Young beneficiaries getting vaccinated in Mumbai. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)Mumbai Live News and Updates: Mumbai on Wednesday recorded 1,858 new Covid-19 infections along with a recovery rate of 96 per cent. Total number of recovered patients was at 9,98,698. Currently, there are 22,364 active Covid-19 cases.
On 73rd Republic Day, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari praised the remarkable work done in over last two years in Maharashtra. He mentioned awards given by UN Climate Change Conference and the Electric Vehicle policy during his speech. He further added that Maharashtra government had given a loan waiver of 20,234 crore to 32 lakh farmers in the state.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made in Mumbai in view of the 73rd Republic Day celebrations on Wednesday, police said.
On the occasion of Republic Day, a flag hoisting ceremony was held at Shivaji Park in the presence of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, other ministers and officers. Besides the local police, additional personnel have been deployed at the venue and across the city to maintain law and order and avoid any untoward incident. Personnel from SRPF (State Reserve Police Force), QRT (Quick Response Team), BDDS (Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad) and a dog squad have been also deployed at Shivaji Park.
Two FIRs have been registered by police at the Malwani police station for unlawful assembly, rioting, wrongful restraint and violating Covid-19 guidelines against 64 people from Bajrang Dal and BJP including Member of Parliament Gopal Shetty, MLA and businessman Mangal Prabhat Lodha, MLA Atul Bhatkalkar and BJP corporators.
The incident took place around 4 pm and again at 4.30 pm at Charkop junction in Kandivali (west). The first protest was by Bajrang Dal and second one by BJP. A senior police official said, "They punctured tyres of two BEST buses. They did a rasta roko causing inconvenience to the general public on Charkop junction. All of them were detained and taken to Charkop police station. All of them were served notice and allowed to leave. As protest took place twice, two FIRs were registered. No one was hurt in the incident. The law and order problem was restored within 10 to 15 minutes." (ENS)
A total of 13,346 people died in road crashes in Maharashtra in 2021, an increase of four per cent (558 deaths) compared to the pre-pandemic year 2019, when 12,788 people had died. Like every year for over a decade, the maximum number of deaths were reported from Pune rural, Nashik rural and Ahmednagar, transport officials said. The silver lining, however, is that the number of crashes and deaths are steadily decreasing on the Mumbai-Pune expressway and the ideas may be replicated in other parts of the state.
Transport Commissioner Avinash Dhakne told indianexpress.com, “Speeding is the biggest menace. It is to be blamed for the accident in Wardha on Monday (January 24) in which seven MBBS students died. To deal with speeding, 196 interceptor vehicles have been given to the traffic police and another 76 are with us. If more such vehicles are required, we will try to provide them. Moreover, for the first time in Maharashtra, the Mumbai-Pune expressway will get an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), which will have electronic surveillance. We intend to replicate this in other places in the state too.” Read more
After controversy mayor Kishori Pednekar said that in past BJP corporators had also named public places after Tipu Sultan.
Pedenkar shared documents that gives information two instances where when BJP corporators had moved a proposal naming roads after Tipu Sultan in 2001 and 2013.
Documents show that in April, 2001, former BJP corporator Vitthal Kharatmol had moved a motion to name a road from Bhavans College to C D Barfiwala Lane, in Andheri west as 'Sher-e-Mysore Tipu Sultan Marg'. The proposal was cleared in civic house without any opposition. (ENS)
A total of 64 people from Bajrang Dal and BJP were detained on Wednesday evening from Charkop junction and taken to Charkop police station.
The protest took place twice. One around 4 pm by Bajrang Dal members and another around 4.30 pm by BJP. The protestors did a raasta roko and also removed air from tyres of two buses.
The police said they will be registering FIR against the protestors for rioting, unlawful assembly and violating Covid-19 guidelines.
A senior police official said,"The work of lodging a FIR is underway. The situation is peaceful. No one is hurt." (ENS)
Mumbai logs 1,858 new Covid-19 infections and the growth rate is at 0.37 per cent.
The inauguration of a refurbished sports complex in Malwani funded by Mumbai Guardian Minister Aslam Shaikh set off controversy with a large number of BJP and Bajrang Dal workers protesting at the site claiming that they were opposing the naming of the complex after Mysore King Tipu Sultan.
Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Aditya Thackeray however said that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has not cleared any proposal to name the park after Tipu Sultan.
On Wednesday, in evening a house collapse was reported in Bandra, Mumbai. The incident was reported by BMC. According to BMC five persons are feared to be trapped under the debris of five storey building. (ENS)
The Maharashtra government will work to ensure that the state becomes the "saviour" of women in India and the rest of the world, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Wednesday.
The CM was speaking virtually at an event organised by the Mumbai Police to launch the 'Nirbhaya Squad' and the Nirbhaya Empowerment centre to protect women.
Thackeray said that Maharashtra always worshipped women and respected them. (PTI)
Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray will address a meeting on the development of tourism during his two-day tour of Aurangabad beginning Wednesday and also visit various projects, an official said.
Thackeray, who holds Tourism and Environment ministries, will visit the world-famous Ajanta and Ellora caves during his stay in the Marathwada city.
On Wednesday evening, he will visit the Kham river bank to examine the river rejuvenation project undertaken by the local governing body and other stakeholders. (PTI)
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Wednesday said the state had done remarkable work in over the last two years, as he mentioned a leadership award won by the state which was given at the UN Climate Change Conference and the Electric Vehicles (EV) policy in his speech to mark the 73rd Republic Day.
"The work done by Maharashtra in the last two-and-a-half years is remarkable," said the governor, who shares stormy relations with the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) dispensation. The governor had also indulged in letter wars on various issues with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in the past.
He spoke about the Inspiring Regional Leadership award bagged by Maharashtra in Scotland a few months back and was given at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. (PTI)
A day after the photos of former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya inspecting government records while on a chair of an official of the Urban Development Department in Mantralaya went viral, the Maharashtra government issued notices to the former lawmaker and three officials of the department, seeking an explanation from them.
Government officials said Somaiya had filed an application under RTI law on January 17 with the Urban Development Department seeking time for inspection of records related to the Cabinet’s decision on waiving off the fine of a housing project by Shiv Sena’s MLA Pratap Sarnaik. Somaiya went for an inspection on Monday afternoon once the department asked him to come for an inspection as per his convenience, said an official.
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The Indian giant squirrel found in the Sahyadri mountains, a new spider species named after Mumbai policeman Tukaram Ombale who captured terrorist Ajmal Kasab during the 26/11 attack, featured in the tableau of Maharashtra that was part of the Republic Day parade.
The Maharashtra tableau depicted five bio-diversity symbols of the state that include the state animal 'Shekru' or the Indian giant squirrel, the state bird 'Hariyal', state butterfly 'Blue Mormon', state flower 'Jarul' and the state tree 'Mango'.
The main model of the float was that of the Kaas Plateau, the world natural heritage site in Satara district that is home to 1,500 plant species and 450 wildflower species. The front side of the tableau also had a three foot model of Sarada superba, a large, fan-throated lizard found in the Kaas Plateau.
On the occasion of Republic Day, Mumbai Police greeted citizens and said that the "love for the nation constitutes love for each and every one".
The Maharashtra government on Tuesday allowed colleges in the state to begin offline operations from February 1. The local administration, however, has been told to take a final decision based on Covid-19 pandemic condition in the area. Only those students who are fully vaccinated will be able to attend offline lectures in colleges.
A government resolution (GR) issued late Tuesday said that while colleges can begin offline operations, online mode of learning has to continue for those who are not fully vaccinated. Exams, however, will have to be held online until February 15, following which it can be shifted to the offline mode.
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Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray were present for the flag hoisting ceremony that was organised at Shivaji Park in Central Mumbai.
Thackeray had spent 21 days in a hospital after a cervical spine surgery which was performed on November 12. His first public appearance was on December 19, when he visited the state legislature ahead of the winter session.
Ten persons from Maharashtra were awarded Padma national awards as part of the Republic Day honours list, announced by President Ram Nath Kovind.
While noted classical singer Prabha Atre was bestowed with Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan was awarded to Natarajan Chandrashekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, and Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, Chairman of Covishield-maker Serum Institute of India (SII).
Among those who were awarded the Padma Shri were Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar, well-known for his work on scorpion and snake bite poisoning. Singer Sulochana Chavan, who is well-known for her contribution to the art genre of Lavani singing, has also been conferred the Padma Shri.
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Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray greeted citizens on Republic Day, expressing confidence that the united country can tackle any challenges that come in its way.
He said India achieved freedom due to the sacrifices and struggle of freedom fighters. Thackeray's wife Rashmi and minister son Aaditya Thackeray were a part of the flag hoisting at Varsha, the CM's official residence in Mumbai.
Express photo by Amit Chakravarty
On the occasion of Republic Day, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, in the presence of Chief Ministr Uddhav Thackeray, unfurled the national flag during celebrations at Mumbai's Shivaji Park.