BMC launches inquiry into misuse of 12 gardens adopted by World Renewal Spiritual Trust
The BMC informed the Bombay High Court (HC) that it has initiated an inquiry into a complaint regarding the misuse of 12 gardens adopted by a private organisation across the city. The gardens were given to develop and maintain under the civic body's adoption scheme.
A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Madhav Jamdar was hearing a PIL filed by retired army officer Captain Haresh Gaglani.
The retired army officer had alleged that the BMC did not take action against World Renewal Spiritual Trust (Brahma Kumaris) for misuse of the gardens and to recover commercial charges / taxes from it. The charges were payable from the date of agreement till the gardens are vacated, with penalties levied.
BMC takes up hospital cleaning work, will spend Rs 74 cr
The BMC has taken up the responsibility of cleaning hospitals in the city for which the civic body will outsource the cleaning work at seven civic-run hospitals to private agencies. The contractor will have to appoint 25 cleaners per one lakh square feet of the hospital premises. The cleaning work will be carried out in three shifts. The agency will be hired for three years at the estimated cost of a total of Rs. 74 crores.
The civic body will appoint private cleaners for major hospitals like KEM at Parel, Sion, Nair general and Nair dental at Mumbai Central, Cooper hospital in Vile Parle, Jogeshwari's Trauma hospital and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar hospital in Kandivali.
"The pilot project of hiring a private agency for cleanliness in KEM hospital turned out successful in 2015. So the BMC started hiring a private agency for major hospitals," said a civic official.
MSRTC to run 1500 buses to accommodate rush of commuters
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) decided to run close to 1500 extra bus services across the state on Diwali to compete with private operators. Out of which, 228 buses will run from Mumbai.
In order to accommodate the Diwali rush of commuters, these buses to various destinations across the state will run between October 21 and October 31, 2022.
A total of 1,494 buses will be operated by the Aurangabad division of the MSRTC, followed by the Pune division with 368 buses, Nagpur division with 274 buses, Mumbai division with 228 buses, Nagpur division with 195 buses, and Amravati division with 71 buses.
Weather update: City, suburbs to see light to moderate rainfall for next 48 hours
The India Meterological Department has forecasted the city and suburbs will see light to moderate rainfall for the next two days. The weather agency said that on Saturday, toward afternoon or night there's a possibility of thunderstorms.
The temperature is expected to hover between 25 degrees Celcius and 32 degrees Celcius.
Transport department intensifies drive against erring buses
After the Nashik fire incident in which 13 persons died, the Maharashtra State transport department has intensified its drive against buses which are flouting norms.
The department has caught 48 private buses ferrying extra passengers (more than permitted) and 139 running without fitness certificates. Apart from that during a special checking drive between October 9 to October 12, 151 private buses were found running without proper emergency exits.
"Nearly 50 regional transport officers across the state have been provided special squads, vehicles and equipment to check overloading, fitness, the status of mandatory installation of road safety devices, permits and licences of buses. Appropriate action is being taken against the violators" said a senior officer of state transport department.
Cyber attack hits IT systems of Tata Power; preventive checks underway
Tata Power on Friday said that a cyber attack has hit its Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and affected its systems.
Tata Power Company Limited had a cyber attack on its IT infrastructure impacting some of its IT systems, a BSE filing from the Mumbai-headquartered company said.
The company has taken steps to retrieve and restore the systems, it informed.
Thane: Two died due to lightning in Bhiwandi
Two people from Mauje at Chiradpada village, Bhiwandi in Thane district lost their lives due to lightning and heavy rains in the evening on Friday, October 14.
The incident took place when the deceased went fishing at the Bhatsa river.
Nature in focus at Eco-Ganesha awards
Friday evening was to felicitate those who went the extra step to ensure that the Ganpati festival was celebrated in an eco-friendly manner in their houses and societies.
At the third edition of the Eco-Ganesha BMC Awards 2022, organised jointly by The Free Press Journal, sister publication Navshakti and the BMC, 21 people were awarded, including one with the BMC Choice Award.
GN Saibaba acquittal: Bombay HC rejects sessions court observations
While acquitting GN Saibaba and five others, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court expressed disapproval of the observations in the sessions court order which convicted the Delhi University professor to life sentence.
The sessions court, while convicting them, had said that Saibaba and two other accused possessed Naxal literature with the intent and purpose of circulation. Their main aim was to incite the people to resort to violence.
Supreme Court suspends Bombay HC order acquitting GN Saibaba in Maoist Link case
Thane Police have arrested the auto driver Katikadala alias Raju Abbayi who is accused of molesting a woman in Thane on 14th October. The incident was caught on a CCTV camera. The police team arrested the accused from Digha,Navi Mumbai and also seized his auto rickshaw
During the period 15th October, 2022 to 31st May, 2023, due to the repair work undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, P.I. Movement of heavy vehicles (except ambulances, fire brigade and other essential service vehicles) will be prohibited on Lokhande Marg: Mumbai Traffic cops
Bengaluru-bound Akasa Air flight returns safely to Mumbai after suffering bird hit
An Akasa Air Boeing 737MAX flying from Mumbai to Bengaluru on Saturday reportedly returned to the origin due to a burning smell in the cabin.
An examination on the aircraft (VT-YAE) was done after it returned safely to Mumbai. It was learned that the problem was caused due to a bird hit.
Times of India quoted a senior DGCA official as saying, "Flight AKJ-1103 had an air turnback due to burning smell in the cabin. The smell increased as the thrust was increased. However no other abnormality, including in engine parameters, was observed. After landing during inspection, bird remains were found on engine number 1. The burning smell was due to the bird strike."
MNS President Raj Thackeray meets Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Special meeting organized to discuss healthcare issues
Thane district guardian minister Shamburaj Desai on October 15 took the review of women's safety at Thane's Police Commissionerate.
Desai instructed that the police officials should prepare an action plan for the safety of women. The meeting comes after an incident of auto driver sexually harassing a girl came to light.
Andheri by-poll: State government declares public holiday on November 3
The Maharashtra government on Saturday declared a public holiday for the Andheri East Assembly constituency on the day of the bypoll to be held on November 3, an official said.
In an official release, the district election officer stated that this holiday will be applicable to Central and state government offices, semi-government offices, public enterprises, banks and others.
The holiday will also apply to voters who work outside the limits of the Assembly constituency, the release stated.
Maha: Fadnavis welcomes SC decision to suspend HC order on Saibaba's acquittal in Maoist links case
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to suspend the Bombay High Court's order of acquitting former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba and others in a Maoist links case.
Raj Thackeray meets Eknath Shinde at 'Varsha'
'Brain is more dangerous, direct involvement is not necessary', SC during hearing in Prof G N Saibaba case
Mumbai: Former education minister Varsha Gaikwad, Raj Thackeray meet CM Eknath Shinde, set off political speculation
Maha sees 462 COVID-19 cases, no death; active tally 2,818 as 403 recover
Maharashtra on Saturday reported 462 COVID-19 cases, which took the state's tally to 81,27,259, while the death toll stood unchanged at 1,48,371, a health department official said.
