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Mumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City

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Mumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City

Mumbai: In a major announcement after Maharashtra’s state cabinet meeting ahead of assembly polls, the Maharashtra government on Monday announced a complete toll waiver for light motor vehicles at all five toll booths on Mumbai entry points. The implementation of the same will begin at 12 am tonight.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde reportedly made the announcement during the Maharashtra Cabinet meeting. He declared a toll waiver at five key toll booths in Mumbai, a move aimed at easing the movement of people during the festive season, particularly Diwali.

Which Are The 5 Entry Points Of Mumbai?

This decision ends the toll collection from light motor vehicles at the Dahisar, Mulund West (LBS Road), Vashi, Airoli and Mulund East toll booths. The toll charged for LMVs at all the toll plazas was Rs 45. The cabinet decision taken today follows a series of populist decisions to lure voters to Mahayuti in the assembly polls slated to be held next month.

The scrapping of toll at all the above mentioned toll plazas was a long-time demand from several political parties and citizen groups as well. This decision is expected to benefit commuters by allowing them to travel in and out of Mumbai without paying toll fees. Light motor vehicles include cars, jeeps, vans and small trucks, primarily used for carrying passengers or goods.

Details On Toll Booths

The toll booths were originally constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) as part of a larger project to build 55 flyovers in Mumbai. The toll booths were set up at the city’s entry points to recover the construction costs of these flyovers. The project reached its final stages in 1999, and tenders were issued for the construction of the toll booths. By 2002, all five toll booths were operational and toll collection began.

Longstanding Demand By Political Parties

The demand for toll waivers, particularly on the entry points into Mumbai, has been a longstanding issue. Political parties like the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and factions of the Shiv Sena, both Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde’s groups, have consistently pushed for this move. Recently, Aaditya Thackeray, a leader of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, reiterated the demand for toll exemptions.

Maharashtra

Indian Railways Staff To Be Trained Via Virtual Reality (VR) To Maintain Local Trains In Mumbai

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Mumbai: Indian Railways will soon begin using Virtual Reality (VR) technology to train workers responsible for the maintenance of Mumbai local trains. The Kurla Car Shed has adopted this technology on a trial basis, with plans to roll it out next month.

What is a Virtual Reality (VR) System?

This VR-based system will allow workers to monitor every part of the local trains, providing detailed information about the bogies.

The technology will offer in-depth details about the train’s features, such as lights, fans, seats, doors, windows, roofs, and more, as mentioned by railway officials.

In the final process, the module known as Virtual Reality (VR) will be in action to get the repairing done, everything from small to large detailing of the Mumbai local train.

Indian Railways expects the training module to be ready in about 15 days. This model will provide detailed information about the Mumbai local train, making the maintenance and repair process easier for workers when they are physically present at the bogies.

The old barrack car shed is being refurbished into a training centre. It will include classrooms, each with 40-60 trainees and every piece of equipment will feature the new Virtual Reality Training System. This system will be fully installed and live once everything is ready.

Indian Railways recently marked the 100th anniversary of its first electric-powered local train, which ran between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla Station. This historic journey took place on February 3, 1925.

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Maharashtra

Manipur CM resigned only after political embarrassment: Priyanka Chaturvedi

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New Delhi, Feb 10: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi strongly criticised the delay in Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s resignation, following a two-year-long period of violence and unrest in the state and taunted that eyes opened quickly and Biren Singh resigned only after political embarrassment.

She criticised the political motivation behind the resignation. Speaking to media Chaturvedi remarked, “The resignation came after a No Confidence Motion was to be raised in the Assembly. The CM knew that his own MLAs might support the motion, and he realised that he was losing political support. To avoid embarrassment, the resignation was forced.”

Chaturvedi added, “After that the eyes opened quickly, and it became clear through the ears.”

“Two years have passed, and Manipur has been waiting all this while for the Chief Minister to resign. Over the last two years, so many incidents have occurred. Two factions in Manipur have been divided, leading to violent clashes among the public, many lives lost, and women subjected to exploitation,” she added.

Chaturvedi pointed out the continued violence and division in the state that escalated over time.

“There was so much violence, so many lives lost, and women were subjected to exploitation for two years, but only after all this did the government act,” she said, expressing her frustration over the government’s delayed response.

Earlier on Sunday Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh submitted his resignation to Governor A.K. Bhalla.

The ethnic violence between Meitis and Kuki-Zos that broke out in May 2023 in the state had cast a cloud over his second term and on Sunday he submitted his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla a day before the crucial Assembly session.

A Raj Bhavan official said that the Governor accepted the resignation letter and requested Biren Singh to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made.

He was accompanied by BJP’s northeast in-charge Sambit Patra who came to Imphal from Delhi. In the national Capital, he held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president, J.P. Nadda.

Regarding Congress and Aam Aadmi Party’s recent Delhi election results, she emphasised, “This fight is between AAP and BJP, with Congress in the middle. In the process, we’ve allowed others to benefit. While Congress may have gained some ground, ultimately, the BJP managed to win, and they did so with a focussed campaign.”

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Maharashtra

Navi Mumbai: Over 8,000 NMMC Contractual Workers Go On Indefinite Strike Over Pay Disparity; Garbage Collection Halted

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Navi Mumbai: Over 8,050 contractual workers employed with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) have gone on an indefinite strike from today, leading to a halt in garbage collection across the city. The workers on strike are demanding equal pay for equal work, as per a policy adopted by the NMMC in 2007.

About The Protest

The protest stems from a long-standing issue regarding disparities in wages and benefits between contractual workers and permanent employees. The workers are demanding that their salaries be brought on par with those of fourth-class permanent employees, as per directives issued in 2007. They are also insisting on receiving benefits such as gratuity, earned leave, medical leave, provident fund, and uniforms, which are currently given only to permanent staff.

Statement Of The Union Leader Of The Contractual Workers

“Even after years of legal battles, committee reports, and government assurances, no final decision has been implemented. In 2022, a committee led by the Additional Commissioner was set up to assess the financial and legal feasibility of granting equal pay to contractual workers. The committee concluded that implementing equal pay would cost the NMMC an additional Rs 20.43 crore annually. However, despite proposals being sent to the state government for financial approval, no action has been taken,” Mangesh Ladh, the union leader of the contractual workers, said.

Workers have alleged that while the municipal administration spends crores on other projects, their demand for rightful wages is being ignored. They argue that while permanent employees hired in 2024 are receiving significantly higher salaries, many contractual workers who have served for over 29 years are still underpaid.

The strike is expected to severely impact the city’s sanitation, particularly garbage collection, vector control measures, and maintenance of public gardens. The workers have vowed to continue their protest until a written assurance is given.

If the strike continues, the city could face mounting waste accumulation, leading to severe public health concerns.

“Road sweeping, garbage collection, sewage complaint will all be unattended and various NMMC Services will be affected if the strike continues. I hope the NMMC Commissioner takes the necessary decision to resolve the strike,” former corporator Divya Vaibhav Gaikwad, said.

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