Mumbai Buzz: What happened in Mumbai this week

Catch up on what happened in the city over the week in our roundup

Local trains to resume in slots from February 1

Suspended since March 2020 and restarted in phases, Mumbai local trains will be open to the general public under fixed time slots from February 1. The time slots are the first service to 7 am, 12 pm to 4 pm and 9 pm to the last service. Frontline workers, healthcare staff, single women travellers will be allowed to travel between the timings as well.

Source: NDTV

Government Extends Lockdown Restrictions Till March 28

The state government imposed a lockdown from the third week of March 2020. Since then, almost all restrictions have been lifted other than curbs on reopening of private and government offices, swimming pools, and interstate activities.

While classes 1 to 4 remain shut, the state government has allowed partial opening of schools, especially for classes from 5 to 12. The ban on social, religious and political congregations still continues with the extension. 

Source: Hindustan Times

66% had difficulty in affording house rent during lockdown: Survey

City-based NGO Praja Foundation conducted a survey of 2,087 people across Mumbai to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted them. The survey found that 66% either lost their jobs or their employment avenues were adversely affected. 66% also said that they had difficulty in affording home rent during the lockdown. And 47% said they had to access their savings for household expenses.

The survey also looked at the impact of the lockdown on sectors like health, education, economic and transport services. They found that only 23% prefer to take the public transport now, as opposed to 32% earlier.

Source: The Indian Express


Read More: COVID19 broke the backs of Mumbai’s informal sector workers. What does 2021 hold in store?


Mumbai’s new metro line to be operational in May

After seven years, Mumbai is set to inaugurate its new metro line. Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) is likely to start services between Dahisar and DN Nagar and Dahisar and Andheri East by May.

Early this week, MMRDA received the first indigenously built rake from Bharat Earth Movers Limited this week. “The construction of metro lines and stations is in the final stages. Adequate security arrangements have been made for the metro projects,” MMRDA tweeted. 

Source: India Today

Omkar Group Chairman arrested in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Omkar Group Chairman Kamal Gupta and Managing Director Babu Lal Verma in connection with the Rs 22,000 crore slum rehabilitation fraud case.

Omkar group is accused of taking thousands of crores in loans from several banks, including Rs 450 crore from Yes Bank, for the slum rehabilitation project. The company has denied the figure of Rs 22,000 crore and said that the issue pertains to a Rs 410 crore funding matter related to an FIR filed at Aurangabad economic offences wing (EOW).

Source: Moneycontrol


Read More: The sad story of Mumbai’s first “slum self-development project”


L&T bags project for Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train

Infrastructure firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has received a Rs 2,500 crore contract for the country’s first high speed rail corridor project which will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The order is to procure, assemble, fabricate, paint as well as transport 28 bridges, according to the company. The Rs 2,500 crore contract was secured through a consortium of L&T and Japan’s IHI Infrastructure Systems (IIS). This high speed rail corridor project is being implemented by National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), based on Japanese E5 Shinkansen technology.

Source: Financial Express

Mumbai Police start a good behaviour drive

The Mumbai Police has launched a drive called “Top 25”. Under this, the Mumbai police commissioner has asked the city’s 95 police stations to make a list of the “top 25” criminal elements in their jurisdictions. They are then asked to sign a bond of good behaviour, failing which they would have to pay a fine. The aim is to rein in criminal elements and those the police believe could create a law and order problem in the city, according to the Indian Express.

This practise is also called chapter proceedings and has been followed in the past. But previously, the fine was around Rs 10,000 – Rs 15,000. This time, the amount has been raised up to Rs 50 lakh. Recently, a person under Mahim police station jurisdiction forfeited a bail bond of Rs 15 lakh.

Source: Indian Express

The Coastal Road Project Gains Momentum

Despite protests from the traditional fishing community and several activists, the Coastal Road Project is continuing in full steam in Mumbai. “Our livelihoods are gone, our way of life will soon be over,” Sanjay Baikar, president of the Vanchit Machchimar Haji Ali Sahakari Sanghathanwhich represents the members who fish in the Haji Ali bay, overlooking the famous 15th-century mausoleum of a Sufi pir, told The Wire.

Mumbai Coastal Road: Haji Ali Interchange plan. Src: MCGM

“The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had originally said that since the coastal road would be only on stilts in these parts, fishing activity would not be disturbed; now they are reclaiming a lot of land and the Lotus Jetty has become inoperable. How are the fisherfolk expected to work?” lawyer Meenaz Kakalia told The Wire.

Source: The Wire

[Compiled by Apekshita Varshney]

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