NAVIMUMBAI NEWS : February 2019

Thursday, February 28, 2019

Sanjay Barve is new Mumbai top cop

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NIOS D.El.Ed 3rd Exam Result Declared Today at dled.nios.ac.in. How to Check

The NIOS D.El.Ed 3rd exam result has been declared on the official website of National Institute of Open Schooling at dled.nios.ac.in.

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FCI 2019 Recruitment Application Process Begins Today at fci.gov.in. Here's How to Apply

The Food Corporation of India has begun the FCI 2019 Recruitment process for Junior Engineer, Stenographer, Typists, Assistant Grade II and III positions at fci.gov.in.

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AIMA MAT 2019 Result Likely tobe Declared Today at mat.aima.in. How to Check

The AIMA MAT 2019 result is likely to be declared by the All India Management Association on its official website at mat.aima.in.

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All Prisoners of War My Children, Don't Release My Son, Field Marshal KM Cariappa Told Pakistan in 1965

General Ayub Khan, the military ruler of Pakistan, offered to release his former boss Field Marshal KM Cariappa's son immediately but was turned down.

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RRB Group D Result 2018 Likely to be Declared Today. When and Where to Chcek

The RRB Group D Result 2018 is likely to be released by the Railway Recruitment Boards for RRB Recruitment 2019.

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Delhi HC Upholds Eviction Order, Asks National Herald Publisher AJL to Vacate Premises

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao rejected the appeal of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) in which it had challenged the December 21 court order to vacate the ITO premises.

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Pakistan Envoy Says US 'Emboldened' India as India-Pak Tensions Flare-up

Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan's reaction came following US Secretary of State's statement in support of the Indian strikes in Pakistan territory on Tuesday.

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‘A True Soldier… Pray He Isn’t Tortured’: Abhinandan's IAF Veteran Father Hopes for His Safe Return

Pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was captured on Wednesday after he ejected safely from his MiG 21 Bison aircraft but landed across the Line of Control.

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Passengers Stranded in Lahore as Pakistan Suspends Samjhauta Express; Train from India Reaches Attari

The Samjhauta Express took off as scheduled on Wednesday night from New Delhi, but is currently at the customs point at Attari which is the last Indian railway station, since Pakistan suspended its services at its end.

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Six Pakistan Nationals Visiting Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar Kept Under Vigilance Amid Escalating India-Pak Tensions

The Pakistani nationals had arrived here on February 12 on a valid visa and will be under the vigilance of the district's intelligence unit till their departure on March 27.

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RPF SI 2018 Written Exam Result Declared, Group A PET/PMT Admit Card Released at si2.rpfonlinereg.org

The RPF SI written exam result was released on the official website at si2.rpfonlinereg.org. The RPF SI admit card for the Group A PET/PMT has also been released with the RPF SI written result.

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National Science Day: Commemorating CV Raman's Unsung Student Sukumar Chandra Sirkar

The discovery of Ramana effect had won him the Nobel prize in physics later. Not many were aware of Raman’s research associates and students who were witness to the historic discovery and Sukumar Chandra Sirkar (1898- 1983) is one such unsung student of C V Raman.

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Former Pakistan PM Zulfiqar Ali's Granddaughter Seeks Release of Captured Indian Pilot

Fatima Bhutto urged the Imran Khan government to release Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan following air combat with India on Wednesday.

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Heavy Firing Across LoC in Poonch After Pakistan Violates Ceasefire

Authorities have shutdown all educational institutions within 5 km of the LoC and the international border in Rajouri, Poonch and Samba districts.

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India Will Not Keep Quiet to Any Act of Terrorism, Says Ambassador Harsh Vardhan Shringla

Shringla reactions came a day after India bombed and destroyed JeM's biggest training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Following the strikes on Tuesday, India and Pakistan engaged in an aerial battle.

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Air Canada Temporarily Suspends Flights to India Amid Escalating Indo-Pakistan Tensions

The move came amid escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan after Indian Air Force carried out a pre-dawn air strike on terror bases in Pakistan on Tuesday.

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News18 Daybreak | IAF Pilot Remains Under Pakistan Custody Day After India-Pak Aerial Engagement and Other Stories You Need to Watch Out For

Get a fresh dose of the news that matters delivered directly to your inbox, every morning. The perfect way to get you started and informed for the day ahead.

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India-Pak Tensions LIVE: India Will Fight as One, Win as One, Says Modi in Address to BJP Workers

India-Pak Tensions LIVE Updates: Amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India won't stop at any cost. He made the statement while addressing BJP workers during "world's largest videoconference" 'Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot'.

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PM Modi Holds Security Review Meet with Three Service Chiefs on Pak, His 2nd in 24 Hours

This was PM Modi’s second meeting with the chiefs of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force within 24 hours.

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SC Denies Bail to International Turtle Smuggler Lodged in Madhya Pradesh Jail

Manivannan Murugesan was arrested by a team of Special Task Force (STF) from Chennai on January 30, 2018.

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4 Indian Passengers Stranded at Lahore Airport after Pakistan Closes Airspace

The India passengers requested the authorities concerned to shift them to a hotel till the resumption of the flight operations.

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Political Leaders Express Concern, Pray for IAF Pilot’s Safe Return From Pakistan's Custody

The 21 opposition parties which met in the wake of the rising tensions between India and Pakistan expressed “deep concerns for the safety of our missing pilot” in the joint statement.

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Economy Suffered due to Demonetisation in 2016: Amartya Sen

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen compared demonetisation to a magic of PC Sorcar.

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Tax Officials Seize 'Hard Disks' in Terror Financing Raids in Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi

Four premises in the Kashmir Valley and three in the national capital region were searched, the income tax department said without naming the organisation or the persons involved.

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News18 Explains: What Led To the Escalation of Tensions Between India And Pakistan

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated after Indian Air Force jets conducted air strikes inside Pakistan territory on Tuesday morning. On Wednesday, amid heightened tensions and a warning of retaliation, Pakistan violated Indian airspace by flying jets across LoC which resulted in a brief showdown between IAF and PAF planes. In the brief exchange, both countries claimed to have shot down each other’s jets. Later in the day, Pakistani authorities claimed to have captured an Indian wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman. So why has situation come to such a pass? Here’s a lowdown of all that has happened since yesterday.

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How Can India Bring Back IAF Pilot Captured by Pak and Will the Geneva Convention Help?

India conveyed strong objection to Islamabad at the 'vulgar display' of an injured personnel in violation of all norms of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention.

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India Builds Bunkers to Protect Families along Pakistan Border

The new shelters, which were planned before this week's spike in tensions, are supposed to reduce that fear and prevent people from having to flee when the shelling begins.

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Air India, Jet Airways Among Airlines Forced to Reroute Flights as Pakistan Closes its Airspace

Pakistan on Wednesday closed its airspace for commercial flights and suspended flight operations across major airports, including in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, for an indefinite period in the wake of the escalating tensions with India.

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Delhi Metro Network Put on Red Alert Amid Tensions Between India and Pakistan

Earlier today, the government ordered to shut down nine airports after Pakistan violated India’s airspace.

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News18 Wrap: IAF Pilot Captured by Pakistan, India Hands Over JeM Dossier to Islamabad & Other Stories You Missed

News18 Wrap brings you some of the biggest stories on News18.com today to help you stay updated at all times.

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Donald Trump on North Korea's Kim: 'We Just Like Each Other'

US President Donald Trump said he and North Korea's Kim have a good relationship, speaking after their summit ended suddenly with no deal on Thursday.

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"We Have Some Reasonably Decent News From India, Pakistan": Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has said "we have some reasonably decent news from India and Pakistan" amid tension between the two countries over the past two days.

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"India Will Fight As One, India Will Win As One": PM On Mega Video-Con

Prime Minister Narendra Modi ignored opposition attacks to address millions of workers of his BJP today amid India-Pakistan tension, and said: "India will fight as one, India will win as one." The...

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At Kumbh Mela, UP Eyes Guinness Record For "Largest Parade Of Buses"

According to an official, the parade of 500 buses would be the longest anywhere in the world ad will make new Guinness World Record.

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"I Beg To Differ": Minister VK Singh On Colleague BS Yeddyurappa's Remark

IAF Strike In Pakistan: Union Minister VK Singh today put out a sharp and public rebuke for his own party colleague, Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa, who has been widely condemned for saying that...

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'No Agreement Was Reached' At Donald Trump, Kim Summit: White House

A summit between North Korea's Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump ended without agreement, the White House said Thursday after the two-day meeting.

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Samjhauta Express Suspended Indefinitely By Pakistan; India Not Aware

Authorities in Islamabad have indefinitely suspended the Samjhauta Express, a decades-old train service between India and Pakistan. A statement by Pakistan's foreign office said that the train service...

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North Korea Leader Kim Says Ready To Denuclearise

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Thursday he was willing to give up his nuclear weapons and he would not be holding a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Vietnam if he were not.

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National Science Day: A Day To Celebrate Scientist CV Raman's Discovery

Theme of National Science Day 2019 is "Science for people and people for science." The day marks important discovery made by scientist CV Raman - the Raman Effect.

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"Introspect," Says Arun Jaitley To Opposition. You First, Says Congress

Union Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday that opposition parties "should introspect" on their statement criticising the government as it "is being used by Pakistan" to bolster their case. He...

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Court Orders National Herald Publisher To Vacate Delhi Building

The publisher of the Congress-linked National Herald newspaper must vacate its office in the capital, the Delhi High Court said today, cancelling a petition by the publisher against a December order...

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Pak Violates Ceasefire In Jammu And Kashmir, Schools Along LoC Closed

Pakistan violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing and heavy shelling of mortars along the Line of Control this morning.

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US Stand Seen As "Endorsement" Of India, "Emboldened Them": Pak Envoy

Pakistan's ambassador to Washington today said that the United States has not condemned India's air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp on Tuesday, saying the stance "emboldened" New Delhi. The...

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India Will Stand As One, India Will Work As One, Says PM Modi: Live Updates

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with over 1 crore Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and volunteers from 15,000 locations across the country today. The party claimed this would be the...

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BS Yeddyurappa Tries To Explain "22 Lok Sabha Seats" Remark Amid Outrage

Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa today said he was quoted "out of context" amid criticism over his comment that that India's air strike on a terror camp in Pakistan on Tuesday has created a wave in...

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US, Britain And France Move UNSC To Ban Masood Azhar. Over To China

Amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan over Islamabad's denial and duplicity over terror groups flourishing under its watch, a fresh proposal by the US, UK and France has been submitted at...

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Andhra Pradesh To Get New Railway Zone, 18th In India: Rail Minister

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday announced a new railway zone for Andhra Pradesh, days after a delegation of BJP lawmakers from the state met the minister demanding the same.

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Donald Trump And Kim Jong Un Hold Second Day Of Summit In Hanoi

USPresident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will hold another day of talks at their second summit in eight months on Thursday, after swapping compliments at a dinner but giving no...

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Karachi Bakery In Bengaluru Gets Call Threatening To Blow It Up Over Name

The Karachi Bakery manager in Bengaluru outlet has claimed that he recieved a call to 'blast the store' if the word 'Karachi' not removed from the name board.

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"Betrayal Of National Sentiments": Opposition United On PM's Video-Con

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with over 1 crore BJP workers and volunteers from 15,000 locations across the country today in what the party claims will be the "world's largest video...

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Mumbra girl missing since 2016, finally tracked through Tik Tok app

Thane: A girl who had gone missing in 2016 from Mumbra was found in Goregaon through a post on social media site Tik Tok. Police took her into custody and learned that the girl went on her own accord.

According to Mirror Now, a woman on November 6, 2016, registered a complaint at the Mumbra police station that her daughter had been abducted. Acting on the complaint, police began searching for her through various means but were unsuccessful. The case was later transferred to the immoral trafficking prevention cell on May 11, 2018. Assistant Sub-Inspector Raju Mahale was appointed to investigate the case.

During the investigation, Police learned that the kidnapped girl has been using Tik Tok and shared it on social media. Police began tracking the girl on social media and asked her to make a video call. After confirming the identity, the police asked the girl to meet her sister under a false pretext of her mother being ill. She was then taken into custody and cops began interrogating her.

During the interrogation, the girl revealed that she left home on her own accord and not under pressure or threat from anyone. As a result, the kidnapping charge was dissolved. She also revealed that after running away from Mumbra, she was living in Goregaon for ten days and later started a catering business in Surat for 3-4 months. Later, she shifted to Vasai for few months. Since then, she has been living in Nalasopara.

On further investigation, it was revealed that the girl had made a fake account under the name of Abhay Shetty and befriended her sister and her husband after watching a video of them on Tik Tok ten days ago. The sister and her husband had uploaded a video of Bhojpuri song on a Tik-Tok mobile app. The girl began to chat with her sister and her husband and ask information about the family.

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Uddhav: No one other than IAF should claim credit for air strike

Shiv Sena chief and BJP ally Uddhav Thackeray said Wednesday that no political party should take credit for the air strikes carried out by the Indian Air Force on Jaish-e-Mohammed's training camp in Pakistan. "My heart is swollen with pride over the elimination of terror hide-outs in Pakistan. I salute the brave-hearts who conducted the operation," Thackeray told reporters in Mumbai.

"Nobody (other than the defence forces) should take credit for their (IAF pilots') valour and nobody should doubt it either," he added. Thackeray, who stitched a pre-poll alliance with the BJP last week, also said he made it clear to the latter that the Sena will continue to fight it on common people's issues.

"When everybody was with you (BJP), we stood in front of you with questions of the common man and when everybody deserted you, we stood with you for Hindutva," he said. "There have been allegations that I made a U-turn (from earlier stand of not going for an alliance). However, I know what and for whom I have done what I did....Shiv Sena workers have faith in me," Thackeray said.

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Mumbai: Throw trash on railway tracks and cops could toss you in jail

Throwing trash on the railway tracks will now land citizens in jail, with the Central Railway (CR) authorities and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) stepping up their efforts to clean up both rubbish and drug abuse on the tracks.

Following a series of reports in mid-day about drug peddlers running their business on railway tracks, the authorities found that heaps of rubbish lying on the tracks made it easy for the criminals to hide there.

This paper reported that the CR then initiated a pilot project to clean up tracks between CSMT and Sandhurst Road station to render the spots useless for peddlers. Officials then placed a green screen along the tracks to prevent trash from thrown there, as well as prevent entry to peddlers. On February 25, this paper again reported that the green screen went missing. Now, the CR and RPF are trying a different tactic, going on the offence.

Punishment
The RPF is also serving notices to citizens living in hutments by the tracks, warning them of punishment of they throw rubbish on or around the rail lines. The notice states, "We are alerting you to not throw garbage on railway tracks. If the authorities catch violators, action will be taken under Section 145 (spreading filth, waste in railway or railway premises) and 154 (endangering safety of persons travelling by railway by rash or negligent act) of the Railway Act."

As per the law, a violation of Section 145 will may the accused imprisonment for six months and a fine of Rs 500 in case of conviction for a second or repeat offence. Flouting Section 154 can result in imprisonment for up to a year and/or a fine.

A senior railway officials said, "We have asked our officers to connect with local stationmasters and identify locations that are most affected by garbage, and then started distributing notices to the residents there."

Another officer added, "Rubbish on railway premises is most dangerous, as it may catch fire, it may go on the tracks and cause to disturbances in train operations. In addition, drug addicts also find it easier to hide there, since the dirt and smeel keeps most people away."

Letter to police
Meanwhile, CR's Engineering department has also written to local police stations, requesting the cops to book people who throw waste on railway tracks and premises. The letter was sent to Dongri, RA Kidwai Marg, Sion and Matunga police stations, under whose jurisdiction the trash menace has been going on. Sandeep Bhagdikar, senior inspector at Dongri police station, said, "As of now, we haven't received any letter from the railways."

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Mumbai: Coastal Road threatens toilet block at Breach Candy

Breach Candy residents are fearful about how the Coastal Road is going to impact their lives. A mother-son duo frets about the prospect of the road taking away a chunk of their livelihood. Shankar Mane, 35, and his mother Shantabai Y Mane, manage a public toilet block adjacent to Tata Garden at Breach Candy.

This toilet complex is located between Tata Garden and the Scandal Point parking lot. The Scandal Point space is currently taken over by cabins that serve as offices for engineers and workers of the Coastal Road project.

Shankar Mane and his mother Shantabai manage a public toilet

Real fears
"We fear that the Coastal Road will cut through this place and the toilet complex, which opened in June 2018, will be demolished," said the mother-son pair. The Manes constructed the block at a cost of R30 lakh. "We have invested savings and also taken a loan, what will we do if the block is broken, or gone altogether?" they asked. The complex has a plaque citing date of opening as June 6, 2018 and expresses thanks to a slew of D-ward officials including current ward officer V P Mote. The opening was done by MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha.

Legit concern
The Manes' concerns are legitimate considering the Coastal Road is already going to take away a part of the Tata Garden. Shankar, who also works in the D-Ward office as a sweeper stated, "We charge R2 for the urinals, R5 for the toilet and Rs 20 for the shower facility."

As this reporter was speaking to Shankar, several people walked in to use the toilets, paying Shankar as they exited. "This is highly frequented as there is no other public toilet in the vicinity," said Dr Nilesh Baxi, a regular at Tata Garden and founder of Breach Candy Welfare Group.

Uncertain fate
Shantabai was at her home in Dharavi, battling low blood pressure. She said, "My health is affected because of the uncertainty. My son has been told by engineers working next to the site that at least half the block will be broken. We started this as an opportunity to earn. Why isn't the plan being explained to those who may be affected? We are not being informed about the compensation if any, either."

Dr Baxi said, "At least half this toilet block will be taken away, I think. We have been repeatedly requesting BMC officials to come here for a site visit, but there has been no response."

Shankar said, "The toilet was started in 2018 and completed in 5.5 months. Permissions were taken a year before that. The Coastal Road plans were already on the table at the time, so why were permissions given for it at all?"

M Machiwal, chief engineer of the Coastal Road, said, 'I do not know if the toilet block will be affected. I cannot tell you now. I will check and let you know." D-ward officer V P Mote said, "The block is not going to be affected immediately. We will in fact, try our best to avoid any disruption or breaking of this sanitation facility."

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Why not work on Bal Thackeray flyover extension too, BMC asks MMRDA

In order to avoid confusion and delays, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed to hand over the Bal Thackeray flyover extension project at Jogeshwari to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), considering its interlay with the Metro VI (Swami Samarth Nagar to Kanjurmarg). An official decision on the cost-sharing agreement is still pending.

The proposed alignment of the flyover extension at Jogeshwari is the same as that of Metro VI, thus jeopardising both projects for over two years. Following a detailed design study of the projects, the BMC has concluded that two separate agencies working on the same alignment will not just cause delays, but also escalate the cost of the project.

The Bal Thackeray flyover is currently operational between SV road in Jogeshwari West to Western Express Highway on the east. Its extension is likely to clash with Metro VI at various locations.

The engineering marvel
The projects together are set to be an engineering marvel at the Infinity Mall junction near Lokhandwala, Andheri (Link Road) with three important infrastructure projects supported on a single pillar. Three decks - first level of the flyover, second level of Metro IIA and third level of Metro VI - will be built here at a vertical distance of about 8 to 10 meters from each other.

The Metro VI and Bal Thackeray flyover extension run on the same pillars from Lokhandwala to Millat hospital area and then the Metro runs parallel to the Thackeray flyover between Millat hospital and Shyam Nagar on the Jogeshwari East side and again running on the same pillar up to Poonam Nagar.

The flyover extension and the Metro VI will also run above Metro VII (Dahisar East to Andheri East) and Western Express Highway (WEH) at two points. After the extension work is completed, the flyover will connect Lokhandwala to Poonam Nagar in Jogeshwari East, cutting down travel time by over half an hour on this route.

MMRDA's nod awaited
A senior civic official working on the project said that the civic team was to undertake work on the flyover extension at seven locations. "The difficulty at location two and four was that work needed to be done before the commencement of Metro VI. At location three, work was to be done simultaneously with Metro VI and at location one and seven, work was to be done after the completion of Metro VI," he explained.

However, this meant spending Rs 42.73 crore more than the initial budget and taking about five years for the project completion. "It is thus proposed that MMRDA should complete both projects. The proposal will now be presented to the Municipal Commissioner and MMRDA authorities. In our preliminary communication, we have told them that we are ready to pay our share," the civic official said.

Joint Project Director and MMRDA spokesperson Dilip Kawathkar said that his team would verify the BMC's proposal and "in due course of time appropriate action will be taken." Chief Engineer of Bridges department Sanjay Darade was unavailable for comment.

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Mumbai: Commuters put full steam behind old electric engine

Nostalgia surrounding old electric railway engines has led two city politicians to root for its preservation following the old horse's retirement from the Western Railway. The WAM-4 class locomotive, used extensively on Central and Western Railway, was put out of service recently and now rests at the Pardi rail yard near Dahanu, awaiting the scrap cutting torch.

A campaign to preserve the engine was started by the Dahanu Vaitarna Pravasi Sevabhavi Sanstha. "Western Railway has failed to preserve the earlier AC DC locomotive WCAM-1. It can now compensate by preserving this WAM4 loco for future generations, outside Dahanu station, like other engines have been saved outside Ankleshwar and Ambala Cantonment stations," Prathamesh Prabhutendolkar, joint secretary of the group said.

The last WAM-4 with the Western Railway now rests at the Pardi rail yard near Dahanu

After the association shot off letters to public representatives, Palghar MLA Amit Krishna Ghoda wrote to the General Manager of Western Railway. "The engine has nostalgic value for local commuters. I am pained to know that it is being sent to the scrap yard," Ghoda said.

Mumbai South Central MP Rahul Shewale too has decided to extend his support to the cause. "Preservation of things of historical importance must be done at top priority so that future generations can witness it. I will have a conversation with WR General Manager soon," Shewale said.

Railway officials said that around 34 locos of a similar class are still running in East Coast Rail, South Eastern Rail, Southern Railway and South East Central Railway. Western Railway chief public relations officer Ravinder Bhakar said the railways will examine the issue and take appropriate action.

The classic horse
The WAM4 class of electric locomotives had a successful inning due to its ruggedness and easy maintenance. The first of the class was designed and built by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in 1970 and produced until 1983, and remained in service till a few years ago.

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Maharashtra stares at Rs 19,784-crore deficit in 2019-20

Even as it wants to roll out new welfare schemes, sustain the existing ones and give its employees a hefty pay hike in an election year, the BJP-led Maharashtra government faces a stiff challenge in increasing the exchequer's overall income. The interim budget that finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar tabled on Wednesday indicated that the state is staring at an expected revenue deficit of Rs 19,784 crore in for the approaching fiscal year.

The minister's vote-on-account speech was akin to an election rally speech where he underscored budgetary allocation for farmers with stress on infrastructure development that should attract both the rural and urban masses. However, the curtailment of unnecessary expenditure and ensuring effective recovery of revenue remained a concern, as the annual interim budget of Rs 99,000 crore for 2019-20 was announced.

No new schemes
The interim budget did not announce any new schemes. They would be announced when the final budget is presented four months later in the monsoon session. This has been a practice in a year that conducts Lok Sabha polls.

Despite poor revenue projections, Mungantiwar painted an optimistic economic picture. He said the government last year managed to earn a revenue surplus in spite of spending Rs 16,000 crore on a farm loan waiver scheme. He also allied fears of rising debt that the opposition has said would make the
state bankrupt.

Notwithstanding a debt of Rs 4.44 lakh crore, the state's economy was strong enough, Mungantiwar said, because the ratio of debt to Gross Domestic Product of the state was way under the permissible limit of 25 per cent. The state's figure for this is just 14.82 per cent which is lesser than last year's.

"The budget estimates of 2018 said the total debt was expected to be R4.61 lakh crore and we were to seek a loan of Rs 54,996 crore this year, but our conscious efforts have restricted the demand to Rs 11,990 cr," said Mungantiwar, adding that the debt stock was estimated to be 16.5 per cent, but reduced below 15 per cent.

Some budget features

Rs 3,498 cr for agriculture-related purchases
Rs 8,733 cr for irrigation projects
Rs 6,895 cr for the PMAY or Housing for All Scheme
Rs 9,208 cr SC/ST schemes
Rs 5,210 cr for electricity subsidies to farmers, industry
Rs 6,320 cr for energy department (Rs 1,087cr for non-conventional energy)
Rs 8,500 cr for development of roads and highways
Rs 2,921 cr for Women and Child Welfare Department
Rs 2,400 cr for Swacch Maharashtra and Amrut Cities scheme
Rs 101 cr for development of state transport bus stands

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Mumbai: Sr officer gets only two months in jail for molesting woman cop

The JMFC court in Thane on Tuesday convicted an inspector for allegedly molesting a woman constable when he was working at the Kapurbawdi police station. While the case goes back to 2009, the complainant's family is unhappy with the punishment awarded to the accused, which is only two months in jail.

The court convicted inspector Masaji Kale and sentenced him to two months in prison and fined him in Rs 10,000 for the crime he committed in 2009, when he was an assistant police inspector. The constable had told the court that Kale had demanded sexual favours from her several times for months when they were working together, which she'd repeatedly declined.

Whenever she rejected his advances, he allegedly verbally abused her in front of everyone and tortured her at work. One day, he even followed her to the terrace of the police station and tried to touch her inappropriately. She told him she doesn't like it and ran from the spot. Later, he started marking her as absent and misinformed seniors about her as well.

The woman complained about the harassment to the Bombay High Court after senior police officials allegedly didn't pay any heed to her. An FIR was filed on HC's instructions under section 509 and 354 of the Indian Penal Code. The court did not find Kale guilty under section 354 but did find evidence against him under section 509.

One of the complainant's colleagues, a policewoman, said, "We were expecting some serious punishment for him. We have seen that woman suffer all of these years. It is a very unfortunate conviction."

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HC declines to stay coastal road project in Mumbai

The Bombay High Court Wednesday refused to pass any interim order to stay the Maharashtra government's coastal road project in the metropolis.

A bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice N M Jamdar, however, gave oral orders to the commissioner of the fisheries department to grant a hearing to the members of two fishing societies, which have approached the high court against the coastal road project.

The societies opposing the 29.2-km-long road are the Worli Koliwada Nakhwa and the Worli Machimmar Sarvodaya Sahakari Society. The bench also directed the police to ensure fishermen were allowed to put up equipment, including nets, along the area marked for the road until actual construction began.

It was hearing a petition filed by the two fishing societies, opposing the project that proposes to connect the Marine Drive area in south Mumbai to Kandivali, a western suburb. The petitioners claimed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and state authorities had not conducted any public hearing or consultations with the fisherfolk from the city before planning and approving the project.

They claimed the road, once constructed, will take away their livelihood. The reclamation of land for the road, which will run along Mumbai's west coast, will impact the livelihood of countless fishermen in areas like Worli, Khar Danda, Chimbai and several other places between Marine Drive and Kandivali, according to the petition. The bench had earlier directed the BMC and the state to file their replies on the petition.

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Bombay Hospital Trust opposes renaming of road after Nana Chudasama

The Bombay Hospital Trust has strongly opposed Shiv Sena Member of Parliament (MP) Arvind Sawant's recommendation of naming the road on which the hospital stands, after former sheriff Nana Chudasama. The Trust members have written to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to formally record their objections, on February 23. The hospital is even willing to take up a legal battle if required.

'Name registered with BMC'
The letter, submitted by Dr Rajkumar V Patil, director of Medical Services, stated that the road has been known as Bombay Hospital Lane for the past 65 years. A senior doctor at the hospital said, "For 70 years, patients and ambulance drivers have known the road as Bombay Hospital Lane. Changing the name will create problems for them. If the BMC changes the name, then the trust will take legal recourse to challenge it. The name was registered with the BMC in 1967."

The controversy erupted after Sawant wrote to Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta on January 29 saying the road should be renamed in memory of the former sheriff who passed away in December last year. Sawant, in his letter, had added that he had made the recommendation based on a proposal submitted by Shaina NC, Chudasama's daughter and BJP national spokesperson.

'No official name'
Assistant Municipal Commissioner Kiran Dighavkar said that based on the BMC's records, the road in contention has no official name. Dighavkar said the local corporator has to submit a proposal to change the name which is then submitted to the ward committee. Once approved, the proposal is taken up for discussion in the general body meeting and a decision is taken.

Shaina NC said that the proposal has already been submitted to the ward committee. "Since 1967, the hospital has not taken an interest in doing up the road. We set up dividers and beautified it with the help of CSR activities. It is quite unfortunate, because my father's contribution to the city is known by one and all," she said.

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Mumbai: Traffic cops come to rescue of kids' appearing for HSC exams

Students heading for their HSC board exams in Bandra no longer have to face the additional test of looking for an autorickshaw to their exam centre, thanks to Inspector Nitin Patil from the Bandra Traffic division.

Students waiting to board autos from railway stations at Bandra and Khar West were pleasantly surprised to find the traffic police helping them early in the morning. The police personnel, supervised by Patil, even set up separate queues to ensure students got autos on priority.

Students get some much-appreciated extra time to revise as they wait for cops to hail autorickshaws for them outside Khar station

For once, HSC students didn't have to frantically hunt for autos to get to their exam centre. Instead, they could wait in a separate queue set up for them by the traffic police, who even helped flag down rickshaws for them. Not only did this greatly reduce stress for the students, but it also gave them some much-appreciated extra study time as they waited for their turn.

The cops also made announcements outside the station that students would be allowed to board autos on priority, and other commuters cooperated in this initiative as well. In addition, the traffic police were also posted outside several exam centres, to ensure students weren't delayed by traffic jams.

Students wait in a separate queue outside Bandra station

Man of the hour
The happy students were full of praise for Bandra traffic division's top cop, Inspector Nitin Patil, who was spotted personally overseeing the auto queues at Bandra station yesterday. Six months after he took charge, this is yet another initiative by Patil to smoothen public transport at the congested areas outside railway stations.

mid-day had reported last month how the local traffic chief had transformed traffic outside both Bandra and Khar stations. Earlier, not only would autorickshaws crowd the area outside the station, but the drivers would also harass and fleece commuters. Within two months of his tenure, Patil had reined in errant auto drivers and marked out separate lanes for pick-up and drop, as well as strict queues for waiting commuters. The Joint CP for traffic, in a recent interview to mid-day, also applauded Patil's work, and recommended other cops to follow suit.

'Students are top priority'
PI Patil told mid-day, "We are treating students heading to exam centres with utmost priority. Two constables have been deployed at both railway stations early in the morning, to ensure students get autos to reach their exam hall on time. If there are lots of students, we also make a separate queue for them, giving them first priority to board the share autos."

"There is heavy footfall at Bandra and Khar stations, and students would have had to wait for 15 to 20 minutes for an auto. Traffic cops, along with wardens, are there to help at railway stations from 7.30 am," he added.

Students say thanks
Shubham Yadav, 17
'My friends and I were surprised when we exited from Bandra station on the first day of exams, and the cops announcing a separate queue for students. They helped us board autos before the other passengers'

Vaishnavi Hande, 18
'The moment I exited Bandra station with my books in hand, the traffic cops helped me get into an auto without any hassle. This really saves time for students, who don't wish to waste a single second before an exam. Thank you, Mumbai Police'

Abhishek Srivastav, 18
'My examination centre is in Khar. During the exams, the cops have ensured that we don't have to wait a single minute to get an auto. This should be done to help HSC and SSC students everywhere'

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Don't believe in rumours, stay alert, urge Mumbai cops

With the tension between India and Pakistan escalating on Wednesday, Maharashtra has been put on high alert. Apart from increasing deployment of security forces across all the sensitive areas of the state, local police stations have been asked to keep their informer- network active and even monitoring of the coastal line has been intensified. The GRP and RPF have also intensified drives across railway stations. Mentioning that there was nothing to worry about, Mumbai Police asked citizens to remain alert and approach the cops if they spot anything suspicious.

"All police stations have been sensitised. Officers have been asked to take precautionary measures," said DCP Manjunath Singe, PRO, Mumbai Police. "We have sounded high alert in the city but there is nothing to panic.

Families move out of Chhajla Patri village after shelling by the Pakistani Army near the LoC, in Mankote sector of Poonch. Pic/PTI

Our police forces are monitoring everything," said Singe, adding that people shouldn't fall prey to rumours spread through social media. "If in doubt, please reach out to the police control room or dial 100 for help. Don't spread rumours or fall prey to them," he added. Another officer said, "A squad has been formed to carry out checks at railway stations."

Navi Mumbai and Thane have also been put on high alert. Cops are patrolling the railway stations across both the areas and even the bomb squad has been put on alert. The Highway Police have also increased patrolling. Acting on intelligence inputs, deployment of security forces has been increased across tourist destinations along the Konkan region, defence establishments and their headquarters.

Joint CP, Pune, Shivaji Bhodkhe said, "Security in the city has been increased. Different units are working on various inputs and taking preventive measures. We appeal to citizens not to fall prey to rumours. Approach us to verify the information".

Qureshi might boycott OIC meet for Swaraj
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday threatened to boycott a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) scheduled for this week in the UAE if India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj participates in the event. Swaraj has been invited as a "guest of honour" at the inaugural session of the OIC foreign ministers' conclave in Abu Dhabi on March 1 and 2.

Security beefed up in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary B K Agarwal reviewed security here in wake of heightened tension between India and Pakistan and said the state had been put on high alert. Police had been asked to monitor spreading of any rumour by anti-social elements, he said. "Officials of various departments of the state and the central governments participated in the review meeting," Agarwal said.

JMB operatives arrested in Bengal
The Special Task Force of the Kolkata Police arrested two operatives of terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh from West Bengal's Murshidabad district and seized a huge cache of explosive making material from them, an officer said here on Wednesday. Police said the two accused were associates of JMB leader Kausar, one of the key accused in Burdwan's Khagragarh blast case of 2014.

Kashmir tourism faces uncertainty
Trips to the picturesque Kashmir Valley have become uncertain with tour operators witnessing cancellations of advance bookings while new bookings have dried up following the Pulwama terror attack. Hoteliers and travel agents in the Valley, however, are optimistic about the tourist arrivals in the coming months despite escalating tension after the air strike by IAF on the biggest training camp of terrorist outfit JeM in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

It's blatant politicisation, says Opposition
Amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions, the Opposition collectively flayed the ruling BJP for "blatant politicisation" of the armed forces' sacrifices and hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not convening an all-party meeting. A total of 21 Opposition parties met and expressed their concerns over the emerging security situation. The parties in a joint statement said, "The 21 parties expressed their deep anguish over the blatant politicisation of the sacrifices made by our armed forces by leaders of the ruling party. National security must transcend narrow political considerations."

Also Read: War is futile, says Pakistan, after capturing IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan

'Pak defaming india'
Rajnath Singh
Union home minister
'In the air strike, neither the Pakistani civilians were hurt nor the Pakistan Army was targeted. Our Air Force soldiers carried out the strike with caution. Despite this, Pakistan has been trying to defame India'

Omar Abdullah,
National Conference leader
'PM Modi must suspend his political activities until #WingCommanderAbhinandan is returned safely. It can't be business as usual with him crisscrossing the country at taxpayer expense making political speeches while our pilot is a Pakistani captive'

Rahul Gandhi,
Congress president
'I'm sorry to hear that one of our brave IAF pilots is missing. I hope he will return home soon, unharmed. We stand by our armed forces'

Arvind Kejriwal,
Delhi chief minister
'I pray for the safety of the Indian Air Force pilot...Whole country is proud of this brave son and everyone is hoping for his safe return. We all stand united to keep our country safe and strong'

Also Read: Former IAF officer: Pakistan will have to treat captured Wing Commander Abhinandan well

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Many stranded at Mumbai as nine airports shut in north India

Following the shutdown of several airports in north India for civilian traffic, flights departing from Mumbai to Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jammu and Kashmir and Dehradun were cancelled, leaving many passengers stranded at the domestic airport on Wednesday morning.

While some fliers were informed of the cancelled flights upon reaching the airport, others found out only after checking in. Vyas Bhandari, 34, a Bandra resident, was all set to fly to Chandigarh and had reached the domestic airport at 11:30 am on Wednesday. "The Jet Airways flight was supposed to take off at 12:35 pm. After checking in, the boarding time was rescheduled to 2 pm and we were later informed that the flight has been cancelled," he said.

Bhandari added that while he was travelling for personal reasons, many passengers had professional or educational purposes of travel. One of his fellow passengers, for instance, was a Std XII student appearing for her board exams and had to reach Chandigarh urgently. An official of the airport security team said that flights to Chandigarh, Amritsar and Jammu and Kashmir take off in the morning hours and thus many people learnt of the cancellations only after reaching the airport.

"There was a crowd at the airport entrance this morning as people tried to figure out alternatives. Those in an emergency situation opted to fly to New Delhi," said the official.

Airport officials further said that 16 flights (eight arrivals and eight departures) were cancelled on Wednesday. "Flights of eight connections of Indigo, Air India, Jet Airways, Go Air, Vistara were cancelled. The operations are now normal and flights will resume from tomorrow," added the Mumbai airport spokesperson.

Jet wants flight-duty norms relaxed
Jet Airways has sought relaxation in flight duty and rest-hour norms from the regulator DGCA due to the closure of the Pakistani airspace and subsequent rerouting of the West-bound flights amid escalation of tension.

'Operations at nine airports resumed'
Aviation watchdog DGCA said operations at the nine airports in Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Pathankot, Amritsar, Shimla, Kangra, Kullu Manali and Pithoragarh, which were shut earlier in the day, have resumed "as of now".

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Pay extra fees for Learning Disability exam, school tells SSC student

Even AS the Senior Secondary Certificate (SSC) examinations are just a day away, Jayesh Singh, a Std X student with Learning Disability, is still unsure of whether he will be able to appear for the examination as his school has now asked for Rs 3,700 from Jayesh's parents to make arrangements for his special LD exams.

Jayesh had filled his exam form through Lord's Child High School in Virar, as a private student. Following the school's last-minute demand for money, his mother, Sunita Singh, has now approached the Maharashtra State Board's Mumbai Division with a complaint against the school.

"I have already paid Rs 7,300 for the private enrolment and practical examination. As an LD candidate, he has now been exempted from appearing for certain subjects like mathematics and science and will instead appear for subjects like book-binding etc. The school will thus need to make special arrangements and is hence asking us to pay for it," said the aggrieved mother.

Board office secretary Sharad Khandagale said that a certain fee is charged based on examination requirements but "it is paid in full at the time of enrolment." Now that this student already has his hall-ticket, "there should not be anymore fee charged now," he said. "I will look into the complaint."

The school claimed that it wasn't informed of Jayesh's LD status in time. "This information reached us only in December after the candidate's enrolment. We now have to send our staff all the way to the board office in Vashi for approvals and make trips to pick and drop the special material. We are trying to help the child as much as we can. We are even giving them a receipt for all the charges and have accepted the child's LD certificate at the last moment," said Lata Chendwankar, managing director of the school.

Also Read: Mumbai: Professor arrested for demanding 'sexual favours' from student

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Kitab Mahal tenants seek action against owner; BMC slaps notice

Even months after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sent a letter to the owner and tenants of the iconic Kitab Mahal mentioning that it was in a precarious condition, nothing much has been done to repair the structure.

Citing concerns over its safety, the tenants of the Fort building sent a legal notice to the civic body raising objections against the status of the current landlord. The BMC hit back with another notice saying that as they failed to carry out the necessary repairs, they would now initiate legal action against them.

Based on a legal notice sent by the Kitab Mahal Residents' Welfare Association on February 4, the tenants have challenged the status of Moti Bhatia as the building's landlord (as mentioned in BMC's letters). The notice states that as the previous lease expired in 1999 and it hasn't been renewed since, the BMC cannot consider Bhatia as the landlord.

According to the tenants, the previous owners Taraporewalas had sold the property to Komal Realty in December 2014, long after the lease had expired. In the notice, the residents have also alleged that Bhatia did illegal alterations to the structure and violated fire safety norms.

Niloufer Kapadia, a member of the association said, "The fire exits are blocked due to the alterations, the atriums have been covered and there are no fire fighting equipment. Despite bringing it to the notice of the authorities, no action has been taken."

Another resident said, "How can BMC consider Bhatia as the landlord if he has done so many illegal alterations to the building. They should consider him to be just another tenant."

However, Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of A ward, said, "Our concern is only the repairs, irrespective of their internal dispute. Since they have failed to do so, we will initiate action as per the law."

"We don't know who the current landlord is. We issued the notice (on February 15) to Bhatia, as the structure needed immediate restoration, and he had come forward. We did not state that he is the landlord," said another official.

When contacted, officials in the Estate Department confirmed that the lease had not been renewed and on record the last landlord of the building was the Taraporewalas. "If the property was sold after expiry of lease, then the BMC won't consider the agreement. We are awaiting some clarification from the state government on the renewal process. When the process of renewing the agreement is taken up, we will take legal help to decide on the future course of action," said an official.

Meanwhile, after a meeting between the tenants and Bhatia, one of the residents said, "Earlier, he insisted that he would carry out the repair work only after we vacated the premises which we didn't agree to. But after today's meeting, he agreed to do the repairs without us leaving the premises."

When contacted, Bhatia said, "I am the building's landlord and even the BMC has accepted it. Why would I agree to carry out the repairs at my own cost if I was not the landlord? I want to resolve the issue. I will inform the BMC that the tenants have agreed to let me take up the building's renovation. The residents will not have to vacate the premises."

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Nostalgic! Tram cars to chug along south Mumbai again

Tram cars may soon make a return to Mumbai's streets. The BEST Undertaking in its committee meeting on Wednesday discussed a proposal to revive one tram car and check the feasibility of running it on a small stretch between the Electric House and Kala Ghoda on weekends with the help of the tourism department.

BEST Committee Member Atul Shah, who first tabled the proposal, said that he had spoken with Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari about the idea, who'd then given him a verbal assurance for the same.

"BEST has a plan for reviving an old tram car and keeping it on display at Bhatia Baug outside Mumbai CSMT station. But this does not make sense. Tram cars are supposed to be kept running instead of being a stationary display. If we could run one tram car on a small stretch only during weekends as a tourist attraction, it will evoke a lot of nostalgia and also educate the present generation about the glory of tram cars," said Shah. He said there are technologies available now to easily run one tram car by powering it electrically or through batteries.

BEST committee member and opposition leader Ravi Raja raised questions about the finances of the plan, to which Shah and BEST officials said they could rope in the tourism department and the BMC, and that BEST could extend support to actually operate the car. However, Shah said, a feasibility study would have to be conducted before that happens. Chairman of BEST Ashish Chemburkar expressed his support for the idea saying the BEST should look at other countries that have been doing such things successfully.

Mumbai's tram days
The tram service in Mumbai, which was introduced in 1874, was stopped in 1964. While horses initially pulled the trams, the cars were powered by electricity in 1907. The Colaba junction corner was the main junction of the city's tram network that would run from Colaba to Pydhonie via Crawford Market.

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Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Wasn't that you?
Banker-singer and Mrs CM Amruta Fadnavis shares a moment with philanthropist Neerja Birla on the sets of a TV show at a Bandra venue. Pic/Sameer Markande

Salita Nanda (in black) poses with models sporting her Ophelia collection

Indian in Paris
All designers dream of showcasing their collection at the Paris Fashion Week. And this year, the prestigious event, which begins today, will make that same dream of Mumbai girl Salita Nanda come true as she shows her collection, Ophelia. The designer, who launched her eponymous label in 2015 at a fashion week in Mumbai, gets her inspiration from the central female character in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. "She's a woman who is madly in love and her obsession leads her to a state of hallucination, where flowers and birds talk and tease her about her lover. She is empowered by her own madness," the designer said about the collection.

Neil MacGregor

Museum memories
Eminent art historian and former director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor, was in the city as a guest speaker at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vaastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) as part of the centenary commemoration year of Sir Ratan Tata, who had bequeathed a sizeable collection from his private ownership to the museum soon after it was established. While delivering a lecture themed around Museums, Memories and Identities, he quoted examples from establishments across the globe. Talking specifically about the CSMVS, he said that it is an exemplary museum as it was formed by the people of Mumbai and not by colonial entities. He also mentioned that the encyclopaedic collections are symbolic of multiple narratives where similarities and differences are celebrated. "Museums the world over should abstain from ideas that create a sense of 'us versus them'," he said.

Dhruv Somani

A book with filmy chills and thrills
Horror, thriller and suspense movies have been staple subjects in Hindi films for many years. And a new book – A Touch of Evil – now dissects 300 such titles, including Teesri Manzil, Darr and Kahani. Industrialist Dhruv Somani, who is a first-time author, has written it, and when we asked him to share a piece of trivia from the book, he said, "Mahal [1949] was the first film that opened the Pandora's Box for films based on the supernatural. And in those days, singers' names were not mentioned on the gramophone records. So, the radio station of the time, Vivid Bharti, was flooded with phone calls from people asking for the name of the singer who sang the haunting Aayeega Aanewala."

Unless

Not a waste
Unless you have been living under a rock, you would know that the issue of plastic waste is a hot topic in Mumbai these days, what with the state government having banned single-use plastic items. Now, to further highlight the threat that this menace causes to the environment, an artist named Sage has created an installation made completely out of waste plastic, which is on display at Bandra Reclamation. It's an eerie monster, and the work is titled It Never Goes Away.

Kalki Kochelin

A step towards an inclusive society
Here's a move towards making India a more inclusive society. A rather unique workshop, TRANSaction: Free Acting Workshops for the Indian Transgender Community, will be held next week. The idea is to ensure that interested transgender people know how to navigate the film industry, be it understanding the casting procedure or meeting important people. The two experts conducting the workshops are actor Kalki Kochelin (in pic) and casting director Tess Joseph. We have often come across transgender people in Hindi films, but rarely have we seen such a high-profile workshop aimed directly at them. Kudos to the idea.

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Mumbai Crime: Pervert sends porn to Gujarati girls, arrested

The Aarey police have arrested a 21-year-old 'vyabhichar' (pervert) who allegedly targeted Gujarati girls on Facebook and sent them lewd messages and pornographic videos. The accused, identified as Riyaz Alam, was arrested on Sunday following a complaint by a 21-year-old Gujarati girl living in Goregaon East.

Sources from Aarey police revealed that the victim in this case came across Alam on Facebook a couple of months ago, but it was only since the last couple of days that he had started sending her obscene messages.

The accused is originally from Bhuj, Gujarat, but is currently a resident of Jogeshwari, and works in a garments shop. During the inquiry, the cops checked his Facebook and found that he would send friend requests to Gujarati women, and once they got familiar, he would send them pornographic material. Upon his arrest, the Aarey police realised that a similar case had already been lodged against him at the Jogeshwari police station as well last month, but the cops had been unable to find him. The Jogeshwari police are likely to ask for his custody next.

"We have arrested the accused under Sections 354A [sexual harassment] and 354D [stalking] of the IPC, and 67A [transmitting sexually explicit material] of the IT Act. He was remanded to judicial custody," said a cop from Aarey police.

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Maha Assembly congratulates ex-Prez Pranab Mukherjee for Bharat Ratna

The Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday congratulated former president Pranab Mukherjee and social activist Nanaji Deshmukh on being bestowed the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award. Mukherjee and Deshmukh were awarded the Bharat Ratna last month.

The House also lauded the achievements of noted filmmaker late Bhupen Hazarika, who was conferred the award posthumously. The congratulatory motion was moved by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Several members, including Ajit Pawar (NCP), Basavraj Patil (Congress), Ganpatrao Deshmukh (PWP) and Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena), spoke on the motion. Fadnavis said Mukherjee worked to preserve democratic and constitutional values in politics.

Lauding Hazarika, he said the filmmaker worked for the cultural development of the North East. PWD minister Eknath Shinde said Mukherjee was a trusted aide of former prime minister late Indira Gandhi. Congress member Prithviraj Chavan said in 1991, the party thought Mukherjee would be the finance minister, but Manmohan Singh was the "surprise choice".

"Mukherjee headed 95 high-powered committees and ministerial committees during the UPA tenure," he said. Transport Minister and Sena member Diwakar Raote appealed to the House to move a motion to recommend Bharat Ratna for freedom fighter late V D Savarkar.

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