Palghar: Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faced a major setback in Palghar as important leaders switched allegiance to the BJP, such as former Zilla Parishad President Prakash Nikam and multiple office bearers. In a demonstration of power, more than two hundred vehicles, spearheaded by BJP district president Bharat Rajput, departed for Mumbai, signaling a tactical step before local body elections.

Notable individuals like Sarika Nikam, Purnima Dhodi, and Ghanshyam More became members of the BJP at an event with state president Ravindra Chavan. The BJP’s enlistment of individuals from the Shinde and Thackeray factions, as well as the Nationalist Congress Party, has heightened the regional political atmosphere. By incorporating six members from the Gram Panchayat, the BJP is likely to take control of Saravali Gram Panchayat, which is strategically located near the Tarapur Industrial Estate.

The roster of individuals defecting to the BJP features: Prakash Nikam, Sarika Nikam, Yuva Sena coordinator Ricky Ratnakar, Anand Dhodi, Purnima Dhodi, Ghanshyam More, Kamlakar Dalvi, and Virendra Patil, whose daughter previously worked in the municipal sector. Prakash Nikam conveyed his discontent with the Shiv Sena, pointing out disrespect and exclusion from party events, while Anand Dhodi voiced comparable feelings of being overlooked at district meeting.

Both mentioned unresolved issues and continuous insults as reasons for their exit. Under the guidance of Chavan and Rajput, the BJP is gearing up to focus on strengthening its hold in the district in anticipation of forthcoming elections, utilizing the dissatisfaction among Shiv Sena to amplify its presence in Palghar.

Mumbai: Around 15 stakeholders—including architects, urban planners, civic groups, developers, and citizens—voiced concerns over BMC’s proposed policy on developing ‘iconic structures’ to enhance Mumbai’s skyline and boost tourism. At a public meeting held on Thursday at the BMC headquarters, participants criticised the vague definition of ‘iconic,’ questioned the selection committee’s scope, and raised concerns about the potential impact of such projects on the character of surrounding neighbourhoods.

The BMC has proposed adding Regulation 33(27) to the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR), 2034 to govern ‘iconic’ structures, with objections and suggestions to be sent to the state urban development department.

Public Consultations, Heritage Assessments Urged for Mumbai’s Iconic Structures

Anish Gawande, spokesperson for the Nationalist Congress Party (SP), said, “Our existing iconic buildings need care, and this policy should include them too. It must also ensure that the character of heritage precincts is not distorted.” He submitted a letter signed by over 2,000 architects, designers, and urban planners, highlighting concerns about the policy’s impact on existing heritage precincts. Gawande also called for a stricter scrutiny committee, similar to the heritage conservation panel, to ensure only up to five truly deserving projects are approved annually. He urged cost controls to keep the 40% public-access requirement affordable.

Shirish Sukhatme, an architect and representative of the Practicing Engineers Architects and Town Planners Association (PEATA) called for a broader definition to include cultural and educational buildings. He recommended increasing minimum access width from 18 to 27 metres, selecting projects via a national design competition, removing the 1 million sq ft builder eligibility criterion, and demanding justification for the additional premium FSI granted to developers. His view was supported by Fort Heritage Conservation Association, Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI), and NGO NAGAR, who stressed that such structures should be defined by urban contribution, cultural context, sustainability, and public value—not just form or scale.

Public Consultation Needed for Mumbai’s Iconic Structures

Some participants at the meeting stressed the need for precise guidelines on built-to-unbuilt area ratios and green/open spaces, along with social and heritage impact assessments and mandatory public consultations. Sunil Rathod, chief engineer of the development plan department, clarified that iconic buildings will remain subject to heritage regulations and the existing 32-metre height restriction. Consequently, despite the additional FSI incentives offered by the policy, opportunities for development in these areas will be limited due to space and height constraints.

Gandhinagar, Aug 22 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of road projects worth Rs 307 crore during his two-day Gujarat visit on August 25-26, covering Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Mehsana districts.

The projects, under the state’s Roads and Buildings Department, are aimed at strengthening connectivity, easing traffic, and boosting industrial growth in North Gujarat.

Among the highlights, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the widening of the Viramgam-Khudad-Rampura road — a 21-km stretch expanded to seven metres at a cost of Rs 33 crore — expected to accelerate development in surrounding industrial clusters and create new job opportunities.

Foundation stones will also be laid for projects worth Rs 274 crore, including three six-lane vehicle underpasses on the Ahmedabad-Mehsana-Palanpur road (Rs 126 crore), a railway overbridge at Viramgam (Rs 70 crore), the renewal of the Kadi-Thol-Sanand road (Rs 45 crore), and the expansion of the Bapasi Tararam junction to GIFT City into an eight-lane road (Rs 33 crore).

Officials said the upgraded infrastructure will reduce travel time and fuel costs while enhancing road safety. Improved connectivity is also expected to benefit industrial zones, boost logistics, and provide easier access to hubs such as GIFT City and tourist spots like Thol Sanctuary.

Gujarat has emerged as one of India’s leaders in road infrastructure, with over 1.15 lakh km of road network connecting industrial hubs, ports, and rural areas.

The state’s expressways, six-lane and eight-lane highways, and upgraded district and village roads have significantly boosted connectivity, cutting travel time and logistics costs.

Key projects like the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway, Delhi-Mumbai Expressway stretch, and Ahmedabad-Mehsana-Palanpur corridor have strengthened Gujarat’s role as a manufacturing and trade hub. Ongoing investments in underpasses, overbridges, and rural road widening aim to enhance safety, ease congestion, and improve last-mile access, aligning with the state’s focus on industrial growth and urban-rural integration.

The state has approximately 74,500 km of roads, comprising both core (national highways, about 6,000 km of state highways) and non-core roads (district, rural, and village roads). It has around 6,635 km of national highways. There are over 300 state highways, totalling approximately 19,761 km.