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Maharashtra

Shinde-Fadnavis combine loses no time to dismantle MVA legacy

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3 years ago

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 Barely hours after they were sworn-in on June 30 evening, the new Chief Minister Eknath S. Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis indicated that they meant business.

One of the first major decisions was to strike down the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) proposal to construct the Mumbai Metro 3 car-shed in Kanjurmarg, instead of the lush green Aarey Colony — where it was originally planned by Fadnavis during his tenure as the CM (2014-2019).

The Shinde-Fadnavis’ move, though anticipated, attracted howls of protest from greens, activists and even former CM Uddhav Thackeray — who was like a �godfather’ to Aarey Colony — and his son ex-Minister Aditya Thackeray.

A sad Thackeray publicly appealed, with �folded hands’ to Shinde-Fadnavis, not to bring back the Metro car-shed to Aarey Colony forests in the interests of Mumbai and the city’s environment, while Aditya urged the new regime not to vent their angst against the Thackerays on Mumbaikars.

Fadnavis responded with the right noises that he would �respect’ Thackeray’s sentiments before taking any final decision and days later, uprooted the Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to reinstate her as the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (MMRCL) Managing Director.

In October 2019, as the then MMRCL MD, Bhide — often regarded as the �mother-in-law’ of Mother Nature, had shocked the nation when Aarey Colony overnight got a massive haircut — 2,141 trees were chopped off in barely 40 hours, or @1 tree/minute�!

Thackeray Jr., Congress workers, green groups and activists have been fuming and protesting at the new regime’s latest reversal, but Bhide is entrusted with the task of pushing through the contentious proposal.

After the MVA allies, Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party, had scuttled the Centre’s plans to construct the terminus for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project in the Bandra Kurla Complex, the Shinde-Fadnavis ministry took a relook at the much delayed mega-project.

They have resolved to build the Bullet Train terminus at the original intended BKC site and ordered the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to shut down and pack up its 2-year-old Covid Jumbo Field Hospital there within 2 months, by September.

In another jolt, the government has scrapped over 4,000 big and small water conservation projects in the state worth more than Rs 5,000 crore, designed to make the state �drought-free’ by 2025.

However, in contrast, the government has decided to �revive’ the “Jalyukt Shivar Project”, the pet scheme of Fadnavis when he was the CM, but which was struck down by the MVA.

The Thackeray regime had based its decision on an open enquiry into the project after the CAG expressed doubts about the JST’s effectiveness, and later a probe panel had submitted a report highlighting various irregularities in that scheme.

The government has also opted to bring back the Emergency Pension Scheme, introduced by Fadnavis in 2018, rewarding those who had undergone jail terms during the Emergency (1975-1977), considered a dark chapter in Indian history.

The MVA government had yanked off the EPS — Fadnavis suspects it was done under pressure from the Congress — which entitled a pension of between Rs 5000-Rs 10,000 depending on the period of imprisonment the beneficiary had undergone.

Shinde also struck down the decision cancelling direct election of village Sarpanches and Municipal Council Presidents – introduced in 2017 by Fadnavis, and which was removed by the Thackeray government in 2020.

These reversals or cancellations have taken place despite an assurance by the Shinde-Fadnavis government that they would refrain from dumping any policies, projects or schemes of the MVA, unless they are found to be absolutely inessential.

However, giving a minor concession, the three-week old government assured that it would �review’ the MVA’s proposal to rename Aurangabad as �Sambhajinagar’ and Osmanabad as �Dharashiv’. The AIMIM has cried foul and the Nationalist Congress Party had dissociated itself from the original move.

Now, the Sena-NCP-Congress combine is worried that the axe could fall on several other mega projects it had launched during the 31-month-long MVA rule.

Of particular concern are the Rs 1,600-crore water desalination plant to make Mumbai self-sufficient in drinking water, and the ongoing Mumbai Coastal Road Project — both intended to be �show-pieces’ of the Shiv Sena ahead of the BMC elections.

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Maharashtra

Navi Mumbai International Airport: 94% Work Completed, Target Set For Launch On September 30, Says Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

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1 day ago

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July 12, 2025

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited and inspected the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on Saturday, July 12. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Forest Minister Ganesh Naik during the site visit. The inspection aimed to assess the overall progress of the airport’s construction.

Addressing the media following the inspection, Fadnavis stated, “Today, we came here to review the progress of the airport. We saw a detailed presentation on the work’s advancement from the runway to the terminal building, and got all the information regarding it. Approximately 94 per cent of the physical progress is complete,”

The chief minister mentioned that the runway is fully constructed, while interior work inside the terminal is still in progress. Work on the terminal’s exterior, including the façade and ceiling, is being expedited, with all other construction activities continuing at a steady pace.

He also observed the advanced baggage-handling system at the airport. “We saw the baggage-handling system, which is the most efficient, in which the barcode of the baggage can be read through 360-degree scanning systems, ensuring it reaches the right place. We have asked the authorities that the baggage claim system in this airport should be the fastest not only in the country but in the entire world, and efforts are being made in that direction,” Fadnavis said, as reported.

The airport, once operational with two runways, will have the capacity to handle nine crore passengers annually. Highlighting the scale of the project, Fadnavis mentioned that NMIA will be many times bigger than the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

CM also mentioned that, “This will be the most modern airport in the country. As we have to seek the appointment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi (for the project launch), we have set the target of September 30 before them. It is an ambitious target.”

He added, “Currently, 13,000 to 14,000 workers are involved in the work daily, and we have asked the authorities to increase their strength by one-and-a-half times or double by September 30, because other licences are complete, but for commercial operations, all work has to be finished.”

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Maharashtra

Demand for apology from Sanjay Raut, otherwise defamation case will be filed, Sanjay Shirsat called the viral video a morphed video

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1 day ago

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July 12, 2025

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Mumbai: Mumbai Shiv Sena UBT leader and MP had shared a video of Shiv Sena Shinde Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat on social media. Now Sanjay Shirsat has announced to file a defamation case against Sanjay Raut. Along with this, a criminal case will also be registered. Sanjay Shirsat has claimed that the video that has been released has been tampered with and it is an attempt to defame him. Therefore, now he will not sit silent in this matter. He will teach Sanjay Raut a lesson. Therefore, along with sending a notice to Minister Sanjay Raut, an apology has also been demanded. If an apology is not made, a criminal and defamation case will be registered. Sanjay Shirsat had clarified in this regard that the video that has been released is of his residence and he is resting sitting on his bed, but there is no bag full of money. Bag who is He told the journalists that his residence is open to everyone and no permission or leave is required to meet me, according to the principle of Matoshree, I am a common worker and servant of the people, so anyone can come to my house. He said that someone must have made the video viral, he is unaware of how the video went viral. Sanjay Shirsat has now decided to file a defamation case against Sanjay Raut. After Sanjay Shirsat’s video went viral, there was a political uproar and after that Sanjay Shirsat also gave clarification on it. Now the minister has claimed to file a case.

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Crime

Maloni resident youth arrested for selling pistol in Mumbai

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1 day ago

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July 12, 2025

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Police in Maloni area of Mumbai have claimed to have arrested a person with an illegal revolver. The said person was roaming around with an unlicensed weapon and had a pistol pointed at his back. On receiving information, the police found a man aged between 32 and 37 years near Desai Maidan, who had a pistol pointed at his back. Police have recovered a black pistol made in India and four live cartridges from him. He had brought the pistol here from the village with the intention of selling it. The price of the pistol is said to be Rs 75,000 and the price of four cartridges is Rs 4,000. Police have arrested the accused, identified as 35-year-old Arif Ismail Shah. He is a resident of Ratnagiri. Police have registered a case against him under the Arms Act and are investigating further. During investigation, it was found that he had brought this pistol from Goa and had come here to sell it. This information was given by ACP Neeta Padvi of Mumbai Police.

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