail’s pace. Going by the speed of the ongoing work, the plans of inaugurating the gallery in the third week of September may not turn into reality.  

However, municipal commissioner- Sanjay Katkar claimed that weekly reviews on the progress of work was being taken to ensure speedy completion of the project.

“Multiple agencies have been working on the construction and other residual work to ensure completion of the art gallery within the stipulated period. Once the project is completed, occupancy certificate (OC) will be issued and the state government authorities will be intimated seeking directions regarding the inauguration schedule.” informed Katkar.

Designed to showcase the momentous era of the life and times of the iconic leader with a blend of modern age technology, the majestic structure is being constructed on a vast 1.80 lakh square feet plot which is tagged with a reservation of social forestation in the Golden Nest area of Bhayandar (east).

Apart from amphitheaters, museum, e-library, music center, study rooms, multi-purpose halls, conference room, cafeteria, the memorial will house special galleries which will not only display articles and books associated with the life of the Shiv Sena supreme but will also exhibit collection of his select political/ social cartoons, rare photographs, editorials and digitized versions of famous speeches in different languages, using multimedia audio technology.

While the replica of Raigad Fort will serve as an entrance to bring back Shivaji Maharaj’s era to those visiting the memorial, a series of eco-friendly initiatives including- solar powered energy systems, turbo-ventilators, mini garbage recycling unit and rain water harvesting have been planned on the land which will be used for minimal construction work and the remaining portion will pave way for landscape gardens and greenery.

Work Orders Pending?

As per the GR issued by the state’s urban development department (UDD) Rs.25 crore has been sanctioned just five days ago on 5, September, 2024 to develop the memorial. This has casted doubts whether a proper tender process had been followed to issue work orders to the concerned agency who has been assigned the construction work, even before the GR was issued.  However, the commissioner clarified that work orders had been duly issued after completing the tender process. In normal circumstances, the tender process follows only after the issuance of a GR and completing district level formalities.

Crime

Mumbai: Irfan Edenwala arrested on charges of fraud and preparing fake documents, including under the Arms Act

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CRIME

Mumbai; The Mumbai Police has claimed to have arrested a youth who had cheated the police and administration by producing fake licenses and clearance certificates and had obtained fake police clearance certificates on Nagaland license. At Khar Police Station, Mumbai, a person named Faiz Irfan Edenwala, aged 36, illegally renewed his arms license from Nagaland using fake police clearance certificates and illegally kept firearms on the said arms license. He has also not submitted information about the said firearms in his possession to the Mumbai Police Commissionerate. Therefore, a case has been registered against him at Khar Police Station under sections 465, 467, 471, 474 IPC as well as sections 3, 25(1) (a), 30 of the Arms Act, 1959.

The accused named Faiz Irfan was arrested in the said crime on today as the investigation revealed that he was directly involved in the crime.

The said arrested accused was produced in the 9th Court, Bandra (East), Mumbai on May 30 and the Hon’ble Court remanded the said accused in police custody till June 2. Further investigation into the said crime is underway.

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Maharashtra

Eviction action against around 250 unauthorized structures in Powai’s Phuket Nagar and Malind Nagar areas

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A joint eviction operation was carried out by the ‘S’ Administrative Division (Ward) and the Water Engineering Department of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation on about 250 unauthorized structures on the land of the Water Engineering Department located in the Phuket Nagar and Malind Nagar areas of Powai. This operation was conducted under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner (Zone 6) Shinus Kumar Dhunde. and led by Assistant Commissioner Samiti. Samreen Sayyad was also present. The operation was taken after observing a large number of unauthorized structures on government land in the said area. This campaign is being implemented in a planned manner with the aim of clearing the concerned land from encroachments and protecting it. About 150 police personnel, around 50 engineering officers and employees of the ‘S’ Department and Water Engineers Department and 200 labourers were deployed for this operation. This operation was also carried out with the help of 7 JCBs, 10 dumpers and other small cargo vehicles. During the operation, the unauthorized structures are being removed and the area is being completely cleared. As soon as the process of removing encroachments is completed, the work of fencing the relevant area will also be started immediately and necessary security measures are being taken to prevent further encroachments. Meanwhile, the administration has clarified that action against encroachments on government and municipal-owned areas will continue regularly.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Municipal Corporation has given three months to the concerned agencies to improve the quality of facilities provided in public toilets.

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The Mumbai Municipal Corporation is always ready to provide clean, safe and dignified public toilet facilities to the citizens. It has been found that these facilities are lacking in some places in North Mumbai. Therefore, the organizations operating public toilets on the ‘pay and use’ principle have been given a deadline of three months to improve the quality of the facilities. It has been warned that action will be taken against the organizations that do not improve within the stipulated period. In line with the vision of Union Minister for Commerce and Industry and MP from North Mumbai Piyush Goyal for clean, safe and citizen-friendly public toilets, a review meeting of the organizations operating ‘pay and use’ public toilets in North Mumbai was held today (30th May, 2026) at the Zone 7 office. The meeting was chaired by Ganesh Khankar, Leader of the House, Mumbai Municipal Corporation. The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Kiran Dighavkar, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 7) Manish Valenju, Corporator Siddhant Sharma, Assistant Commissioner (R South), Assistant Commissioner (R Central) Praful Tambe, officers of the Solid Waste Management and Maintenance Department as well as representatives of organizations operating various public toilets were also present.

It has been observed that there is a need for improvement in the basic amenities, cleanliness and maintenance of public toilets. Leader of the House

Ganesh Khankar expressed the view that such public toilets need to be improved immediately.
All toilet operators were directed to complete the work of replacing broken commodes, fittings and other equipment, repairing broken doors and windows, repairing damaged tiles and cladding, painting and beautification in the next three months and bring necessary improvements in the standards of cleanliness and maintenance.

In addition, it has been made mandatory to implement a citizen feedback system in all public toilets, maintain a record of cleaning every hour, conduct a deep cleaning campaign at least once a week and install an IoT-based odor monitoring system to control odor. Assistant Commissioners of the concerned departments have been directed to issue notices to all institutions and regularly review the improvement work. It was also clarified in the meeting that the contracts of institutions that do not bring the expected improvements within a period of three months will be suspended or cancelled and alternative institutions will be appointed in their place.

The Leader of the House said that this campaign is being run with the aim of improving the quality of public toilets and providing citizens with cleaner, safer, and more dignified facilities.

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