Mumbai updates: Amid demands for declaration of wet drought, Maha Govt to provide financial aid to farmers hit by rains in Oct

Mumbai: Amid demands for declaration of wet drought, Maha Govt to provide financial aid to farmers hit by rains in Oct

Maharashtra: Shinde-Fadnavis govt reveals plan for new prison, seven new police stations in Mumbai

Maha: Govt official held for taking Rs 7,000 bribe from bank recovery agent

A revenue department official was arrested on Wednesday at Karjat in Raigad district of Maharashtra for allegedly accepting Rs 7,000 bribe from a bank loan recovery agent, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said. 

The accused official, who was posted at Kasheli in Karjat, was caught red-handed at his office. 

The complainant is the recovery agent of the State Bank of India (SBI). As per the court's directions, he wanted to seal a property in Karjat for which he sought the help of the accused, a circle officer, the ACB said.

Mumbai logs 85 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death; active tally at 584

Mumbai on Wednesday added 85 fresh cases of COVID-19, while one more patient succumbed to the infection in the city, the local civic body said.

With these additions, the city's overall coronavirus tally rose to 11,54,167, while the death toll increased to 19,740, said a health bulletin issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Thane Police clocks response time of 4:20 minutes in Oct, best in Maha

The city police ranked first in Maharashtra by clocking the response time of 4.20 minutes to distress calls in October, the city police commissionerate said on Wednesday. 

It also said the Thane police modernised the Maharashtra Emergency Response System (MERC) with 45 four-wheelers and 60 two-wheelers fitted with GPS. 

"The response time to calls from citizens in distress in October stood at 4.20 minutes," an official release said.

The police control room on average receives 250 to 300 calls per day. A total of 8,175 calls were received in October which was duly attended to, it said.

FPJ EXCLUSIVE: Green panel clears diversion of 132.102 ha for road project connecting Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district to Telangana

Mumbai: Housekeeping manager held for stealing valuables worth Rs 46 lakh in Kandivali

Three-year-old girl falls unconscious while playing in Mumbai mall, dies

A three-year-old girl fell unconscious while playing in the kids zone of a shopping mall on Wednesday afternoon in suburban Ghatkopar and later died, a police official said. 

The cause of her death was not immediately known, he said.

According to the Pant Nagar police station official, the girl had come to Neelyog Mall with her family members. She was playing in the kids zone of the mall along with other children when she suddenly fell unconscious.

HC permits sale of liquor after 6 pm on Nov 6 when votes would be counted for Andheri East Assembly bypoll 

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday allowed hotels and liquor stores in the suburban area of Andheri to sell liquor after declaration of result or by 6 pm, whichever is earlier, on November 6 for the by-election to the Andheri East Assembly constituency.

A vacation bench of Justices N R Borkar and Kamal Khata was hearing two petitions filed by the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association as well as Association of Progressive Retail Liquor Vendors against a notification issued by the Maharashtra state excise department on October 18 prohibiting sale of liquor from November 1 to 3 (day of election) and on November 6 (counting and declaration of results).

Wish to live like common citizen, says Amruta Fadnavis, declines traffic clearance vehicle

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's wife Amruta on Wednesday declined to avail services of a traffic clearance pilot vehicle provided to her as part of a security upgrade, saying she wishes to live like a common citizen.

Amruta Fadnavis, a banker by profession, said though the traffic condition in Mumbai is frustrating, things are likely to change for better once ongoing infrastructure development projects are completed by the Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

AQI reading of prominent areas of Mumbai shows air quality 'Poor'

Below are the AQI readings of prominent areas in Mumbai:

LOCATIONS Status AQI-US PM2.5 PM10 Temp Humid
Bandra East POOR 159 71 136 34 34
Deonar POOR 149 55 133 34 34
Juhu POOR 158 70 136 34 34
Borivali POOR 166 84 105 34 34
Nerul POOR 159 71 119 34 34
Colaba  POOR 153 74 141 34 34
Kurla  POOR 158 69 69 34 34

Decision on Sanjay Raut's bail plea on November 9 in money laundering case

Nashik: Man found murdered at home 

A 38-year-old government employee has been found murdered at home in the city, police said on Wednesday.

Sanjay Vasantrao Waykande, the deceased, worked with the state Water Resources Department and lived with his wife and two children in a government colony on Dindori Road, said an official.

He was alone at home for the last few days as his wife had gone to her parents' house with their children to celebrate Diwali.

When she returned on Tuesday night, she found him lying dead, the official said.

Three cow carcasses found in a forest near Aarey Colony Unit 17 in Goregaon area of Mumbai. Vanrai Police reached the spot & took the carcasses in their possession to send for post-mortem. Case filed against unidentified people u/s 429 IPC; probe on: Mumbai Police (ANI)

I was in Bharat Joda Yatra, we already crossed Char Minar. I was moving towards stage when Rahul Gandhi's convoy came, police panicked & pushed me. I fell near a barricade & sustained injuries. I started bleeding & was finally taken to hospital: Congress leader Nitin Raut who was hurt during the Yatra and later hospitalised.

Minor boy from Mumbai drowns in Goa hotel swimming pool  

Panaji: A six-year-old boy from Mumbai who was holidaying with his parents in Goa drowned in the swimming pool of a hotel in North Goa district, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place at the hotel located in Candolim area on Tuesday following which police received a call, Calangute police inspector Dattaguru Sawant told reporters.

The body was later sent for an autopsy, he said. The boy and his parents had arrived in Goa a couple of days back, police said. (PTI)

Maharashtra government plans to set up new prison in city

The Maharashtra government is planning to set up a new prison and seven new police stations in Mumbai, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said.

A discussion on the requirement of new jails in state capital Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune was held with officials of the police department on Tuesday, Fadnavis tweeted after the meeting. At present, there is only one Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.

"Best quality work in stipulated time is expected," Fadnavis, who also holds charge of the state home department, told the police brass. He assured that there will be no shortage of funds from the government for police housing.

Mira Bhayandar: Illegal hawkers, parked vehicles take over internal roads in the twin city

The Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar traffic management policies are stuck in limbo, making the bad traffic situation in the regions worse.

Commuting on some of the internal roads and stretches of highways passing through the twin-cities has become a virtual nightmare for motorists and pedestrians as the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation's (MBMC) much-hyped traffic management policy has remained on paper for the past two years.

The traffic management scenario in the area under Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) jurisdiction is the same, with most internal roads taken over by illegal hawkers or being used to park vehicles illegally.

Residents urged the officials to take action against the hawkers and service centres set up illegally to clear the traffic congestion.

Read the FPJ Special on Traffic here

Fire broke out on the terrace of Chhabildas English Medium School on Nov 2 due to an explosion in an LPG gas cylinder. Three people got injured & admitted to Sion Hospital. Two cars parked on the school premises damaged: BMC

Shah Rukh Khan greets fans outside Mannat on his 57th birthday with youngest son AbRam by his side

Due to bottleneck lane, vehicular movement is slow at Wadala Bridge: Mumbai traffic cops

New Seat Belt Rule in Mumbai: Cops provide a breather for 10 days; only 204 e-challans issued on Day 1

A total of 204 e-challans were issued by the Mumbai Traffic Police on the first day of newly made seat belt amendment.

While the provision of wearing seat belts for everyone in a vehicle still stands strong, the Mumbai Traffic Police on Tuesday provided a breather for people for the next 10 days, in order to make them more aware and gear up for the enforcement of the rule.

The deadline for enforcement is from today and the police said on Monday that they will act against those not wearing the belt despite having it.

“Throughout these 10 days, citizens will be made aware of the importance of seat belts, be it through traffic personnel on roads, and social media. This way, they will slowly get accustomed to the idea, and understand the need for it, for their own benefit,” said a senior official in Mumbai Traffic Police.

East bound traffic at JVLR near Green Field Signal towards Powai is congested heavily; commuters please travel accordingly.

BMC cancels Rs. 5,800 crore tender meant for concretising 400 kilometer city roads

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cancelled the tenders worth Rs. 5,800 crores that were invited in August to concretise of 400 kilometer roads across the city.

The tenders were cancelled as due to low response from the bidders who blamed the stringent conditions laid by the civic body. So the civic authority has decided to re-examine the terms and conditions and will then start the retendering process fresh.

In order to make the city pothole-free the BMC has decided to concretise the roads in Mumbai. As per the direction of chief minister Eknath Shinde, the civic body collectively invited five tenders for different roads.

Contractors who are experienced in constructing state and national highways were invited to participate in the tender process.