Tag: mumbai

Wine shops and bars to remain shut for 4 days in Mumbai in 4 weeks, check details

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Ahead of the fifth phase of the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the administration in Mumbai city has reportedly announced dry days to be observed from May 18 to 20. Maharashtra will go to polls in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha Elections on May 20. Here’s a look at when dry days will be observed in Mumbai.

Wine shops and bars will remain shut in Mumbai city on May 18 from 5 pm onwards. They will continue to be shut on May 19 and will open only on May 20 at 5 pm.

On the day of polling, all wine shops and bars will remain shut through the day. The restrictions on sale of alcohol are in place to maintain public order. Moreover, a dry day will again be observed in Mumbai on June 4, amid counting of votes, until the results are declared.

Also read: Metro services to remain suspended from 6 pm on May 15 due to PM Modi’s Mumbai Roadshow

Mumbai North Lok Sabha district has around 16 lakh voters and has considerable sway in Maharashtra politics. It covers key segments like Borivali, Dahisar, Kandivali East, Charkop, and Malad West.

Traditionally, the BJP has dominated this parliamentary constituency, with Ram Naik winning the seat on five occasions.

Drones, paragliders banned during PM Modi’s visits to Mumbai

Meanwhile, in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visits to Mumbai, the police have banned the use of drones, paragliders, balloons, kites and remote-controlled microlight aircraft in the city, an official said on May 15. PM Modi is scheduled to hold a campaign roadshow in Ghatkopar in eastern Mumbai on Wednesday and address a public meeting in the city on Friday.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) has issued prohibitory orders banning the flying objects under section 144 of CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) from 00.01 hrs till 24.00 hrs of May 15 (Wednesday) and May 17 (Friday), the official said. According to the orders, it is apprehended that during PM Modi’s visits to Mumbai, terrorist/anti-social elements might launch attack using drones, paragliders, remote-controlled microlight aircraft and there is a likelihood breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquillity.

There is a grave danger to human life, health, safety and injury to public property on that account, as per the orders. A large number of VIPs and officials are expected to attend PM’s programmes on Wednesday and Friday.

According to the orders, the curbs will be in force under the jurisdiction of Vikhroli, Kanjurmarg, Parksite, Ghatkopar, Pant Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Chembur, Chunabhatti, BKC, Kherwadi, Vakola, Vile Parle, Sahar, Airport, Bandra, Worli, Mahim, Dadar and Shivaji Park police stations in Mumbai.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Mumbai hoarding collapse: Two more bodies located under debris; search and rescue ops still on

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Two more bodies have been located under the debris at the site of a giant hoarding collapse in Mumbai as the search and rescue operation continued more than 40 hours after the incident, officials said on Wednesday, May 15.

The bodies were spotted last night at the hoarding crash site in Ghatkopar, but were yet to be pulled out, they said.

The illegal hoarding that stood on a piece of land in possession of the Government Railway Police (GRP) crashed on a petrol pump in Chheda Nagar area on Monday evening (May 13) when the city was hit by dust storms and unseasonal rains.

Rescue teams had earlier extricated 89 persons from under the collapsed hoarding, of whom 14 were declared dead while the other 75 were injured, as per officials.

National Disaster Response Force’s (NDRF) Assistant Commandant Nikhil Mudholkar told PTI on Wednesday, “We have spotted two bodies stuck under the third girder (of the collapsed hoarding) but we are facing difficulties in reaching the spot. One needs to crawl to reach there.” “We have removed the first girder after cutting it overnight and are now removing the debris with the help of earthmovers and excavators,” he said.

The NDRF personnel will now cut the second girder and there are more than five such girders (at the crash site), he said.

After removing the girders it will be known how many people are still trapped, the official said.

On Wednesday morning, a small fire broke out at the incident site during the search and rescue operation, but it was immediately doused by the fire tenders deployed there, an NDRF official said.

“There was a small fire but it was extinguished immediately,” the official said.

.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

BMC begins audit of all hoardings, says GRP permitted ‘illegal’ billboard in Ghatkopar

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In the aftermath of the devastating collapse of a billboard in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar, claiming the lives of 14 and leaving over 30 injured, authorities are embroiled in a dispute over accountability. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) pointed fingers at the Government Railway Police (GRP), alleging that the tragedy was exacerbated by their approval of the billboard installation.

Sudhakar Shinde, Additional Commissioner of BMC, told CNBC-TV18 that the corporation has initiated a comprehensive audit of all billboards across Mumbai, with the removal of illegal structures already underway. Regarding the collapsed hoarding, he said that the land in question belonged to the GRP, and neither the police nor the advertising agency sought permission from the BMC.

“We contested this in court, asserting that any authority authorising billboards must involve the BMC and share rental proceeds. However, the court ruled in favour of the GRP. BMC has now challenged this decision in the Supreme Court,” Shinde explained.

Responding to criticisms about BMC’s failure to act on the illegal hoarding, Shinde said that the Bombay High Court had previously ruled that the corporation lacked jurisdiction over the billboard situated on GRP land. However, following the tragedy and under the Disaster Management Act, BMC can now intervene since its their jurisdiction.

GRP Commissioner Ravindra Sisave confirmed that an internal inquiry has been launched, acknowledging the authorisation granted to Ego Media for the billboard’s installation over a decade ago. However, he refuted claims that the GRP had received notices to penalize the advertising agency.

Amidst the blame-shifting, GRP’s assertion that permission was granted by the former commissioner, Qaiser Khalid, contrasts with BMC’s documentation indicating their communication with the police department to remove the illegal structure and take action against Ego Media.

The BMC claimed that they had filed an FIR against Ego Media in 2023 and it was police’s responsibility after that.

The fatal incident occurred when a 100-foot tall billboard collapsed onto a petrol pump in Ghatkopar, an area where civic officials deemed the hoarding illegal due to its lack of BMC authorisation. Mumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Bhushan Gagrani reiterated the illegality of the hoarding, emphasising that the incident site hosted multiple billboards, one of which collapsed tragically.

According to BMC officials, the hoarding measuring 120 x 120 feet crashed on the petrol pump at around 4:30 pm. An official said the civic body doesn’t permit any hoarding measuring above 40 x 40 feet.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Mumbai Hoarding Collapse Latest Updates: 14 dead, 75 injured, NDRF completes rescue operations

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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At least 14 people were killed and 75 others were injured after a large billboard collapsed onto people during heavy rain and thunderstorms in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area. The National Disaster Response Force said the rescue operation is completed and no more people are stuck in the rubble.

The rains, accompanied by high winds, caused the 30-meters-tall (100-foot-tall) billboard to fall over a gas station in the suburb of Ghatkopar on Monday evening.

Police are investigating the incident and say the billboard was illegally installed.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the spot of the hoarding collapse incident in Ghatkopar late in the evening and ordered a structural audit of all hoardings in Mumbai city. He also announced ₹5 lakh to the kin of the deceased.

Here are the latest updates:

#The Mumbai civic body on Tuesday said it would take action against all hoardings erected without its permission. No action was taken in the past against the giant hoarding that crashed on a petrol pump in Chheda Nagar area on Monday evening as a dispute was going on between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Government Railway Police (GRP), an official said. The drive will start with the removal of the remaining three hoardings on the GRP land in Ghatkopar, said municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on Tuesday after visiting the site where rescue operation is underway.

#The death toll in the hoarding collapse incident in Mumbai has risen to 14 while 75 others are injured, civic officials on Tuesday said as rescue and search operations continued a day after the tragedy. Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar assured strict action against those responsible for the incident, while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said it will take down the remaining billboards on the GRP land where the hoarding collapsed.

# The National Disaster Response Force said the rescue operation is completed and no more people are stuck in the rubble. It will take two days to clear out the rubble. The deceased included passerbys who stopped to take shelter at the petrol pump and workers of the petrol pump. Over 80 vehicles and an oil tanker have been crushed at the site.

# An FIR is registered in the hoarding collapse incident.

# BMC Additional Commissioner Sudhakar Shinde told CNBC-TV18 that it has started an audit of all the hoardings in Mumbai. The removal of illegal hoardings has started in the city.

On hoarding collapse incident, he said that the land belonged to the GRP. Neither the GRP nor the ad agency informed or took any permission from the BMC, he said.

“We challenged this in the court, stating that any authority granting permission for hoardings should keep BMC in the loop, and BMC should get its share of rent. The court ordered in the GRP’s favour. The BMC has challenged this in the Supreme Court,” he added.

# On the issue of BMC not removing the hoarding, Shinde said the Bombay High court made it very clear to the corporation that this hoarding was not their business. The court said that BMC’s permission was not required for this hoarding as it was on GRP’s land and it could not remove the hoarding.

“Now we can intervene because the tragedy happened and as per the Disaster Management Act, now it’s our jurisdiction,” he said.

# Hoarding owner Bhavesh Bhinde is missing and his phone is switched off, a media report said.

# The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has claimed that the permission to put the illegal hoarding was given by ACP (admin), GRP Mumbai division. the BMC has claimed that the municipal body wrote to the GRP on May 9 asking them to remove the illegal hoarding.

# The BMC claimed they had filed an FIR against Ego Media last year. The BMC says that after that, it was the police’s responsibility

# Mumbai GRP Commissioner Ravindra Sisave told CNBC-TV18 that an internal inquiry has been ordered into the matter.

# GRP admitted that it had granted permission to Ego Media to put up the hoarding. GRP permitted Ego Media to place the hoarding for 10 years.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PM Modi to hold roadshow in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar on May 15; here’s traffic advisory

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow in Ghatkopar in the Mumbai North East constituency on Wednesday, May 15. It will be a 2.5 km long roadshow starting from 8 pm from Shreyas Cinema on LBS Marg to Gandhi Market.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has nominated Mihir Kotecha from the seat which will go to polls on May 20 with other Mumbai seats in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha election.

Here’s the traffic advisory:

The Mumbai Traffic Police said no vehicles will be allowed on LBS Road from Gandhi Nagar Junction to Naupada Junction and on Mahul-Ghatkopar road from Meghraj Juntion to RB Kadam Junction from 2 pm to 10 pm.

Other roads that will be closed are – Andheri Ghatkopar Link Road from Ghatkopar Junction to Sakinaka Junction, Gulati petrol pump junction from Hiranandani Kailas Complex Road and from Golibar Maidan and Ghatkopar Metro Station (West) towards Sarvodaya Junction.

A list of alternate routes has been marked to avoid inconvenience to commuters. These are Eastern Express Highway, Western Express Highway, Andheri-Kurla Road, Saki Vihar road, MIDC Central road, Chembur-Santacruz Link road, Sion-Bandra Link road and Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link road.

Modi will be addressing a rally first at Dindori and then at Kalyan before coming to Ghatkopar for the roadshow.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

IMD cites network issue for delayed warning for Mumbai region storms

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Mumbai Thane, Navi Mumbai, Palghar and nearby regions, on Monday afternoon, experienced sudden thunderstorms, duststorms, speedy winds and rainfall.

Though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) claims that it had issued an alert for thunderstorms for the regions on May 10, its website didn’t indicate the storm’s intensity. A source told CNBC-TV18 that IMD upgraded its warning after the storm had started.

The storm started from Thane around 3.30 pm as per reports and took over Mumbai within minutes. “This is a seasonal feature. It’s caused by the trough line formed in Madhya Maharashtra and the Konkan belt. Madhya Maharashtra will witness hail and thunderstorms and the Konkan belt will witness rains. This is expected to settle down in the next 2-3 hours. We have issued Yellow and Orange alerts for Madhya Maharashtra and Konkan belt,” IMD Mumbai told CNBC-TV18.

The department shared a warning at 4 pm stating that a thunderstorm with lightning and moderate to intense spells of rain, with gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph, was highly probable in isolated areas of Thane and Satara in the next 3-4 hours.

For the delay, IMD sources told CNBC-TV18 that the warning was issued on time but due to network problems, the website could not reflect it in time.

Additionally, IMD Mumbai confirmed that this had nothing to do with the solar storm affecting the northern parts of the country.

“The storm in Mumbai, Palghar, Thane, Navi Mumbai and other parts is caused by wind discontinuity. The winds are flowing from opposite directions (North to South and South to North). This is causing the storm. This is not caused by high temperatures. The storm will settle down in the next couple of hours,” it added.

Also Read: IMD Monsoon update: Southwest Monsoon set to advance; heat wave expected in Northwest India

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Soon, high-speed boats will reduce travel time to Lakshadweep from mainland India to just seven hours

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Lakshadweep is slowly becoming one of India’s most sought-after beach destinations, thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s holiday on the scenic islands at the start of the year. The islands can be reached via a two-and-half hour flight from Bengaluru or a 5-hour flight from Mumbai via Bengaluru. However, travellers can now take a highspeed boat from Mangaluru to reach Lakshadweep in just seven hours. Yes, you read that right!

The time to travel from Mangaluru to Lakshdweep has been reduced from the earlier 13 hours to just seven thanks to the high-speed vessel “Parali”, which recently completed a trip from Lakshadweep Islands to the Mangaluru old port in just seven hours.

The vessel took five hours less to complete the trip from the previous 13-hour journey, as part of an experimental run. Passengers aboard HSC Parali were happy with the experience, while PTI reported that they were happy about the enhanced speed and smoother ride compared to previous vessels, which were cargo carriers modified to cater to passenger transport.

Also read: Planning a trip to Lakshadweep islands? Here are things to explore while on a holiday

The Lakshadweep Islands Tourism Development Authority, established under the Central Tourism Ministry, plans to commence regular tourist liner services between Mangaluru and Lakshadweep following several trial runs. However, concerns remain about the sea conditions during the monsoon season. Moreover, efforts are being made to upgrade facilities at the arrival point in Kadmatt, which is the nearest port to mainland India, in anticipation of increased tourist traffic.

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep earlier this year, initiatives have been undertaken to improve connectivity between the mainland cities of Kochi and Mangaluru and the island territory. This endeavour aims to facilitate various forms of tourism, including eco-tourism in the Western Ghats, educational tours, healthcare tourism, and recreational activities for residents of Lakshadweep.

Also read: Not just Lakshadweep, Indians need a special permit to visit these places in India

The archipelago of Lakshadweep including 36 islands has over 32 square kilometres of land surrounded by a 4,200 square kilometre lagoon that boasts a rich marine ecosystem and cultural heritage.

PTI quoted sources from Lakshadweep’s administration as saying that efforts are being made to minimise the environmental impact of coastal tourism while ensuring sustainable development. The introduction of passenger vessels like the M.V. Aminidevi has opened up new avenues for tourism, particularly benefiting travellers from Begaluru, Mysuru, Panaji, and Mumbai who can now conveniently depart from Mangaluru to explore Lakshadweep.

Tourism authorities have introduced modern facilities on three islands closer to Mangalore to enhanced tourist convenience. Activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, diving, and culinary experiences await visitors at Kadmatt. With the hope of attracting tourists from Bengaluru, special weekend packages have been devised to offer a rejuvenating getaway at affordable prices.

Previously, only cargo ships serviced the route between the mainland and Lakshadweep.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

10% discount on fare on Mumbai Metro lines 2 and 7A on May 20

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL) on Friday, May 3, announced a 10% discount on tickets for commuters on May 20 when the city goes to polls in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

As per a release issued by the MMMOCL, passengers travelling on Metro line 2A and line 7 can avail of a 10% discount on polling day.

Five Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai will vote in the final phase of the general election on May 20.

The MMMOCL operates metro line 2A between Andheri (west) and Dahisar (east) and line 7 between Dahisar (east) and Andheri (east).

The initiative will boost voter turnout through the systematic voter education and electoral participation (SVEEP) programme to encourage Metro commuters to fulfil their civic duty and vote in elections, the release stated.

Commuters using Mumbai One cards, paper QR and paper tickets to travel to polling stations can avail of the 10 per cent discount on the base fare on their return journey after voting, it said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow