Page 22 - Maharashtra

Roads connecting Nashik to be upgraded ahead of Simhastha Kumbh: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said all roads leading to Nashik will be upgraded ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, which will begin on October 31 next year. A high-level meeting concerning the highways connecting Nashik was held in the presence of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, a release from the Chief Minister's Office said on Sunday. Considering the large number of devotees and the need for traffic management during the mega congregation in Nashik, Gadkari has given in-principle approval for the development and construction of necessary road infrastructure through his ministry, it said. The Simhastha Kumbh Mela will begin on October 31, 2026, with Dhwajarohan' (flag hoisting) at Trimbakeshwar and Ramkund in Nashik. The flag will be taken down on July 24, 2028, marking the conclusion of the event, which is held once every 12 years. Citing the growing faith of devotees and expected rise in footfall during the Kumbh Mela, Fadnavis ha

US urges citizens to exercise 'increased caution' while travelling to India

The US has issued an advisory for its citizens travelling to India, urging increased caution due to crime and rape, and advising them not to travel to certain parts of central and eastern parts of the country due to terrorism. The travel advisory issued last week states that rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India and violent crimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations. It added that terrorists, who target tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls and government facilities, may attack with little or no warning. The advisory issued on June 16 further adds that the US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to its citizens in rural areas, which stretch from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal. The advisory also tells US citizens not to travel to parts of Central and East India due to terrorism. Maoist extremist groups, or Naxalites, are active in a large area of

Shinde has shown 'real Shiv Sena', says Amit Shah; Raut rubbishes claim

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has shown the "real Shiv Sena" to everybody, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said, drawing a sharp reaction from the Shiv Sena (UBT). Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday claimed Shah's remark had rubbed salt into the wounds of Marathi people. Shah made the remark on Friday while acknowledging the presence of Shinde at an event organised by the lobby grouping Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industries & Agriculture (MACCIA) here. The Bal Thackeray-founded party split in June 2022 after Shinde rebelled and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government under Uddhav Thackeray. Since then, the two factions have been engaged in an acrimonious battle to lay claim to the founder's legacy and be called the "real Shiv Sena". "Shinde has shown which is the real Shiv Sena to everybody," Shah said. The remarks come a day after both the Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray factions, now called Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT), ...

Sule demands independent body to deal with infra issues at Pune's IT park

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule has urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to establish an independent authority to address infrastructure-related issues in and around an IT park in Pune's Hinjawadi area. Known as the biggest IT hub in Pune's western part, Rajiv Gandhi IT Park houses big and small IT/ITES companies and other establishments, employing hundreds. In a letter to the chief minister on Friday, Sule said while the IT park is home to several leading global information technology companies and holds a prominent place on the global business map, it lacks a dedicated agency to oversee its infrastructure needs. "There is a significant delay in resolving infrastructure-related issues in the areas of Rajiv Gandhi IT Park, Hinjawadi, Maan, and Marunji. Citizens are compelled to follow up with multiple agencies such as the MIDC, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, PMRDA, Mahavitaran, Metro, and Police. Since many of the issues are interlinked, resolving them becomes ..

Veteran actor Vivek Lagoo passes away, Maha minister Shelar pays tribute

Vivek Lagoo was married to the famous actress, Reema Lagoo, who is known for her role in TV shows such as 'Shriman Shrimati'

Pandharpur Wari Palki Yatra 2025: Check dates, day-wise schedule and more

Pandharpur Wari is one of Maharashtra's most revered pilgrimages in honour of Lord Vishnu. This spiritual journey will culminate in the holy city of Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi on July 6, 2025

Juniper Energy commissions 59 MWp solar project in Maharashtra's Wardha

Juniper Green Energy on Wednesday announced the commissioning of the 59 MWp solar component of its 75 MW hybrid power project in Wardha, Maharashtra. The plant, commissioned on June 6, 2025, was completed 17 months ahead of schedule, a company statement said. The Juniper Green Power Five Project has a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) capacity of 75 MW, comprising a contracted 75 MW of solar and an additional 26.4 MW of installed wind capacity, according to the statement. The PPA was signed on November 18, 2024, with Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), and the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date (SCOD) is set for November 17, 2026, it added. The commissioning of this solar component marks a step towards the full operationalisation of the hybrid project. "The early commissioning of our Karanja Hybrid Project, following the successful delivery of the Chapalgaon plant, highlights our strong execution capabilities and commitment to timely project delivery

New rule makes Hindi a must in primary classes across Maharashtra

Under a new order, Hindi will be taught as a third language in Classes 1 to 5 across Marathi and English medium schools in Maharashtra

MHT CET results 2025 declared for PCM Group; PCB results on June 17

Maharashtra CET Cell has released MHT CET 2025 PCM results at cetcell.mahacet.org. PCB group results will be announced on June 17. Here are the steps to check the scorecard

Keep risk-prone tourist spots off-limits during monsoon: Maha chief secy

Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik has said the safety of tourists needs to be prioritised during the monsoon and dangerous or risky spots should be closed down temporarily. Saunik made the remarks on Monday, a day after four picnickers were killed in a bridge collapse in Pune. Along with putting up signboards at dangerous tourist spots, they should be temporarily closed until they are fully repaired with adequate security arrangements put in place, she said. Appropriate action should be taken against tourists who do not take precautions and ignore instructions of the administration or police, the senior IAS officer noted. She was reviewing the situation at a meeting following the collapse of an iron bridge over the Indrayani river at Kundmala, a popular tourist spot in Pune district's Maval tehsil on Sunday afternoon. Pune Divisional Commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar, District Collector Jitendra Dudi, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation Commissioner Shekhar Singh and

Collector declared Indrayani river bridge as unsafe, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the iron pedestrian bridge on the Indrayani River in Pune that collapsed, killing four persons, had been declared dangerous by the district collector, and warning boards had been put up at the site. Talking to reporters at an event in Palghar, Fadnavis said the contract for a new bridge at the site in Maval tehsil had been awarded, and work has begun. Four people died, and 18 were seriously injured when a 32-year-old iron pedestrian bridge over the Indrayani River in Maval tehsil collapsed on Sunday afternoon due to overcrowding by tourists. He said that the structure had been declared dangerous by the district collector before the incident, and villagers had also placed warning boards. Tourists might not have been aware of the severity of the bridge's condition, he said. The chief minister said that the administration had identified 500 dangerous locations, including bridges and water bodies, across Pune district for the

Fire in Daund-Pune shuttle train after passenger throws cigarette; held

A minor fire broke out in the lavatory of the moving Daund-Pune shuttle train on Monday morning after a passenger allegedly threw a lighted cigarette in a dustbin there, causing panic among passengers, police said. The blaze was quickly doused and no one was injured in the incident which occurred near Yavat in Pune district at around 8 am, an official from Daund railway police station said. A 55-year-old person, who prima-facie seemed to be mentally unstable, was detained in connection with the incident and handed over to police, a railway spokesperson said. The train was held up at Yavat station for about 20 minutes due to the incident, as per railway officials. The shuttle train service operates daily between Daund town and Pune city, covering a distance of nearly 75 km and passing through seven stations in between. As per preliminary information, a passenger from Madhya Pradesh allegedly threw a 'bidi' (hand-rolled thin cigarette) into a dustbin of the Daund-Pune DEMU (Diesel .

Police continue search operation at Pune bridge collapse site

Police on Monday continued the search operation at the site where an iron bridge collapsed on the Indrayani River in Pune district, even as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) called off its efforts. Four people died, and 18 were seriously injured when a 32-year-old bridge over the Indrayani River in Maval tehsil collapsed on Sunday afternoon. "Since all missing persons have been accounted for as per directions of the district administration, the search operation has been closed," an NDRF official said. According to the authorities, the iron structure collapsed due to overcrowding by tourists who ignored the warning board at the spot. More than 100 people were on the bridge, a popular spot for tourists and picnickers, when it collapsed around 3.30 pm in Kundamala, which received heavy rains in the last few days, giving the river a steady flow, officials said. "While there is no possibility of anyone still being missing, as a precautionary step, we are continuing the search

Crowd in middle swept away in river: Survivor recalls Pune bridge fall

The man recalled that the people standing in the middle of the bridge were swept away in the Indrayani River

Pune bridge collapse: 4 dead, 51 injured as old structure fails under rush

The incident occurred at 3:15 pm; we were informed by 3:30 pm. A 250-member team began rescue ops and has rescued around 38 people so far, said District Collector Jitendra Dudi

Heavy rains kill eight in Maharashtra, disrupt life across Karnataka

At least eight persons were killed, mostly due to lightning strikes, as heavy rains pummelled parts of Maharashtra, officials said on Sunday. The weather department has issued a red alert for the coastal districts of Ratnagiri and Raigad and an orange alert for Palghar, Thane, and Sindhudurg, and ghat areas of Pune, Satara and Kolhapur, they said. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been stationed for rescue operations. As per the state disaster management report, Ratnagiri recorded the highest rainfall at 88.1 mm, followed by Raigad with 65.3 mm, Sindhudurg with 43.8 mm, Thane with 29.6 mm, and Yavatmal with 27.5 mm, in 24 hours ending at 11 am. According to authorities, eight people have lost their lives, and 10 have suffered injuries in different parts of the state. Fatalities, mostly due to lightning strikes, were reported in Mumbai, Sindhudurg, Dhule, Nashik, Sambhajinagar, Nandurbar, and Amravati, they said. A

MSC Bank sets up country's first cyber security operations centre

In a move to bolster digital resilience in the cooperative banking sector, the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSC Bank) has established the country's first cyber-security operation centre (C-SOC) to provide protection against increasing cyber threats. The facility, Sahakar Suraksha, has been set up in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, at a cost of Rs 50 crore, a senior official said. In an interview with PTI, MSC Bank Chairman Vidyadhar Anaskar said the bank's decision to launch the C-SOC stemmed from a pressing need to protect cooperative banks and their customers from cyber fraud. "There have been more than 10 lakh cyber attacks on cooperative banks in recent years, causing financial losses running into crores. One particular fraud alone caused a loss of around Rs 50 crore," he said. Anaskar said most cooperative and rural banks are ill-equipped to build robust cyber defence infrastructure. "They neither have the technical manpower nor the funds. That is why we have developed a shared ..

Maha working with 5 more foreign universities to set up campuses in MMR: CM

The Maharashtra government grants letters of intent to five foreign varsities to set up campuses in Navi Mumbai, a part of MMR

Maha working with 5 more foreign universities to set up campuses in MMR: CM

The Maharashtra government grants letters of intent to five foreign varsities to set up campuses in Navi Mumbai, a part of MMR

Breach of privilege proceedings to begin against Kunal Kamra soon

The breach of privilege proceedings against stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra over his parody song targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will begin soon, a senior official said on Saturday. BJP legislator Pravin Darekar had moved the notice against the comedian and Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare in the state legislative council during the budget session in March. Legislature secretary Jitendra Bhole said, "Legislative council chairperson Ram Shinde has forwarded the notice to the privilege committee headed by BJP MLC Prasad Lad." When contacted, Lad told PTI that the committee headed by him met to discuss the breach of privilege notice, and he had initiated the process of issuing notice to Kamra and Andhare. In March, Kamra, known for his no-holds-barred stand-up comedy at the expense of politicians and celebrities, incurred the wrath of Shinde's supporters in March with a song targeting the Shiv Sena president.