Bombay judge uses WhatsApp and Truecaller to issue summons
What's the story
Justice Gautam Patel of the Bombay High Court, recognized for his witty orders, issued summons to a defendant via WhatsApp. This is the first time that the Bombay HC has reached out to a person by using technology. Justice Patel first used Truecaller to affirm that he was contacting the right person. For more news from in and around Mumbai, tap in!
Sanitation
CM Fadnavis promises toilets every 2kms in Maharashtra
CM Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said Maharashtra's cities would very soon have toilets every 2kms. Actor Akshay Kumar at the Transform Maharashtra conclave pointed out how the lack of toilets is affecting residents, especially women. The actor also suggested that toilets could be located with the help of a mobile app. Chief Minister Fadnavis said the state would start work on the same immediately.
Infrastructure
Government to re-invite tenders for Shivaji statue
The Maharashtra Government is going to re-invite bids for the Chattrapati Shivaji memorial project as the lowest bid they received was much higher than their estimated budget. Reliance Infrastructure, Afcons Infrastructure and L&T bid for the first time; L&T's bid was the lowest. L&T's bids worth Rs. 3,826cr were 53% higher than the Government's estimates for Phase 1 of the project.
Tourism
Fort to get maps, mobile apps made for tourists
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation together with the Kala Ghoda Association is going to set up a large map of Ward A, at Bhatia Baug, right outside Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) station. This map will display locations of more than 60 noted heritage structures in the area. The map will also include a QR code which will be linked to a mobile application.
02 May 2017
Project report for Thane-Borivali ropeway to be available by May
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the ropeway over Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) connecting Thane and Borivali will be released by the end of May. The ropeway is proposed to be 9-kilometres long costing Rs. 1,000 crore; it is expected to connect the eastern and western suburbs and reduce travel time between the two significantly. The exact location of the ropeway remains ambiguous.
Environment
Maharashtra lost 59 sqkm green cover in 7 years
From 2005-06 to 2011-12, the state of Maharashtra lost 58.81 square kilometres (14,532 acres) of green cover. This was revealed in a first-of-its-kind satellite mapping of the state; the area of green cover lost is equivalent to 660 Oval Maidans of Churchgate. The green cover included various types of forests, plantations, mangroves, swamps and other tree-covered areas.
BMC
Corporators want salary hiked from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 50,000
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) along with Rais Shaikh, a leader from the Samajwadi Party demanded that salaries of BMC corporators be hiked from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 50,000. This demand comes a few months after the state legislators' salaries were increased two-fold. Rais Shaikh wrote to BMC Chief Ajoy Mehta, asking for an increase in corporators' travel allowances to Rs. 500 from Rs. 150.