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Now, travel by Mercedes bus from Pune to Mumbai |
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will soon introduce 50 new buses, including some Mercedes buses, for the busy
Mumbai-Pune route. Currently, the MSRTC runs only air-conditioned Volvo buses on the stretch.
The state government runs Volvo buses on the Mumbai-Pune and Pune-Nashik routes. It has 47 Volvo buses, of which 22 belong to MSRTC and the rest are hired.
On the Mumbai-Pune route, MSRTC used to run 132 Volvo and Mahabus services (in both directions). MSRTC scrapped the contract with the Mahabus service provider due to frequent breakdowns. As a result, the services were reduced to just 100 and several passengers started travelling by private buses, cars and trains.
MSRTC called for a tender again and has selected contractors. O P Gupta, managing director at MSRTC said, "These contractors will supply us high-end buses like Volvo and Mercedes. By hiring them, we will be able to have more services on the Mumbai-Pune route." Currently, MSRTC has introduced semi-luxury buses to fill the vacuum, but these white and green buses have not found favour with most passengers. The last Volvo leaves Mumbai at 11 pm and thereafter the MSRTC has just semi-luxury buses till 2 am.
Gupta said the MSRTC plans to buy 50 more buses later and is looking at various models of Volvo, Mercedes and Tata Hispano.
The first Mercedes bus was introduced by a private operator on the Pune-Kolhapur route last year. |
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Cong launches portal |
"The time has changed and young India is far more net savvy now. With over four crore people using cellphones to surf the internet, the potential is only increasing,'' said Hemaprasad N, head of party's online campaign committee.
As a first step, the online committee will soon launch a portal www.voteforcongress.in where candidates can blog. The online campiagn is also done through SMS and e-mails. |
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MMRDA to contribute Rs 1,000 cr for sea-link project |
MUMBAI: Private bidders may have virtually backed out from the Rs 7,600-crore Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project, but there is still a ray of hope for the much-delayed sea-bridge.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Agency (MMRDA) has agreed to make an initial contribution of Rs 1,000 crore to help the other state agency, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), execute the project on its own, sources in the know of the development told ET. Later on, the MMRDA could even scale up its contribution by another Rs 1,500 crore, sources said.
The MSRDC is the designated nodal agency for the harbour link that proposes to connect the island city with Navi Mumbai. A top MSRDC official told ET that the agency had urged the MMRDA to make an initial contribution, so that work on the project could start. “With bidders not interesting in the contract, there is no feasible option for MSRDC but to construct the sea-link on its own.
But, we are cash-strapped and state government could help us out through MMRDA,” said the official. An MMRDA official associated with the project said the agency had agreed to the proposal.
Last week, the MSRDC opened bids for the engineering project contract (EPC), but discovered that none of the 13 shortlisted consortia had offered to build the sea-link. MSRDC sources said the companies that had been shortlisted for the financial bid were restrained by several factors, recession being one of them.
The MSRDC also plans to consult the MMRDA on the future of bidding process now, sources said. In December, the MSRDC extended the deadline to submit financial bids to February 27 as bidders sought more time in the wake of 26/11 terrorist attack.
In fact, the MSRDC had announced that actual work on the project would begin on January 26. But a zero response from the bidders raises question mark over the bidding process itself, the MSRDC admitted.
underground section is more than double the cost of the elevated section.
The cost, say planning officials, will increase by Rs 4,000 crore over and above the Rs 7,660 crore earmarked for the project. Residents say the state's argument that it will be costlier is fallacious. "If you include the cost of disruption of families and commercial establishments, and the fact that you have to acquire more land for an over-ground route, it adds up to a lot more,'' said Killawalla.
V K J Rane, former chairman of IRCON (originally, the Indian Railways Construction Company) a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, who has been assisting the residents in their proposal added that if the rail route was done on broad gauge, the cost could be brought down. "It will cut costs by 40 per cent as the coaches and signalling would then be manufactured in India,'' he said.
One major hurdle is the proposed `train ramps' at the entry and exit points in Andheri and Bandra, where the elevated and underground sections can meet. The construction of these ramps, say MMRDA officials, will also require land to be acquired, and could result in the re-location of shops, residences, and so on. Metropolitan commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad said that the MMRDA will check the technical and economic feasibility of the alternative underground section between Bandra and Andheri and only then will be they to decide on the measures to be taken. Activists said that over 8,000 objections to the government route have been filed with the state urban development department, but they have yet to be heard. |
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No more plot politics: BMC |
MUMBAI: Fed up of frequent requests from politicians to use their discretionary funds on city's open spaces ahead of elections, the BMC has decided
not to allow any construction on such plots under its adoption policy.
According to a directive issued by the development plan (DP) department (dated Jan 22), the decision was prompted by the fact that a large number of politicians with an eye on elections were flooding ward offices with requests to carry out `ancillary' works on plots given under adoption.
"Several requests have also come for renewal of licenses for RG\PG (recreation ground\playground) already on adoption. Many NGOs have requested permission for allotting plots on caretaker policy," said a senior civic official. The latest circular also states that no balwadi, welfare centre or library should be allowed on RG\PG plots until the stay on adoption policy is lifted.
The BMC had decided in November 2007 to "parcel'' away chunks of land over 25,000 sq ft on caretaker basis instead of adoption basis. When a plot is taken up for adoption, the NGO or citizen group has to merely maintain it over a period of five years. But under the caretaker policy, permission is given for construction on part of a plot, making it mandatory to leave the rest open to the public. However, after an uproar by citizen groups and activists, former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh in December 2007 stayed the caretaker policy.
The BMC then stayed adoption of all plots last year fearing misuse as several NGOs and local politicians were taking plots on adoption basis and slowly applying to get them under the caretaker policy. But on October 7, Phatak lifted the eight-month-old ban that once again paved the way for NGOs and citizens group to adopt open spaces after paying the deposit of Rs 25,000. Soon after, through an SMS on October 24, Phatak, once again, directed his senior officials not to clear, renew or allot any open space for adoption, even those less than 5,000 sq m, until further orders. Since then the stay for the entire caretaker policy, of which adoption is a part, is still in place |
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BMC may roll out vada pav handcarts |
MUMBAI: If the BMC has its way, vendors may soon swarm city streets with handcarts selling piping hot vada pavs. The civic body, in violation of
Supreme Court orders, is planning to provide handcarts to 125 hawkers to sell Shiv vada pav. Formulated on the 6P5-7.TIMrlier Zunkha Bhakar kendras, the concept is the brainchild of the Shiv Sena, which is in power in the BMC.
The move has left activists fuming. Neera Punj, convenor of Citispace, a citizens' organisation that has been fighting for preservation of open spaces in the city, said the apex court order was based on the guidelines submitted by the civic body. "Introduction of handcarts on city streets will amount to contempt of court,'' she warned.
The BMC has been fighting shy of implementing the court order on the plea that the state government was formulating a policy for street vendors. However, it seems all set to go ahead with the Shiv vada pav scheme though the state's policy is still not out.
In a proposal to be placed before the standing committee, the BMC has proposed introducing `Shiv vada pav haathgadi' from May 1. Under the scheme, the civic body will set up 215 Annadatta Aahar kendras and give out 125 handcarts.
Congress corporator and Opposition leader Rajhans Singh said, "If the proposal is in violation of the court orders, we certainly won't allow it.''
Standing committee chairperson and Sena corporator Ravindra Waikar said, "The Opposition is creating so much noise even before the proposal has been discussed.''
Civic chief Jairaj Phatak denied the proposal violated the Supreme Court order. "We have studied the order and are working according to the guidelines. The carts will not be on the roads. I will answer the remaining questions during Friday's press conference,'' he said. |
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WHAT MMRDA proposes, citizens dispose |
MUMBAI: An alternate plan for Mumbai's second metro line, put forth by the residents from Bandra, Juhu, and other neighbouring areas will be studied
in detail by the state planners. The plan proposes an underground metro line instead of the MMRDA's (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) elevated rail.
With the support of over 10,000 residents, a committee comprising architects, shopkeepers from Linking Road, educational institutions and activists from the H West Ward Citizens Trust, said that their proposal will not inflict such a heavy social cost in terms of loss of land and livelihood as the elevated rail will.
Nitin Killawalla, architect and an active campaigner against the elevated line, argued that the plan has been put together by professionals along with former top officials of the Indian railways. "We have ensured that our underground stations are placed near public open spaces so that there is minimum disruption to the locality as well as human settlements,'' said Killawalla, adding that the current plan would lead to disruption of the areas it went through. "They want to have a railway line and stations on Linking Road, which is already a congested area. Our alternate plan seeks to remove this problem by skirting Linking Road,'' he said.
MMRDA officials said they will get professional assessment of the plan, but the proposed changes may add to the already growing cost of the metro rail. According to senior MMRDA official Vijaylaxmi, the cost of the |
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BEST to start 10 new routes in Thane, Navi Mumbai |
Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking plans to operate 51 additional buses to 10 new destinations covering Navi Mumbai, Thane and Mira-Bhayander.
The proposed scheme has been submitted to the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) formed for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). "We are waiting for its approval after which we will be able to formally introduce buses to these destinations," said Uttam Khobragade, general manager, BEST.
At the RTA meeting on February 7 it was proposed that the various transport undertakings -- BEST, Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT), Thane Municipal Transport (TMT), Mira-Bhayander Municipal Transport (MBMT), Kalyan Dombivili Municipal Transport (KDMT), Khopoli Municipal Transport --should be able to operate in each others areas as also in the entire MMR.
At this meeting, geographical limitations were relaxed through a resolution giving commuters more choice.
BEST is waiting for its funding from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission approved by the Centre. Under this scheme 700 buses have been approved of 1,000 proposed to be run on the city roads. Of these 140 will be low-floor, fully air-conditioned buses, Khobragade said.
Currently, the respective transport undertakings are charged 3.5% passenger tax for going 20km beyond their municipal limits. The undertaking is hoping to get relaxation from this tax to enable better operations across the MMR.
When asked whether there would be any bifurcations on the routes to be used by TMT or even NMMT, Khobragade said, "There will be special routes but some could be common. Commuters will get the option of selecting whether they want to travel on BEST bus or buses operated by other undertakings."
The undertaking also proposes to provide new route numerical to the existing patterns operating beyond the city limits for the convenience of the passengers. |
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Green stretch is land-grab lobby's target |
Five years ago, in what seemed to many as a scam in the making, a plan to exploit part of the huge 226-acre Mahalaxmi racecourse for commercial
purposes created a major uproar among citizens. Civic activists, environmentalists and NGOs got together to oppose the plan, which they said was yet another attempt by the builders' lobby to grab one of the last major open spaces in the island city.
The controversial agreement was between the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) (which runs the racecourse) and a private developer, Pegasus Infrastructure, to set up a golf course, hotel, convention centre, service apartments on part of the 226-acre racecourse land.
A majority of the RWITC members had passed a resolution allowing Pegasus Infrastructure, to utilise 25 acres of the land for these services. In return, Pegasus was to upgrade the racecourse infrastructure and give a Rs 135-crore interest-free deposit to the club besides an annual royalty.
It was then widely believed that the son-in-law of an influential state politician (now based in Delhi) was connected with the project and was eager to push the deal.
The then state governor Mohammed Fazal also opposed the commercial exploitation and told a delegation of prominent citizens that he would sit on a dharna if there was any attempt to take over this public space.
Finally, the Bombay High Court stepped in and stayed the project following a public interest litigation. |
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City’s open spaces to be hawked -Shalini Nair
Mumbai: In what activists have described as a severe blow to the already shrinking number of open spaces in the city, the BMC has prepared the ground to parcel off huge parks and playgrounds, each measuring at least 1.5 lakh square feet (approximately 15,000 square metres), to private organisations intending to build gymnasiums, clubs and sports complexes. Construction will be permitted on 25% of each of these plots, while the rest of the space will have to be kept open for the public.
The BMC improvements committee on Thursday approved an amended version of the policy that allows private groups to take on open spaces on an adoption or caretaker basis. Earlier, adoption—which doesn’t allow for commercial development—had taken precedence over caretaker plans. But now plots over 15,000 sq mt can be directly given to caretakers, who can build on 25% of the plot. The new amendment was approved by the Sena-BJP majority on the committee despite protests from the Congress-NCP.
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The reason for the move, civic officials claim, is that the city needs sports infrastructure. However, activists retort that ordinary citizens will have no access to these clubs and that the city stands to lose more valuable green cover. There are 215.83 acres of large plots (15,000 sq mt or above) in the city, and about 90% of them (or 195 acres) are recreation grounds\playgrounds (RP/PG), which are covered by the scheme.
Activists say the future appears grim, given that the city’s past is replete with instances of private organisations, mostly linked to politicians, treating more than 25% of these plots as their own private turf, and using them to construct exclusive clubs that charge exorbitant fees.
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But BMC commissioner Jairaj Phatak said, “Each proposal coming to us under the policy will be personally approved by the commissioner and this will be done through a transparent process. If the plots are not given on an adoption or caretaker basis, slums will gradually come up on the plots.’’
UP FOR GRABS
l BMC has 30 plots that are over 15,000 square metres (approx 1.5 lakh sq ft) each
l These plots cover an area of 215.83 acres, or 8,73,433 square metres
l 90% or 7,86,089 sq mt of these plots are recreation grounds or playgrounds that the BMC chief can now give out on a caretaker basis. Up to 25% of these plots can be commercially exploited
Source: Details obtained by NGO Citispace under RTI |
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