Page 79 - Mumbai

Woman held at Mumbai airport trying to smuggle cocaine worth Rs 4.9 crore

The Customs department has arrested a woman passenger at the Mumbai international airport for trying to smuggle cocaine worth Rs 4.9 crore by hiding it in the cavity of her sandal, an official said on Saturday. The incident occurred on Thursday, in which 490 grams of cocaine was recovered from her, he said. The woman was intercepted by the Customs officials at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on the basis of suspicion. During the search, the officials found the cocaine ingeniously concealed in a special cavity made in her sandal, the Mumbai Customs department said in a tweet. The passenger was arrested and remanded in judicial custody, it added. Details about the accused and her destination are awaited.

Mumbai needs 'single planning authority' for pothole-free roads: BMC to HC

Mumbai cannot be pothole-free till the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation becomes the "single planning authority" to look after the maintenance of roads, the civic body in the metropolis told the Bombay High Court on Friday. In a presentation to a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik, BMC commissioner Iqbal Chahal said 2,050 kilometres of the city are in the civic body's jurisdiction and some 500 kilometres with 15 other agencies. "The problem is, apart from the BMC, we have 15 other agencies who own 500 kilometres of road. I am not supposed to spend my fund on this. Most complaints are from these areas. If these 15 agencies do not pull up their socks then we will not have a pothole-free city," Chahal said. "I have written to the state government saying the entire planning and maintenance should be handed over to BMC for holistic development. I have proposed to the state government to hand over the entire planning and development work of the city to t

Mumbai to be transformed in 90 days under Swachha Maharashtra campaign: CM

Mumbai would undergo a transformation in 90 days under the new urban renewal plan unveiled by the state government, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said here on Friday. He was speaking after the launch of the Swachha Maharashtra Abhiyan (Urban) 2.0 here. Cleanliness in cities should become a mass movement, Shinde said, adding that sanitation workers are the brand ambassadors of the new campaign. His government has prepared an ambitious plan for Mumbai's transformation under which 450 roads will be concretised and the health infrastructure in the city will be strengthened, the chief minister said. Speaking on the occasion, deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said cities are centres of growth which generate employment. Under the Swachha Maharashtra campaign, the state's urban areas would be completely transformed, he said. The campaign is modelled on the Union government's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. It will be carried out from October 2 to December 31 and best-performing

PM Modi to flag Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Superfast Express today

The Vande Bharat Superfast Express train which Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be flagging off on Friday morning will run six days a week between Mumbai Central and Gandhinagar stations, Western Railway said. In a late evening release on Thursday, it said that Vande Bharat Superfast Express will run six days a week except Sundays. The train will depart from Mumbai Central at 6.10 am and reach Gandhinagar at 12.30 pm. It will depart from Gandhinagar at 2.05 pm and arrive at Mumbai Central at 8.35 pm, the release said. It will halt at Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad stations in both directions. The train comprises AC Chair Car and Executive Chair Car compartments and will offer facilities such as sliding doors, personalized reading lights, mobile charging points, attendant call buttons, bio-toilets, automatic entry and exit doors, CCTV cameras, reclining facility and comfortable seats, the release said. The fare for Mumbai-Ahmedabad journey by executive chair car will be Rs 2,505

Mumbai logs 100 new Covid-19 cases, no death; active tally at 688

Mumbai on Thursday reported 100 new coronavirus cases, taking the overall tally to 11,50,133, while no fresh death linked to the infection was registered in the city, the local civic body said. The death toll remained unchanged at 19,731. The metropolis has recorded COVID-19 cases in three digits for the second day in a row. A day ago, the city had logged 116 COVID-19 cases and one fatality caused by the viral infection. The new COVID-19 cases were detected after 7,350 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, pushing up their cumulative count to 1,83,02,368, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in a bulletin. On Wednesday, 8,896 coronavirus tests were conducted in the financial capital. Mumbai's tally of recuperated cases rose to 11,29,714 after 98 more patients recovered from the respiratory illness, said the bulletin. The city has a coronavirus recovery rate of 98.2 per cent and is left with 688 active cases. Of the 100 new COVID-19 cases, only three patients ..

In Mumbai, taxi and auto fares to go up by Rs 3 and Rs 2 from Oct 1

Residents of Mumbai and the metropolitan region will have to pay Rs 28 as the minimum fare for travelling in black and yellow taxis and Rs 23 for auto rickshaws, with the basic fares being hiked by Rs 3 and Rs 2 respectively, authorities said on Tuesday. The new fares will come into effect from October 1, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) said in a release. The minimum fare for a distance of 1.5 km for kaali-peeli taxis has been hiked to Rs 28 from Rs 25 and the same to Rs 23 from Rs 21 for auto-rickshaws. "Beyond this minimum flag down distance, passengers will have to pay Rs 18.66 per km instead of Rs 16.93 per km for taxis and Rs 15.33 a km instead of 14.20 (per km) for auto-rickshaws," the release said. The decision to hike the fares was taken in the MMRTA meeting chaired by the Maharashtra transport secretary on Monday. But it was announced only after the minutes of the meeting were signed. The existing fare for around 60,000 taxis and about 4.6 lakh

Ontario Teachers' opens India office, hires Keki Mistry as advisor

The Mumbai office will target investments in India across all asset classes, including public and private equities, infrastructure, real estate, credit and venture and growth equity

Mumbai records 85 new Covid-19 infections, no death in last 24 hours

Mumbai on Tuesday recorded 85 new coronavirus cases that raised the tally of infections to 11,49,917, an official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said. The toll remained unchanged at 19,730, while the count of recoveries rose to 11,29,505 after 120 patients recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, he said. With a recovery rate of 98.2 per cent, the city is now left with 682 active cases, the official said. As per a bulletin issued by the civic body, as many as 5,361 swab samples were tested in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of tests conducted so far to 1,82,86,122. Of the latest cases, only four patients were symptomatic, it stated. The overall growth rate of COVID-19 cases in the city was 0.09 per cent for the period between September 20 and September 26, while the doubling rate was 7,860 days, the bulletin said.

Mumbai Crime Branch arrests Dawood Ibrahim's aide Riyaz Bhati for extortion

Mumbai Police's Anti Extortion Cell on Monday arrested businessman Riyaz Bhati in connection with an extortion case, officials said. Bhati, who is said to be have links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was wanted in the extortion case registered at the Versova Police Station, they said. According to the officials, a businessman from Versova was threatened and a car valued at Rs 30 lakh and cash worth Rs 7.5 lakh were demanded from him. Ibrahim's close aide Chhota Shakeel and Shakeel's relative Salim Fruit have also been named in the FIR, they said. The Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) of Mumbai crime branch held the accused from Andheri west. Bhati will be produced before the court on Tuesday. In the past, Bhati had been arrested in multiple cases, including extortion, land grabbing and firing. He had also tried to flee the country by using fake passports in 2015 and 2020, officials added.

NSE phone tapping: CBI gets custody of ex-Mumbai police chief Sanjay Pandey

The CBI has taken four-day custody of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey in connection with the alleged illegal phone tapping of NSE employees by his information technology firm, officials said on Saturday. Pandey was already in the judicial custody of Enforcement Directorate in connection with probes against him. The CBI approached a special CBI court here seeking his custody in connection with the tapping case which was granted for four days during which he will be interrogated by the agency, the officials said. In addition to Pandey and former MD and CEO of NSE Chitra Ramkrishna, the CBI has also named another former NSE CEO and MD Ravi Narain in the case. It is alleged iSec Securities Pvt. Ltd, one of the firms that conducted a security audit of NSE, had illegally tapped phones of NSE employees during 2009-17, the CBI said. The company was incorporated by Pandey in March 2001 and he quit as its director in May 2006. His son and mother took over charge of the compa

Mumbai reports 122 new Covid-19 cases, 1 death, 145 recoveries in 24 hours

Mumbai on Saturday reported 122 COVID-19 cases and one death, which took the city's tally to 11,49,673 and the toll to 19,729, a civic official said. It is the second day in a row when the addition to the tally was more than 100, he pointed out. The city had reported 106 cases on Friday. Of the new cases, only nine are symptomatic, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official added. The recovery count rose by 145 in the last 24 hours and reached 11,29,216, leaving the metropolis with an active caseload of 728, he said. As per BMC data, the recovery rate is 98.2 per cent and the overall growth rate of cases between September 17 and 23 was 0.09 per cent, a dip below the 0.10 per cent mark in a while. It also revealed that 1,82,70,183 coronavirus tests have been conducted in the city so far, including 7,617 in the last 24 hours, down from 7,882 in the preceding 24-hour period. The caseload doubling time stood at 7,430 days, as per official data.

HC allows Uddhav-led Shiv Sena to hold Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park

In a shot in the arm for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, the Bombay High Court on Friday granted it permission to hold its annual Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai. For the Thackeray faction the development has a symbolic value as Shivaji Park is associated with the Sena since its birth, and his group is locked in a tussle with the rebel group led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to establish itself as the 'real' Shiv Sena. The Shinde faction had also sought permission to hold the rally at the same venue on the same day (October 5), and opposed the Thackeray group's petition in the high court. Welcoming the ruling, Thackeray appealed his supporters to maintain discipline while attending the rally on Dussehra. Thackeray supporters celebrated the ruling outside the Sena's headquarters in Dadar, close to the Shivaji Park, as well as near Thackeray's residence Matoshree in Bandra and in neighbouring Thane. A division bench of ...

2,203 cows vaccinated by BMC against lumpy skin disease virus in Mumbai

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started vaccinating cows against the disease and so far the civic body has vaccinated 2,203 cows in Mumbai

Mumbai witnesses highest value of registered properties in last 5 years

Total registered value of residential properties in Mumbai clocked in at Rs 89,039 crore in the first half of the current calendar year (2022), with an average quarterly value of Rs 44,520 crore

Shiv Sena to go ahead despite denial of permission for Dussehra rally

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Thursday said the Mumbai civic body's decision to deny permission to it for Dussehra rally at the Shivaji Park here was expected and claimed it was "very bad script of the BJP". Former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar, the spokesperson of the Thackeray-led Sena, also accused the BJP of trying to corner her party with the denial of permission for the rally on October 5. Ajay Choudhary, leader of the Thackeray-led faction in the Maharashtra Assembly, asserted that the party's annual congregation will be held at at the iconic ground in central Mumbai irrespective of permission from the civic body. He claimed the party will resort to "guerrilla warfare tactics" to hold its rally. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has denied permission to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena and rival party faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for the Dussehra rally at the Shivaji Park. Both the factions claim to be the "real Shiv Sena" and had

Bombay HC to hear Shiv Sena's plea for Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park today

The Bombay High Court will on Thursday hear a petition filed by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena seeking permission to hold its annual Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park in central Mumbai on October 5. The petition, seeking urgent hearing, was mentioned before a division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and Kamal Khata on Wednesday. The bench posted it for hearing on Thursday. The plea said the party was constrained to approach the HC as the Mumbai civic body was yet to take a decision on their applications submitted in August seeking permission for the rally. The petition sought directions to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to forthwith grant permission for the Sena's Dussehra rally at the Shivaji Park. The Sena in its plea also said the party was holding the Dussehra rally every year at the Shivaji Park since 1966 and the civic body had always permitted it. Addressing party workers in suburban Goregaon on Wednesday evening, former chief minister Uddhav Thacke

Warehousing transaction volumes grew 62% YoY in FY22: Knight Frank

NCR and Mumbai led the market on overall volumes, while Pune and Hyderabad witnessed the highest percentage growth, at 166% and 128%, respectively

Shiv Sena moves HC to seek nod for Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Wednesday moved the Bombay High Court seeking permission to hold its annual Dussehra rally at the Shivaji Park in central Mumbai. The petition was filed by the Shiv Sena and its secretary Anil Desai. The plea said the party was constrained to approach the HC as the Mumbai civic body was yet to take a decision on their applications submitted in August seeking permission for the rally. The petition sought directions to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to forthwith grant permission for the Sena's Dussehra rally at the Shivaji Park. The petition was mentioned before a division bench headed by Justice R D Dhanuka on Wednesday, seeking urgent hearing. The bench posted it for hearing on Thursday. The Sena in its plea, filed through advocate Joel Carlos, said the party was holding the Dussehra rally every year at the Shivaji Park since 1966 and the civic body had always permitted it. The Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, which compri

Uddhav-led Sena firm on holding Dussehra rally at Mumbai's Shivaji Park

The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena on Monday asserted there was no other option but to hold its annual Dussehra rally at the Shivaji Park in Mumbai next month and said it will approach court if permission to use the iconic venue was denied to them. Talking to reporters, a Shiv Sena spokesperson and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar accused the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra of trying to corner the Thackeray faction over its Dussehra rally, one of the most important events in the Shiv Sena's annual calendar. Pednekar claimed efforts are being made to ensure the Thackeray faction was not able to hold its annual rally on Dussehra, which will be celebrated on October 5. If you are trying to corner us by displaying arrogance of power, by pressuring officials (to deny nod for using the venue), then we will do what (Sena president) Uddhav ji decides. You will see what happens. The party chief (Uddhav Thackeray) will decide (on the future course of action) ..

Leopard cub found dead in Mumbai's Film City; forest dept denies poaching

A leopard cub aged eight to nine months was found dead inside the Film City in Mumbai on Sunday morning, but the forest department officials ruled out any poaching attempt as all body parts of the animal were intact. The necropsy report later revealed that respiratory complications and head trauma with bleeding were the primary causes of the death, a forest official said. "On Sunday morning, the control room of the forest department received a call from the Film City located in suburban Goregaon, informing that a leopard cub was found dead near a film set. The rescue team of the forest department reached the spot and recovered the carcass," he said. The body parts of the animal were found intact, and hence the possibility of poaching was ruled out in the initial investigation, he added. The Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), which is home to a number of leopards, is located nearby. "The carcass of the cub was sent to SGNP for necropsy to determine the cause of the death," said Pa