1. Maharashtra Bandh: Silent Maratha Kranti Morcha Turns Violent
Mook’ Morcha that had won praise — and hearts — last year goes off the rails as agitators go on the rampage; cops injured and their vehicles pelted with stones, buses burned, highways blocked, shops forced to shut.
The 58 peaceful rallies of 2016-17 will now forever be in the shadow of yesterday’s violence. Maratha Kranti Morcha, which had won hard praise from the political establishment and the hearts of the people for showing how protests can be conducted peacefully, went off the rails in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
2. Trackman Dies After Being Kicked by ‘Train Stunt Boys’
Shravan Sanap, 46, and his colleagues were carrying out routine work between Mahalaxmi and Lower Parel when someone aboard a passing local struck him.
A trackman standing in the refuge space between rail lines died on Wednesday after suspected stunt boys on a passing Churchgate bound local forcefully kicked him, sending him tumbling towards an oncoming train, his colleagues said.
A falling Shravan Laxman Sanap, 46, was then struck on the head by the second train’s steel steps. The incident occurred between Mahalaxmi and Lower Parel, where railway staffers were carrying out some routine track work, shortly after 9 am.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
3. VJTI Appointed to Examine Impact of Metro Work on Two Parsi Temples
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday appointed Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) to examine the impact of ongoing construction work of Metro 3 corridor on two fire temples in Kalbadevi. The court told the technical institute to ensure that experts who enter the premises of Atash Behrams — sacred Parsi temples — are practising Zoroastrian.
The court was hearing a petition filed by five members of the Zoroastrian community against the construction of the underground Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ corridor under two Atash Behrams. A division bench of Justice A S Oka and R I Chagla said, “Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute to examine the impact of the proposed Metro work (including tunnelling and construction of the proposed Kalbadevi station) both during its construction as well as operation of the Metro Rail: On the structural safety of the Wadiaji and Anjuman Atash Behram; on the water levels (including any contamination) in the wells situated within both the above Atash Behrams.”
Source: The Indian Express
4. Uddhav Thackeray: If BJP Is Trying to Win 350 Seats on Its Own, Why Does It Need an Ally?
The Shiv Sena will contest the upcoming elections solo, without getting into an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reiterated on Wednesday, in the final part of his interview published in the party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.
“The decision that the party will contest solo has been taken,” Thackeray said just days after BJP national president Amit Shah asked state party leaders to prepare to contest alone in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. “If they are working towards winning 350 seats [in Lok Sabha] on their own, why do they need an ally? If they are working towards wining 350 seats on their own, how am I at fault for working on going solo,” he asked.
Source: Hindustan Times
5. BMC Conducts Intensive Tree Trimming After Mulund Mishap
A branch from the same tree had earlier caused property loss; residents blame the BMC for late action; the civic body says no trees are diseased.
A day after Dombivali resident Ravi Shah lost his life when a tree branch fell on the autorickshaw he was travelling in, the BMC organised a massive tree trimming exercise in Mulund, where the accident happened. The trimming work started on Wednesday morning and went on till late evening. Residents of Guru Gobind Singh Road, as the lane is called, say it’s too little too late.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
6. Court Orders Inspection of 140-year-old SOBO Building
The Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) has reiterated its eight-year-old recommendation that the state government take over the Esplanade Mansion building as it needs to be preserved. The MHCC had in 2010 made a similar recommendation, owing to the disputes between the tenants and the landlords of the historic building.
The recommendation was submitted to the Bombay High Court on Wednesday while the court was hearing a bunch of petitions pertaining to the building. The division bench of Justices Ranjit More and Anuja Prabhudessai has directed the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the Municipal Corporation to urgently study the structure of the building and file a report in a week’s time.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
7. Long Jumps, Slow Scooter Race, Free Balm and Sit-in: Protests Against Potholes in Mumbai Get Creative
Claiming that protests have fallen on deaf years, residents and political parties angry with pothole-ridden roads have resorted to creative ways of agitating in Thane, Kalyan and Navi Mumbai. It started with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) organising a long-jump session over large potholes on the Sion-Panvel Highway on July 9. MNS leader from Navi Mumbai, Gajanan Kale, said the idea was to bring out the facts in a unique way. “We had named all potholes after political leaders because if it is a perennial occurrence, we might as well accept them and name them. We then encouraged people to practice long-jump, to show how big the potholes are. It was in a way a protest to shame the authorities who have left a highway in such a bad condition,” Kale said.
Another form of protest by the MNS was a slow scooter race. It was held in Kalyan, a few days later. “Since there had been an accidental death already, we are trying to show how a common man must be driving; as slowly as possible,” a participant said.
Source: The Indian Express
8. Indigo Grounds Five A320neo Aircraft Due to Engine Issues
Low-cost carrier IndiGo on Wednesday grounded five A320 neo aircraft due to snags in the Pratt & Whitney engines. These planes are expected to be back in operations in the second half of August.
The carrier, the country’s largest in terms of domestic market share, has grounded the planes at the Delhi international airport.
It could not be immediately ascertained whether flight schedules due to the move.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
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