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More than 1 lakh protestors to march against the naming of Navi Mumbai International Airport

by Staff Reporter June 23, 2021

written by Staff Reporter

On Thursday, BJP activists, PAPs and locals residents will joint in protest outside the CIDCO head office at Belapur, demanding that the Navi Mumbai International Airport be named after late leader of the PAPs, DB Patil.

Belapur / Panvel / Navi Mumbai: The local BJP activists and PAPs are readying themselves for a grand protest, under the banner of All-Party Action Committee (APAC). The protest or “CIDCO Gherao”, to be held outside the CIDCO head office at Belapur on Thursday, 24th June, 2021, is a peaceful attempt to pressurize the state government to withdraw their decision of naming the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIL) after late Shiv Sena leader Balasaheb Thackeray.

The protestors are demanding it to be named after the late PAPs leader DB Patil, who had relentlessly advocated for the cause of local PAPs for years.

For those who are unaware, the naming of the Navi Mumbai International Airport has already raised a lot of eyebrows, with locals questioning the decision of the state government of naming the airport after their late supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, and not after the local leader DB Patil.

To top it up, there have many suggestions like naming the Navi Mumbai International Airport after the aviation pioneer JRD Tata.

Recently, MNS Chief Raj Thackeray suggested that it would be best to name the Navi Mumbai International Airport after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as it was an extension of Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

MLA Prashant Thakur, Panvel, has taken up the matter with CIDCO and also the CM Uddhav Thackeray, questioning the logic in not honouring the late leader of the PAPs and disrespecting the emotions of the locals. He has received full support from local PAPs and leaders.

The protest has been backed by many local leaders and PMC officials like Jagdish Gaikwad, deputy mayor of Panvel, who has been known for such protests, along with many other PAP leaders and local citizens.

The peaceful protest will see protestors coming in from far off places and will gain momentum from around 10:30 am.

The Navi Mumbai Traffic Police has already announced traffic diversions for 24th June, for different routes like Mumbai-Pune, Uran phata-CBD-Kharghar, Old Pune highway and Goa highway, Palm Beach road, Thane-Belapur road.

Read detailed news about tommorow’s traffic diversions here: Traffic diversion on June 24 to prevent law and order situation anticipating airport protest

The organisers have requested for a peaceful march requesting all protestors not to disrupt services of local transport, ambulances etc.

Surprisingly, the protest march has not been given the go-ahead by the commissioner’s office with the deputy commissioner even having imposed section 144.

The police is of the opinion that mass mobilisation should be avoided for now, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Any such event would only help accelerate infections further in the city.

The Navi Mumbai Police have even warned the APAC against holding the mass protests as the state government and local administration have not approved of it.

The protestors claim the “CICDO Gherao” to be a gentle reminder of the sentiments and unity of the PAPs and local residents and also a precedent to many such protests to follow, if the state government failed to honour them.

June 23, 2021 0 comments

Kharghar News

Kharghar’s Vishwajyot High School issues leaving certificates to 17 students for non-payment of fees

by Staff Reporter June 21, 2021

written by Staff Reporter

Parents accuse school of exorbitant hike in fees and hurting children’s morale through such behaviour.

Kharghar / Navi Mumbai: In a move that is being dubbed as highly unethical and uncalled for, the Vishwajyot High School has sent school leaving certificates to around 17 students through emails and post. The parents of all the students have condemned the schools act of indifference in a time of global calamity.

On Tuesday, angry parents took to the streets and staged a protest outside the school premises hoping to open a dialogue with the school authorities but to no avail.

Even as some local media representatives joined in to cover the protest expecting an open discussion with the administration or the Principal, the school turned a deaf ear.

Parents have unanimously sought enquiry into the exorbitant hike in school fees from last year.

“Vishwajyot has shockingly increased the school fees by more than 50 percent in the past two years,” said an angry parent.

There have also been instances of errors in calculations of school fee records.

“Even after paying the fees in full as per the last fee structure, the schools records show a due amount of more than Rs. 27,000,” said another surprised parent.

Vishwajyot High School however, informs that it was a general protocol followed against parents who were deliberately not paying school fees.

“Some of the parents have not paid the school fees even after being given ample amount of time and options. The fee too was hiked as per the rules and regulations and with consent of the Parent-Teacher Association,” said one of the school representatives.

The school says that the cancellation of admission was taken in accordance with a court order and after following due legal process. They further informed that the school had been lenient in not cancelling the admissions of students of class 10 who had not paid the school fees.

There had also been relaxed payment options for parents undergoing financial crisis.

Meanwhile, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has been following close complaints of exorbitant fees being charged by several school throughout city schools.

As many as five private schools in Navi Mumbai have been issues with show-cause notices for their decision to discontinue online classes of students for non-payment of fees.

All further action will be taken after thorough scrutiny of the replies sent by the schools and their overall approach to the matter.

June 21, 2021 0 comments

Featured Kharghar News

Youngsters visiting Pandavkada waterfalls despite ban and section 144 in effect

by Staff Reporter June 17, 2021

written by Staff Reporter

Young boys and girls have been sneaking in during the early hours of the day, when there is no supervision.

Kharghar / Navi Mumbai / Panvel: Even when the Kharghar police has warned monsoon revellers from visiting the Pandavkada Waterfalls, young boys and girls continue to visit the falls in the absence of supervision during early morning hours, between 7am to 9am.

The Pandavkadkada Waterfalls have been off limits since last year owing to the series of incidents that have followed over the years, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of many youngsters who had slipped and drowned in the rough streams of water flowing down the waterfalls. Some had even died in the pond near the Taloja jail.

The Kharghar police and the Forest Department have both have been firm on their decision not to allow picknickers to enter the Pandavkada Waterfalls area.

Also read: Don’t visit Pandavkada waterfalls: Kharghar police warns monsoon revellers

Since last year, a sentry, mostly a forest officer, remains posted at the entry point of the falls, right next to the Kharghar Gurudwara, prohibiting all without exceptions.

However, the problem is that there is more than just one entry point to the Pandavkada Waterfalls. A minimum of two other trails lead up to the falls, one from the Owe Camp hills area and another from the Driving Range area, though a lot more tedious.

The police do the rounds of both the entry points – Gurudwara and Owe, but there remains ample time to sneak in during the early hours, before 10 am and sometimes even during the afternoons.

On top of that, there are no sentries posted on the actual spot of the Kharghar Waterfalls, tempting youngsters to take a long and tricky path through the hillocks, exposing them to even more danger.

The same goes for most of the water bodies in Kharghar that remain unmanned owing to the impossible terrains and the impracticality of the entire exercise of posting sentries at all such sites.

Also read: Owe Hills and Taloja Jail Pond turn into picnic spots

For instance the pond at Taloja Jail, which is also a dangerous spot visitied by children as young as 14.

So while the local police is trying their best to keep people away from the Pandavkada falls, trusting them to act responsibly, there are many who simply have no regard for the authority or even their own safety.

June 17, 2021 0 comments

Featured Kharghar News

Don’t visit Pandavkada falls: Kharghar police warns monsoon revellers

by Staff Reporter June 16, 2021

written by Staff Reporter

People have been prohibited from visiting the popular Pandavkada waterfalls in Kharghar, from 7 June to 30 September.

Kharghar / Navi Mumbai / Panvel: With monsoons making their presence felt, filling up local water bodies and waterfalls big and small, the Kharghar police has sprung into action, banning visits to the Pandavkada waterfalls, and enforcing section 144, to keep revellers at bay.

The ban comes in succession with last year’s ban, with the only exception of the penalizing section being enforced to send a strong message to careless frolickers.

The Pandavkada falls has seen a fair share of deaths in the past, mostly of young boys and girls coming from far off places for a little monsoon adventure unaware of the terrain and the many potential threats that the falls pose to careless trekkers.

The Kharghar police has always been strictly against people visiting the waterfall during the monsoons owing to the unpredictable terrain and a lack of security measures.

Last year too, the local police had set up temporary posts at the entry point of the Pandavkada falls, next to the Kharghar Gurudwara, sending people away. In all, 67 people had been booked for violating the norms.

Also read: Kharghar police book revellers at Pandavkada waterfalls and other places

The Pandavkada waterfalls have already started flowing in full force with the amount of rain received in the last couple of days. As a result, revellers have been tempted to visit the area to have some fun in the water. Some of them have even found out ways to elude the police spotters posted in the area.

Shatrughan Mali, senior police inspector, Kharghar, shared, “The Pandavkada waterfalls is a pretty tricky area and hence we have shut it down for three months for the well-being of the people. Many young people have lost their lives in and around the waterfall in the past and we intend to cut down the chances of such incidents as much as possible.”

Mali further informed about the seriousness of the matter.

“We are not taking it lightly and have sent a general warning to people that section 144 has been enforced. Any person or group of people found visiting the Pandavkada waterfalls or other such areas will be strictly dealt with.”

For those who are unaware, Kharghar houses the popular Pandavkada waterfalls along with a couple of small waterfalls, streams and lakes, with one at the Golf Course Driving Range area, which is yet another hot-spot during the monsoons.

Other places include the small waterfalls at Owe camp hills and villages like Ghamole, Fanaswadi and Chafewadi.

Along with the local police, the Forest department has also banned people from visiting the Pandavkada Waterfalls for the lack of security measures or even adequate infrastructure.

Every year, hundreds of people throng the Pandavkada waterfalls and the hills around putting their lives at risk climbing up hillocks, taking narrow and slippery paths and making way through overflowing streams, to reach the falls.

To make matters worse many young revellers go to great lengths to stand out of the crowd and take great risks hiking the slippery hills and rough terrain for the sake of adventure and fun.

What people fail to realise or accept, is that the Pandavkada waterfalls area is not an official or even a safe tourist area, and that the terrain and flow of water is very unpredictable.

It is owing to such reason that many unfortunate people have died in the past, after slipping and getting caught in the fast currents of water, flowing down the waterfalls.

There have also been incidents of people getting hurt owing to loose boulders thrown off the top of the hills along the line of the waterfalls.

The Kharghar police hope that people will act responsibly and not take unnecessary risks for the sake of fun.

June 16, 2021 0 comments

Will Navi Mumbai International Airport delay further owing to the naming conflict?

Will the Navi Mumbai International Airport delay further owing to the naming conflict?

by Staff Reporter June 13, 2021

written by Staff Reporter

While Raigad residents want the Navi Mumbai International Airport to be named after late local leader DB Patil, the state government already seems to have decided to name it after their late supremo Balasaheb Thackeray.

Raigad/Navi Mumbai: it looks like delays are becoming synonymous with the Navi Mumbai Inernational Airport (NMIL) as once again work on the prestigious project of CIDCO seems to be getting into a controversy that could delay the project further.

This time around, the project is making news owing to the ‘naming’ conflict that seems to have been gaining momentum and is heading toward a long period of agitation and violent protests in the coming days.

The problem with NMIL is that local Raigad residents, especially those around the immediate vicinity of the airport, want it to be named after their late leader DB Patil, an obvious demand for residents of any region.

However, the Shiv Sena run state government has already decided to name it after their late leader and party supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, a decision that is being opposed by all local residents.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, CM Uddhav Thackeray had also called for a meeting with the local representatives from the Raigad district but the meeting could not produce terms of mutual understanding as the locals did not budge from their demand to honour their leader DB Patil.

Following the meeting and the inconclusive result, locals have called for a mass protest against the state government’s decision to name the Navi Mumbai International Airport after the late Shiv Sena supremo.

Earlier, in the month of April, the City and Industrial Development Corporation Of Maharashtra Limited (CIDCO) had passed the resolution to name the Navi Mumbai International Airport after Balasaheb Thackeray.

The resolution is being sent to the state cabinet for approval and later to the Central government for the final approval.

Apparently, during the meeting with CM Uddhav Thackeray, suggestions like naming other infrastructure projects in the Raigad district after DB Patil, were also put forth, though they remained unproductive.

MLA Prashant Thakur, who had led the local delegation remained firm on their stand.

“We stand by our demand and will not budge even if it means protesting against CIDCO and forming human chains in different nodes of Raigad.” Thakur said.

The local delegation, under Thakur’s leadership, has also planned for a “CICDO Gherao” at the CIDCO head office at CBD-Belapur, on 24th June, 2021.

While all this continues, local residents now brood over a possible delay of work on the already delayed project of Navi Mumai International Airport.

Surprisingly, this issue has emerged at a time when GVK has released the first look of the Navi Mumbai International Airport.

“First the NMIL was delayed for years owing to the PAP’s and now for the naming conflict. It looks like we are in for a delay of another year or more,” said a local resident.

Whatever the case, the NMIL seems to have been gathering a lot of negative attention ever since it’s conceptualization. Could it be gathering more?

June 13, 2021 0 comments

Featured Kharghar News

Light showers continue in Navi Mumbai hinting at an early monsoon

by Staff Reporter June 2, 2021

written by Staff Reporter

Navi Mumbai received a pleasant amount of light showers, gusty winds, thunder and lightening, late into the evening on Tuesday.

Kharghar / Navi Mumbai: Parts of the city of Navi Mumbai received light showers once again, on Tuesday evening, providing much needed comfort to the residents. The atmosphere, which had been very humid since days, had been causing inconvenience to many, and even a little bit of pleasantness, owing to the drizzle here and there seems to have brought a huge amount of relief to all.

In Kharghar, the day remained humid on Tuesday with clouds here and there, and it was not until late evening, around 9 pm, when gusty winds began doing the rounds, with a little bit of lightening and thunder.

Also read: Navi Mumbai receives pre-monsoon showers

Several parts of Navi Mumbai and Thane experience light showers in a similar fashion, while Mumbai simply remained cloudy through the day, with only some parts receiving some amount of late showers.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds and light rain will continue on the 2^nd and 3^rd of June, while light to moderate rains likely to fall on the 4^th and 5^th of June.

Rains might arrive in Navi Mumbai early in the second week of June.

June 2, 2021 0 comments

Featured Kharghar News

Navi Mumbai receives pre-monsoon showers

by Staff Reporter May 31, 2021

written by Staff Reporter

Several parts of the city remained clouded and received light pre-monsoon showers on Sunday and a day prior.

Navi Mumbai: After weeks of hot days and nights, the month of June 2021 could bring in an early monsoon, as the city has been seeing cloudy skies along with light showers here and there.

On Sunday, 30 May, several parts of Navi Mumbai in both the Raigad and Thane districts, received pre-monsoon showers providing a much needed respite from the heat.

A combination of gusty winds and light rains have been going around the city and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted cloudy skies with light rain or drizzle to continue for a few days.

The residents of Kharghar had a pleasant Sunday and the sky remained clouded through the day with a cold drizzle later in the evening.

During the evening, many residents could be seen walking around on the streets for short distances just to enjoy the fresh and cold breeze and the soothing drizzle.

“We just hope that the rain comes around as soon as possible as the heat is getting overwhelming at times, even during the nights,” Shubham V, a Kharghar resident said.

The IMD confirmed that it was pre-monsoon showers, although the onset of monsoon season was yet to be predicted. The southwest monsoon’s arrival in Kerala would present a clearer picture, the IMD said.

Having said that, rains in Navi Mumbai could be just around the corner.

Even today, Monday, 31 May 2021, as we write this piece, there are clouded skies all around, indicating another bout of light showers later during the evening just like yesterday.

May 31, 2021 0 comments

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Navi Mumbai Muslim Community observe Ramadan 2021 under covid-19 restrictions yet again

by Staff Reporter May 4, 2021

written by Staff Reporter

Ramadan 2021 is the second time when the Muslim community of Navi Mumbai, just like the rest of the world, have been celebrating the Holy Month under strict restrictions in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Navi Mumbai: It has been three weeks since Ramadan started on 14th April, 2021, that the Muslim community in Navi Mumbai have been observing it in just about the same manner that they had been during Ramadan 2020; amid the threat and restrictions of covid-19, which has hit the country with a second wave, worse than the first.

There are more coronavirus case in Navi Mumbai than in 2020, and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) are trying their best to contain the spread of the deadly virus. New norms and restrictions have been brought into effect.

Amid such gloom, the Navi Mumbai Muslim Community has been observing the Holy Month of Ramadan 2021, with newfound faith and determination. Their prayers, this year, are for the well-being of people all around the world, irrespective of caste and creed.

No access to mosques for offering namaz, especially the Taraweeh

Ramadan is about being immersed in prayers among other things and many observant Muslims in the city offer namaz, or prayers, five times a day. Praying with the brotherhood in mosques forms a very significant part of the Holy Month, especially for the night prayers known as Taraweeh.

However, mosques in Navi Mumbai are no longer accessible for offering namaz this Ramadan owing to the restrictions imposed to contain the growing numbers of covid-19 cases in the city.

So the essence of coming together in prayer, as a community, has been lost this year.

Hazib Nazir, Kharghar resident, says, “Offering namaz (prayers) in a mosque as a community is no longer possible due to the coronavirus restrictions in Navi Mumbai.”

“We are already missing the good old days of Ramadan when the Muslim community could come together as one in devotion. However, we are letting it push our morale down as it is all about observing Ramadan and not just about gathering together. We are offering namaz in our homes and it is just as blessed as that in a mosque.”

No roadside food stalls selling Ramadan delight this year

There are no food stalls offering lip-smacking Ramadan delights this year. Every year, people used to throng stalls around mosques in Navi Mumbai to feast on kebabs, tikkas, tandooris, baida (egg) rotis, sherbat, falooda, badam shakes, jalebis and a lot many things.

Shali Shaikh, a Vashi resident, shares, “It was such a delight to gather around food stalls during Ramadan. The food and the vibe was incomparable to any other outdoor eating experience that we could ever have during regular days.”

“People hurrying up to buy food for iftari or those gathering just to gobble down their favourite items after breaking their fasts, was such a happy and satisfying experience.”

“Now, there are no food stalls at all and though it feel bad, we do know that it is for the good of all under the present circumstances.”

No fasting for those under home quarantine and medication for covid-19

Sadly, some of the Muslims in Navi Mumbai have been tested positive for covid-19 and are currently under home quarantine and taking medication. Having said that, they are not in a position to observe Ramadan in entirety as fasting is ruled out completely.

In such cases, people have been offering namaz as much as possible to observe Ramadan, even if they are not being able to fast.

Asma Shaikh, a Kharghar resident who has been in isolation at home, along with her family, shares, “We had been in isolation for treating covid-19 symptoms since the start of Ramadan 2021, and have been taking a bunch of medicines prescribed by doctors. It is obvious that we cannot observe fasting this Ramadan. It is a very odd feeling as we are not able to observe the holy month this year.”

Ramadan treats from neighbours are strictly out of question

For those who patiently waited for the iftaris that their neighbours invited them for every Ramadan, there are next to none this year. As most of the Muslim families are keeping it a family affair and neighbours also being wary of ongoing pandemic, sharing of iftari delicacies has decreased to almost none.

Shubham Vishwakarma, a lover of iftari delights, shares, “Every year we would join our neighbour during iftari to enjoy the delicacies spread out generously on the dastarkhan. It used to be such an even every day, where we used to eat and talk about many good things as a family. This year, however, has taken away the liberty of enjoying the iftaris for most of us as everyone is being a little more precautious than ever before.”

Light and healthy food items dominate iftaris in major Muslim households this year

The fried and spicy food items that once dominated iftaris have been replaced by light and healthy food items this year owing to many reasons, one being the ongoing pandemic. Many Muslim families in Navi Mumbai have been having nutritious iftaris, with fruits rich in vitamin c and food items that don’t strain the digestive system.

Shaista Khandagale, a homemaker and mother of two, shares, “This Ramadan we are not eating anything that can take a toll on the stomach and drain us out of energy. We are simply opting for fruits and light food items like dal and rice, khichdi, not so spicy biryani, and things that are easy to digest.”

No matter what the situation, the devout Navi Mumbai Muslim community is spending Ramadan in all humility and devotion and are hopeful and are praying that the coronavirus pandemic ends soon.

May 4, 2021 0 comments

Work on Vashi dog park, Navi Mumbai’s first such park, commences

by Staff Reporter April 12, 2021

written by Staff Reporter

Measuring 870 sq metres and costing Rs. 26 lakh, the dog park will be housed within the 10000 square feet Veer Savarkar Udyan in sector 8, near Sagar Vihar, Vashi.

Vashi / Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has finally allowed work to be commenced on the much awaited dog park project, which was announced in February, 2019, but was delayed for one reason or another, and later owing to the pandemic. The ‘bhoomi pujan’ was carried out on Friday, 2nd April, 2021, in the presence of some dog lovers and Divya Vaibhav Gaikwad, a former corporator from Vashi, who had been pursuing the cause since 2017.

While every node in Navi Mumbai needs at least one dog park, Vashi will be getting the first one, thanks to the persistent efforts of Gaikwad.

“Navi Mumbai doesn’t have an officially allotted dog park and dog parents have always been pursuing ther matter with the authorities. I have always acknowledged the need for a dog park in Vashi for the growing number of pets and the obvious need for a dedicate dog park,” Gaikwad said.

Also read: Navi Mumbai needs dog parks: City pet dog parents urge

However, it has taken more than just submitting a proposal and convincing the authorities.

“I had proposed the dog park almost four years back and it was officially announced in February 2019. However certain conditions delayed commencement of work for 2 more years. Still, I had been tailing the authorities without thought on the matter and finally work commenced,” Gaikwad shared triumphantly.

Under the directives of Abhijit Bangar, NMMC commissioner, work on the dog park at Vashi commenced much to the joy of all pet parents in the city, especially those in Vashi.

Talking about the facilities in the dog park at Vashi, Gaikwaid informed: “The dog park will be a fenced enclosure, accommodating dogs of all sizes and breeds, and will have equipment for various activities. There will be a provision of small seesaws, steps, and slopes, among other things, for daily exercise and play.”

“We have also proposed for poop bins in the Vashi dog park to facilitate dog parents in collecting and disposing dog poop conveniently,” she added.

April 12, 2021 0 comments

Kharghar business owners go the ‘Gandhigiri’ way to protest against the ‘Mini lockdown’

by Staff Reporter April 8, 2021

written by Staff Reporter

The protest march saw 600 or more business owners walking from Utsav Chowk to sector 12 market area.

Kharghar / Navi Mumbai / PMC: Following up on their stand against the new ‘Mini Lockdown’ restrictions, local business owners in Kharghar took out a protest march on 7th April, 2021. More than 500 people walked back to back, holding placards and shouting the slogan “Jeene Do Jeene Do, Vyapari ko Jeene Do” in what is being called an act of ‘Gandhigiri’ of sorts!

On 5th April, 2021, there had been an angry protest in Kharghar, when the PMC administration had asked shop and business owners to shut down their shops and office.

The officials had even sealed a few establishments further angering shop owners.

It was only afer the timely intervention of Kharghar Senior Police Inspector Shatrughan Mali, that the angry crowd was finally dispersed.

Also read: Navi Mumbai ‘Mini Lockdown’met with angry protests

There had been similar protests in nodes like Kalamboli and Seawoods as well, where angry business owners had bluntly rebuked the governance for what they had called an inhumane decision.

Later that day all business owners in Kharghar met to discuss their plan of action to voice their concerns agaisnt the rash decision taken by the government.

The Ekta Vyapari Sangh then decided to adopt ‘Gandhigiri’ to protest against the new covid-19 lockdown rules.

More than 600 such business owners from Kharghar gathered at the Utsav Chowk in the morning with placards reading the message – “Businessmen Would End Before Corona” with loud slogans of “Let Businessmen Live”!

The protesters walked all the way to the market area of sector 12.

Kharghar business owners plan to carry out many such protest till a viable solution is proposed by the government and local administration.

However, the PMC has kept their stand clear that they have been acting on behalf of the decision made by the state government.

April 8, 2021 0 comments

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