QMumbai: Fort Metro Tunnelling Stalls; Police Receives Bomb Threat

The top stories of the day from Mumbai.

1. HC Orders Suspension Of Metro Work At Fort

The Bombay High Court on Friday stayed for two weeks the tunnelling work near the heritage JN Petit Institute building in Fort for the Metro III line (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz route). The directive was issued following a petition by the institute saying the digging was causing damage to its 119-year-old building and also to other old and heritage buildings in the vicinity.

A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice NM Jamdar also directed that an expert committee be formed to study the effects of the tunnelling work on buildings in the area. The committee, comprising a structural engineer each from the side of the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) and the JN Petit Institute, and experts from IIT-Bombay, will suggest ways to continue with the project without causing damage to the structures. The next hearing is scheduled for September 29.

(Source: Mumbai Mirror)

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2. School Bus Attendant Jailed for Molesting Kid

A 39-year-old school bus attendant has been convicted and sentenced to three years in jail for molesting a 10-year-old on the vehicle in 2014. The child was on her way home in the suburbs when the drunk accused grabbed her by the hair and ran his hand over her chest.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act court refused the defence contention that the girl had implicated Parshuram Pawar as he had scolded her for being naughty. The child was one among the witnesses to depose before the special court. She said that on February 6, 2014, she was returning home in the school bus. She deposed that on the day of the crime, the attendant came towards her and fell down. He was close to her and she could smell alcohol on his breath. He assaulted her and she began to cry.

(Source: Times of India)

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3. MHADA Has Just Eight Flats for The Poor

Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), which was established with the purpose of providing affordable housing to lower and middle strata of society, has only eight flats to spare for the weaker sections in the next round of lottery scheduled for November 10. According to a MHADA advertisement published in the newspapers yesterday, the apex housing body has put on block 819 houses of which 192 are for families from low income group (LIG), 281 for the middle income group (MIG) and 338 for high income group (HIG). Just eight houses are being offered to the economically weaker sections (EWS).

However, MHADA’s own guidelines say that of the total houses it builds, 60 per cent should go to the EWS and LIG buyers and the rest to MIG and HIG. The prospective buyers can apply for these houses between September 16 and October 21.

(Source: Mumbai Mirror)

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4. Abhishek Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor To Take on Virat Kohli & Co

Sports enthusiasts will be treated to the third ever clash of Tinsel town's celebrities and members of the Indian cricket team at the Celebrity Clasico this year, after having previously locked horns in 2013 and 2016. The All Stars Football Club (ASFC), with Abhishek Bachchan at the forefront, will clash with Virat Kohli-led All Heart Football Club (AHFC), a property of the Virat Kohli Foundation, on October 15 in Mumbai.

Kohli, who led the team last year as well, ended up in a 2-2 draw with Bachchan's Playing For Humanity team. It was helmed by Ranbir Kapoor that year since Bachchan had suffered a slip disc. The ASFC team has been practising regularly to put up with their fitter competitors, who will join them next month ahead of the match, which will be played at the Mumbai Football Arena in Andheri Sports Complex.

(Source: Mid-Day)

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5. Mumbai Police Receives Another Bomb Threat Call

A panic was triggered at the Sion Railway station on Thursday night after the Sion Police received bomb threat call. According to the police, the Mumbai police control room had received an anonymous call on Thursday around 9 pm saying that, there is a bomb at the Sion Railway station which is going to be explode anytime.

After the call, police teams including Anti Terrorism Squad, Railway police, GRP and bomb disposal squad were rushed to the station who thoroughly searched the premises. However till the mid night the police found nothing suspicious indicating that the call was hoax. "We had received a call and I along with the teams are on the spot. So far we have not found anything suspicious," said Mrudula Lad, Senior Police Inspector of Sion Police Station. This is second hoax call received by the Mumbai police in past two days.

(Source: DNA)

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6. BMC's Solution to Tackle Illegal Hawkers In Mumbai After Dark: Night Vigil Team

Hawkers running with a sackful of their wares to hide in bylanes when civic officials arrive at the spot for inspection, and then, returning to continue with business as soon as the van drives off - this, the return in particular, is likely to be a thing of the past if Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC's) plan comes to fruition. The BMC is mulling over setting up night squads to do the rounds and take action against illegal hawkers.

According to a source, on Saturday, during the monthly review meeting of civic officials, Additional Municipal Commissioner I A Kundan had suggested creating a team that could be on the streets after dark. An official, who was present in the meeting, said that currently BMC's team takes action against illegal hawkers from 10 am to 5 pm, and many hawkers come back after BMC offices shut for the day.

(Source: Mid-Day)

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7. Tourist Bus Operators Refuse to Call Off September 19-20 Strike

Bus operators on Friday said that their main demand is that the traffic police order restricting entry of heavy vehicles and tourist buses in city should be "quashed" otherwise 33,000 buses will go off roads on Sep 19 and 20 till the demand is met and they are given an assurance in writing. So, the bus strike could be called off, they stated.

The operators are likely to meet MP Kirit Somaiya on Saturday afternoon to discuss the issue and decide on the next course of action. "We will protest aggressively as it will be difficult to carry on our bus transport business with so many restrictions that also inconveniences passengers," said Malik Patel of the Mumbai Bus Malak Sangathan.

(Source: Times of India)

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8. Bandra Police Finds Nothing Suspicious About Karan Joseph Dangling From Window

The Bandra police investigating the case of pianist Karan Joseph's suicide have denied anything suspicious about Karan allegedly dangling from a window in his house days before his death. They have also learnt from his cellphone records that in a span of six hours before Karan leaped to his death, he had contacted several friends 125 times through calls, messages and WhatsApp.

Farah Nathani Menzies and Robert Menzies who reside in Concorde Apartments, where Karan lived, had told cops that they'd seen him on September 5 on the ledge outside a window screaming, crying and talking to someone inside the house. Farah did not answer mid-day's calls.

However, the police have denied anything suspicious about Karan dangling from his home. Senior police Inspector, Pandit Thackrey said, "We investigated the matter and found that Karan was trying to get back Rs 6,000 that had fallen on the parapet. He leaned on the edge and managed to get his hands on some of the money but could not reach the other notes. Hence, to be safe, a leash was tugged into the loop of his jeans."

(Source: Mid-Day)

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