Jaipur, Nov 29: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat jointly flagged off the Swarnanagari Express on Saturday, which will connect Jaisalmer with Delhi.

During the inauguration ceremony, responding to the request of Union Minister Shekhawat and the locals, the Railways Minister announced the renaming of the newly-launched train from Jaisalmer–Shakur Basti–Jaisalmer to Swarnanagari Express.

He announced that the train will begin regular operations on December 1.

The minister said that development work at Jaisalmer railway station is in its final phase and is expected to be completed within a month.

“Efforts will be made to ensure that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the upgraded station,” he said.

Union Minister Vaishnaw also confirmed that the railway line between Jaisalmer and Jodhpur will be upgraded soon.

According to officials, these initiatives will significantly improve connectivity, boost tourism, and strengthen strategic infrastructure in the border region.

Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the connectivity will strengthen national security.

Preparations are underway to connect several regions along the Rajasthan–Pakistan border with new railway lines.

He said that extending rail connectivity to these sensitive areas will significantly enhance the country’s security infrastructure.

Under this initiative, new railway lines are proposed for Anupgarh, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, and Bhildi.

The minister arrived in Jaisalmer on Saturday to inaugurate a new train service to Delhi.

The minister also visited stalls under the One Station, One Product scheme and made purchases to promote local artisans.

He said that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed border-area railway lines is being prepared and will be completed in the coming months.

“A complete effort will be made to connect the entire border region,” he assured.

He added that railway projects worth approximately Rs 55,000 crore are currently in progress across Rajasthan, including the redevelopment of 85 railway stations.

Work is also advancing on multiple new railway corridors and infrastructure projects.

The new initiatives, officials said, will improve connectivity, boost tourism, and strengthen strategic infrastructure in the border region.

Mumbai: In a significant move aimed at protecting long-awaited tenant rehabilitation, the Maharashtra Government has approved the compulsory acquisition of three severely dilapidated buildings in Nagpada—Taumbawala Building, Deoji Darsi Building, and Zohra Mansion—after a decade-long delay in redevelopment.

The approval, issued through a Government Resolution dated 28 November 2025, empowers MHADA to take control of the stalled project under the amended provisions of the MHADA Act, 1976, following recent directions from the Bombay High Court.

The three buildings, located on Chhouthi Peer Khan Street and falling under C.S. Nos. 1458, 1459, and 1460 in the Byculla Division, were part of an extensive redevelopment plan covering several structures, including Building Nos. 13–13A, 13B, 15, 17, 19, 21–23, 31–33, and 35–37.

Although the developer managed to complete the structural framework of a proposed ground + 20-storey tower, the project has remained stagnant for nearly ten years. Key failures highlighted by authorities include:

• Not providing permanent housing to tenants
• Non-payment of transit rent for the last three years
• Extremely slow progress in internal construction
• Rising complaints and grievances from tenants

The situation prompted affected tenants to approach the Bombay High Court. On 1 October 2025, the Court directed the State to take necessary action under the MHADA Act, setting the stage for the latest government intervention.

Acting on MHADA’s proposal, the State Government has now sanctioned the compulsory acquisition of the 1,532.63 sq. m. land parcel on which the three buildings stand. MHADA will assume control to complete the long-pending redevelopment work and ensure rehabilitation of residents.

As part of the acquisition process, the government has laid down several mandatory conditions:

The developer must submit complete details of:

• Third-party rights
• Bank loans and financial liabilities
• Any other encumbrances

Only after reviewing these disclosures will the State grant final approval.

The government has ordered:

• Blacklisting of the developer
• Criminal proceedings for negligence and failure to fulfill obligations
• Intimation to agencies including the BMC and other relevant departments

MHADA and the Mumbai Building Repair and Reconstruction Board must adhere to the Housing Department’s guidelines issued on 22 August 2023, and secure all required approvals before taking over the project.

Authorities have also been instructed to initiate immediate legal and administrative measures to take physical possession of the property.

Redevelopment of Mumbai’s aging and precarious buildings has long been plagued by delays, disputes, and stalled projects. The State’s decision to step in reinforces the strengthened provisions of the MHADA Act, which empower authorities to take over unsafe and defaulted redevelopment projects in the interest of residents.

With the acquisition now cleared, MHADA will move ahead with completing the redevelopment and finally rehabilitating the displaced families of Zohra Mansion, Taumbawala Building, and Deoji Darsi Building—offering hope to tenants who have waited more than a decade for secure housing.

Ranchi, Nov 29: South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said it will be exciting to be part of a different kind of energy on the field when India stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are present for the ODI series opener, to be held at the JSCA International Stadium on Sunday.

With Rohit and Kohli back in action after playing in the ODI series against Australia in October, the chatter has been huge over whether the veteran duo can sustain their form and fitness to feature in the 50-over World Cup two years from now.

For now, everyone’s focus will be on how the duo fare against the Bavuma-led Proteas in Ranchi, Raipur and Visakhapatnam. “I think it’s exciting, right? It’s exciting for the locals, having the two living legends come back and play on Indian soil for a while.”

“So it’s exciting for us to be a part of a different type of energy when those two big guys are around. So it’s something that we’ll be looking forward to,” said Bavuma in a video posted by Star Sports on their Instagram account on Saturday.

Asked about the plans South Africa will have for getting the better of the veteran batting duo, Bavuma said, “I think like any other players, we will do our preparation around them, come up with whatever tactics that we come up with. But we know that the energy is going to be a little bit different, but it’s an exciting one.”

“From a captaincy point of view, I don’t think much really changes for my side. I think you obviously want to lead with the bat, and then you want to lead the guys out there tactically on the field. So, nothing really, I don’t think much really changes,” he added.