Do you know what the stars hold for you in terms of love life, career, business and personal wellness? Well, read on to know your astrological predictions as per your zodiac sign. AriesMarch 21 – April 19Make the most of opportunities that come your way without overthinking. This is a positive time to expand your networks—both professional and personal.Life tip: Your physical environment affects your mood directly—declutter as much as you can, and keep your home as well as work space clean and tidy. TaurusApril 20 – May 20Handle any challenges before they get more complicated. Seniors need to take a little extra care of their diet and general health—avoid any extremes.Life tip: Playing it safe would only result in situations remaining as they are. Do not be afraid to follow your heart and your passions. GeminiMay 21 – June 20Be mindful about what you say to seniors and colleagues. Those in a committed relationship might want to take it to the next level.Life tip: Create a workable schedule, and spend more time on projects that actually require it, rather than doing work as your mood takes you. CancerJune 21 – July 22Broaden your horizons and don’t limit yourself to what was possible in the past. Be disciplined in your approach to work if you have multiple projects ongoing.Life tip: Release old patterns that no longer work or are valid. Pay attention to your breath if you find yourself getting stressed and anxious. LeoJuly 23 – Aug 22 Step back from any complicated situation as soon as possible. Those planning on making any lifestyle changes would have to be very disciplined about it.Life tip: Work intentionally, create harmony in your relationships. Remember that change is usually uncomfortable—focus on taking life one day at a time. VirgoAug 23 – Sept 22Make diet choices that work for you, rather than following a general plan. Try not to talk about your personal life with friends or colleagues—keep the conversation general.Life tip: Ideas are good only if you put them into action. Pushing past your comfort zone may feel frightening, but would be worth it in the end. LibraSept 23 – Oct 22Strict discipline will be needed if you want to achieve a goal, or have to work on a timeline. Listen to your intuition if you feel that someone is not being totally honest with you.Life tip: Clarity about what you want is important before setting goals. Be very specific about how you are going to work towards them. ScorpioOct 23 – Nov 21Make the best use of your professional network, and don’t be afraid to speak up. Know exactly what you are getting into before making any new investments.Life tip: Put your ideas into action, and do not allow self doubt or procrastination get the better of you. You know what you need to do! SagittariusNov 22 – Dec 21All challenges must be tackled from the root. You may have to cut your losses. Seniors with hip issues need to take a little extra care.Life tip: You have the power to take charge of you life, but you do need to sbe honest with yourself about what it is you truly desire. CapricornDec 22 – Jan 19Taking a small risk could pay off if you handle it correctly. Collate and organise data and information before getting into a meeting, as you could be asked unexpected questions.Life tip: Keep an open mind and be willing to learn new ideas, and do not be afraid to look at situations from a different perspective. AquariusJan 20 – Feb 18Wishful thinking would not get you anywhere unless you take appropriate and timely action. Listen to a senior or mentor, they could have very good advice which would give you clarity.Life tip: Welcome new opportunities and follow your dreams. Don’t be frightened by the idea of change and moving out of your comfort zone. PiscesFeb 19 – March 21Look at workable options, rather than focusing on something that isn’t possible. Avoid getting into a harsh diet and exercise routine.Life tip: Have faith that everything is in Divine order, even if it is not apparent at the moment. Listen to your gut, and you will be guided in the right direction.
15 December,2024 12:02 AM IST | Mumbai | Aparna BoseBJP leaders on Saturday said that a demolition notice issued by the Railways to a temple outside Mumbai's Dadar station has been stayed, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying it would be regularised as per rules, reported the PTI. The assertions by the ruling party leaders came a day after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray slammed the BJP over the notice. BJP legislator Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the Dadar Hanuman temple will be protected. Mangal Prabhat Lodha visited the temple near Platform No. 12 at Dadar East, adjacent to the Central Railway station. He interacted with the temple trustees and joined the 'aarti'. MLA Kalidas Kolambkar and members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad were also present at the temple, as per the PTI. Lodha said he had spoken with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and an order has been issued to halt the demolition. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Thackeray on Friday claimed that Railways had issued a 'fatwa' (edict) to bring down the 80-year-old Hanuman temple built by porters. Taking a dig at the BJP's 'ek hai to safe hai' slogan, he said even temples are not safe in the saffron party's regime, according to the PTI. After his temple visit, Lodha, who represents the Malabar Hill assembly constituency in the city, told reporters that the BJP-led governments at the Centre and Maharashtra listen to the concerns over Hindutva and that of the people. "We understand the sentiments of the Hindu community regarding this temple, and I assure you that no harm will come to this sacred place. Since we learnt about the situation, BJP leaders, and Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers have all been in contact with railway minister Vaishnaw," he said, the news agency reported. The BJP leader said they have made every effort to protect the temple and would continue to do so. In a notice dated December 4 to the trustee/pujari of the temple, the Railways said the structure was an encroachment and constructed without authorisation on land owned by it. These structures are affecting the movement of commuters and vehicular traffic. It is also obstructing the construction of infrastructure works at Dadar station, it said. The Railways had given a seven-day notice for the removal of the structure. Lodha said the notice has been stayed. Meanwhile, responding to a question about the temple, Devendra Fadnavis, who was at the 'Pune Book Festival 2024', said, "The process of classification of temples is underway. Ancient temples are preserved. The issue of Dadar Hanuman temple will be discussed with the railway administration and a solution will be found. We will regularise it as per the rules," as per the PTI. His party colleague and former MP Kirit Somaiya also visited the temple on Saturday. He told the trustees that the railway officials had assured him the temple wouldn't be demolished. Attacking Thackeray, Somaiya told reporters that those who put devotees of the deity in jail for chanting 'Hanuman Chalisa' eventually have to surrender before Lord Hanuman, referring to the arrest of former MP Navneet Rana in Mumbai two years ago. Former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray, along with other leaders of Shiv Sena (UBT), performed a puja at the Hanuman temple in Mumbai's Dadar area amid the demolition row. Aaditya reached the temple in the evening and performed a maha-aarti. He was accompanied by party leaders Anil Desai, Sanjay Raut, and several workers. Speaking to reporters earlier, Aaditya targeted the BJP over the issue, saying it uses the Hindutva ideology only to get votes. Though the railways has stayed the demolition, it must withdraw the notice, he demanded. (with PTI inputs)
14 December,2024 11:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn order to study the dispersing tigers movement, as many as four young male tigers were radio collared at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. Field Director of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve(TATR) Dr Jitendra Ramgaonkar said, "TATR along with Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have radio collared a total of four male tigers in the age group of 18 to 30 months. The aim of the study is to understand the dispersal activity of these young tigers and see which wildlife corridors they use. The outcome of the radio collaring study will help us in understanding not just their movement patterns and the corridors but will help us in planning better conservation strategies." Forest department officials, wildlife researchers, TATR Field staff, Senior Scientist Dr Bilal Habib from WII, Veterinarian at TATR Dr Ravikant Khobragade were present during the collaring.
14 December,2024 09:02 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavShiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday performed 'maha-aarti' at the Hanuman temple located outside the Dadar railway station in Mumbai amid the row over the demolition notice issued to the shrine by the railways, reported the PTI. BJP leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha earlier in the day claimed that he spoke to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the action against the temple has been halted. Aaditya reached the temple in the evening and performed a maha-aarti. He was accompanied by party leaders Anil Desai, Sanjay Raut, and several workers. Speaking to reporters earlier, Aaditya targeted the BJP over the issue, saying it uses the Hindutva ideology only to get votes. Though the railways has stayed the demolition, it must withdraw the notice, he demanded. The temple's trustees received a demolition notice on December 4 from the authorities which claimed it was an unauthorised structure standing on railway land. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Saturday claimed that a demolition notice issued by the Railways to a temple outside Mumbai's Dadar station has been stayed, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying it would be regularised as per rules, according to the PTI. The assertions by the ruling party leaders came a day after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray slammed the BJP over the notice. BJP legislator Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the Dadar Hanuman temple will be protected. Lodha visited the shrine near Platform No. 12 at Dadar East, adjacent to the Central Railway station. He interacted with the temple trustees and joined the 'aarti'. MLA Kalidas Kolambkar and members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad were also present at the temple. Lodha said he had spoken with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and an order has been issued to halt the demolition. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday claimed that Railways had issued a 'fatwa' (edict) to bring down the 80-year-old Hanuman temple built by porters. Taking a dig at the BJP's 'ek hai to safe hai' slogan, he said even temples are not safe in the saffron party's regime. After his temple visit, Lodha, who represents the Malabar Hill assembly constituency in the city, told reporters that the BJP-led governments at the Centre and Maharashtra listen to the concerns over Hindutva and that of the people, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
14 December,2024 07:12 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentShiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday called for an inquiry by the Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) into the alleged irregularities in the contracts awarded by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for road construction during the previous Eknath Shinde government. According to news agency PTI, while addressing a press conference, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) legislator demanded that Shinde, along with Deepak Kesarkar and Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who were the guardian ministers for Mumbai city and Mumbai suburbs, respectively, be excluded from the new government, as the road contracts were awarded during their tenure as ministers. Shinde is currently serving as the Deputy Chief Minister (CM) in the Devendra Fadnavis government, which was sworn in on December 5 following the Mahayuti's landslide victory in the November 20 assembly elections. According to PTI, Thackeray alleged cartelisation of contracts when Shinde was CM and handled the Urban Development portfolio. "The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has now demanded an SIT (Special Investigation Team) probe into the contracts awarded for road construction. We demand an EOW probe into this," Thackeray said. BMC was controlled by the undivided Shiv Sena from 1997 to 2022. However, the civic elections have been overdue since early 2022, and the Mumbai civic body is currently under a state-appointed administrator. Referring to a news report, Thackeray claimed BMC plans to levy a user fee per flat for waste collection, which he labelled an attempt to "loot Mumbai". "This service [of garbage collection] was free when we were in power [in BMC]. The civic body has an obligation to provide this as a free service. This is an attempt to loot Mumbai through a user fee," Thackeray asserted, according to PTI. आज पत्रकार परिषद घेऊन, मी मुंबई आणि @mybmc संबंधित दोन महत्त्वाच्या मुद्द्यांवर भाष्य केले:• बीएमसी आता मुंबईकरांवर रोजचा कचरा उचलण्याकरिता "युजर फी" आकारण्याचा विचार करत आहे. ह्याआधी कधीही असे घडलेले नाही. बीएमसीचे हे कर्तव्य असताना, मुंबईकरांनी ह्या सेवेसाठी पैसे का द्यावे?… pic.twitter.com/clRr0GpgXY — Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) December 14, 2024 Meanwhile, another Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Raut targeted the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra and said the party should organise a procession of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and build a temple dedicated to them. "First of all, a procession of the Chief Minister will be taken out there [in Nagpur]. I think that before taking out the procession of the CM, they should take out a procession of EVMs, and in the first cabinet meeting, they should make a decision to construct a temple of EVMs in front of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) headquarters," Raut quipped, according to news agency ANI. The Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 witnessed a decisive victory for the Mahayuti alliance, winning 235 seats in the 288-member lower house. The results marked a significant milestone for BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats. Its allies Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party also made notable gains, with 57 and 41 seats, respectively. (With PTI and ANI inputs)
14 December,2024 05:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Congress President Nana Patole on Saturday refuted claims of his resignation, saying that if the party faces defeat, the responsibility lies with everyone. Speaking to ANI, Patole said, "I have not given any resignation. Actually, the tenure is of three years only and I have been here for four years. This is the internal matter of our party. Everyone should get the chance to work for the party. I had never taken the credit when our party won. Similarly, when our party has lost, everyone is responsible for it." As per ANI, it was reported that the Maharashtra Congress President had written to party Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, requesting that he be relieved of his position. Earlier today, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar responded to reports about Patole's expected resignation as the party's Maharashtra chief and said that he was unaware of the development. Wadettiwar emphasised that the party's senior leadership is responsible for both wins and losses. He speculated that election defeats may have affected Patole's reported decision, noting that the final call on such matters rests with the Congress's top leadership in Delhi. Speaking to ANI, Wadettiwar said, "I am not aware of this. Senior leadership gets the credit for wins and losses both. Everyone in the Parliament credits him for the loss [in the Maharashtra Assembly election]. Maybe that's why he resigned. The high command in Delhi will decide on this." Patole retained his Sakoli seat in the Bhandara district, but by a small margin of 208 votes in the Maharashtra Assembly Election. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance won a landslide of 230 seats. The results marked a historic milestone for BJP, which won 132 seats to become the single-largest party. Its allies Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) made significant gains, winning 57 and 41 seats, respectively. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a major setback, with the Congress winning just 16 seats. Its alliance partners Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) secured 20 and 10 seats, respectively. (With ANI inputs)
14 December,2024 04:22 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRailway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday intervened to stay the demolition of the Hanuman Mandir temple at Dadar East railway station in Mumbai. The Mumbai temple had been slapped a demolition notice by the railways as it had been built on railway land which was required for the station’s redevelopment. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Ashish Shelar and Mangal Prabhat Lodha met the Central Railway team, and after talking to them, requested Vaishnaw to stay the process. Following this, the minister intervened and stayed the process. The issue had been politicised with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackery and his party organising a Maha Aarti at the temple on Saturday evening in protest of the proposed demolition by the Railways.
14 December,2024 04:08 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarA 27-year-old man died of severe health complications after reportedly being bitten by a stray dog and a cat in Thane district of Maharashtra, an official said, PTI reported. Bhagwan Mandlik, a resident of Kalyan town, died at a hospital in Mumbai on Thursday evening after his health deteriorated. According to Mandlik's family, he was bitten by a stray dog while strolling in the Golden Park neighbourhood two months ago and then by a cat a few days later, but he did not seek medical assistance for either incident, PTI cited. The civic authorities said in a release that Mandlik did not report both the incidents and did not take a rabies shot. Earlier this week, he began to have significant symptoms, such as headaches, body aches, and a dry throat. He was admitted to many hospitals before being sent to Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai, where he died, they added. Dr. Deepa Shukla, the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation's medical health officer, verified the man's death and released a statement advising locals to seek prompt medical attention following any animal bite, PTI cited. Thane: 249 dog-bite cases seen in Bhiwandi in two days Five-year-old Raiba Sheikh’s family in Bhiwandi had the worst two days of their lives, as their only daughter was admitted to Thane’s civil hospital after being brutally attacked by a rabid dog. Her uncle Imran Sheikh said the doctors had told the family she would have to undergo surgery. “Her father is an auto-rickshaw driver. It happened while she was near a municipal school in Shanti Wadi. Suddenly, she was attacked by the dog, which went on to bite more people, running all the way to a nearby masjid,” he said. In total, there were 45 dog-bite cases in this area on July 8, 2024. Out of the 45, hospital records show that more than 25 were children. The day prior, there were 60 dog-bite cases in Kamat Nagar in Bhiwandi. In just two days, the state-run Indira Gandhi hospital in Bhiwandi was overwhelmed with about 249 dog cases, which included cases from other areas. Mid-day verified the hospital records, which show victims as young as four years old and as old as those in their 70s. “There were a total of 135 cases on July 8 and 114 cases on July 7. Most of them were adults. There is one paediatric patient admitted here; the rest were discharged. Three more paediatric patients were referred to the civil hospital,” said Dr Madhvi, chief medical officer at Indira Gandhi Hospital. (With inputs from PTI)
14 December,2024 02:56 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentShiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, saying that they should take out a procession of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and take the decision to construct an EVM temple, reported news agency ANI. He said that during the first cabinet meeting, they should announce the construction of an EVM temple in front of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur. "First of all, the procession of the Chief Minister will be taken out there (in Nagpur). I think that before taking out the procession of the CM, they should take out a procession of EVMs and in the first cabinet they should make a decision to construct a temple of EVMs in front of RSS Headquarters," Raut said in a press conference, reported ANI. The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP further hit out at the newly formed government for not being able to decide on cabinet responsibilities. Raut said that there was anarchy in Maharashtra alleging that murders and rapes happening in the state. "It has been a month since the new government formed in this state but it is not known who has which department. Murders and rapes are happening in villages of Maharashtra every day, the CM is unable to answer this. Anarchy has spread in Maharashtra. This government has been formed with EVMs, they do not have a brain, they have EVMs in their brains," Raut added, reported ANI. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that they had got higher numbers than they expected. Speaking at the India Economic Conclave hosted by Times Network. Fadnavis said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan 'Ek hai toh safe hai' worked as a "magic" in the state." "I knew that they (Mahayuti) were going to win the elections but if we are expecting that I will say I knew that we (BJP) were going to win the 132 seats but this is wrong he did not know that we were going to win huge number of seats. We got higher numbers than we expected," Fadnavis said on winning 132 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly polls, reported ANI. On December 5, Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra while Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers. The Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 witnessed a decisive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, securing a landslide win with 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats. The Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party also made notable gains, with 57 and 41 seats, respectively. (With inputs from ANI)
14 December,2024 01:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe temporary suspension of BEST bus services following a fatal accident at Kurla railway station has left commuters stranded and vulnerable to exploitation by autorickshaw drivers. Over the past three days, passengers have been charged exorbitant fares, with many forced to pay R250-R300 for short distances, as alternative transport options remained unavailable. A mid-day investigation revealed a sharp rise in overcharging and refusal to ply by meter, pushing desperate commuters—including women and senior citizens—to chase shared autos or negotiate inflated fares. In a recent investigation by the mid-day team, reporters found that autorickshaw drivers were demanding exorbitant fares, ranging from R250 to R300, for a trip of just 4.2 kilometres, from Kurla to Kherwadi in Bandra East. One lane, dedicated to ‘metered autorickshaws,’ appeared deserted when the mid-day team visited the spot just before the resumption of BEST bus services on Friday morning between 8 am and 11 am. With no metered rickshaws in sight, passengers were left standing in a queue, waiting for transportation. In an effort to reach their destinations on time, commuters—including female passengers and the elderly—were seen chasing after shared three-wheelers, trying to secure a ride. This overcharging comes at a time when commuters are left with few affordable alternatives, as the suspension of bus services has limited transport options. The situation highlights the vulnerability of passengers in the absence of regular public transport, allowing unscrupulous drivers to take advantage of the circumstances. Such fare hikes raise concerns about the need for better regulation and enforcement to prevent exploitation and ensure fair pricing for commuters. Driver 1 Reporter: Will you go to Bandra?Auto Driver 1: 99.9 per cent of autorickshaw drivers will not go by meter. The rest depends on your luck. Where do you need to go in Bandra?Reporter: Near Chetana College, Bandra East. But why aren’t drivers willing to go by meter?Driver: There was a big accident early this week in which seven people died. The bus services are suspended (now resumed).Tell me the exact location near Chetana College, and I’ll charge a little more than the meter.Reporter: How much will you charge?Driver: Rs 250, because I’ll take you via a different route as the other roads are absolutely packed. But if you go by shared auto, you need to change two rickshaws to reach your destination. Also, they’ll charge you less. But I’ll charge Rs 250.Reporter: Then let’s go by meter…Driver: No, no, I won’t go by meter. Since I saw you contacting dozens of drivers, I thought to contact you if you want to ride in my auto.Reporter: Okay.[After 5 minutes, Driver 1 accosted the undercover reporters again]Driver: Okay, listen… let’s go for Rs 240.Reporter: No, no, that’s too much.Driver: Okay… I can reduce it by another Rs 10… let’s go for Rs 230 now. Driver 2 Reporter: Will you go near Chetana College, Bandra East? How much does a shared auto cost?Driver: A shared auto will cost either Rs 40 or Rs 50. But no one will go by meter.I can take you to your destination for Rs 250.Reporter: Rs 250 is too much!Driver: Then take a bus from LBS (Lal Bahadur Shastri) Marg. Driver 3 Reporter: I want to go to Lokmanya Tilak (Kurla) Terminus.Auto Driver: How many passengers are with you?Reporter: There are two of us.Auto Driver: Yes, I’m ready to go, but the fare will be Rs 180.Reporter: Does that mean you will run the auto on the meter?Auto Driver: No, we’re not using the meter rates.Reporter: I haven’t found a single auto in the last 30 minutes, and none of the drivers are willing to come here. How much will you charge to go to Bandra Terminus?Auto Driver: It will cost you Rs 250 to Bandra Terminus, without using the meter.Reporter: That’s too expensive.Auto Driver: Yes, but you’ll reach your destination in just 20 minutes. On the way back, I won’t find any passengers, so it’s a loss for me. Passengers Speak Besides these, many other drivers refused to ply rickshaws by meter. Many commuters, requesting anonymity, told mid-day that they can’t complain to the authorities, fearing their identities will be revealed among drivers, which could lead to further chaos. “These autorickshaw drivers have been exorbitantly charging passengers right under the noses of traffic police and RTO officials. The authorities concerned are mere mute spectators for reasons best known to everyone,” said a commuter, who had been waiting for a rickshaw to go to BKC. Another passenger, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, “We don’t want to indulge in unnecessary arguments with these drivers, who generally gang up to thrash you if you raise your voice. The passengers are not united, but in deep contrast, the drivers are united to loot daily commuters. If I file a complaint, I’ll waste my time and energy because the nature of these rogue drivers and policemen will never change.” A passenger, Komal Pawar, who was going to her job on her first day and waiting outside Kurla railway station, said, “I live in Ghatkopar, and today is my first day on the job at BKC. I’m already late because there are no buses available, and autorickshaws are overcharging. I’ve been waiting for an auto for the last 20 minutes but haven’t found a single one. None of the drivers are willing to go by meter. They are taking advantage of the temporary suspension of BEST bus services. I will be very late on my first day at work.” Passenger Sonu Vishwakarma said, “I live in Mulund and need to go to Vakola from Kurla station. I’ve been waiting for an auto for 45 minutes but haven’t found a single one. Not a single auto driver is willing to go by the meter. The bus was much cheaper, and now autorickshaws are overcharging. Auto drivers are taking advantage of the situation, charging Rs 250-300 for the distance from Kurla to Vakola. The police should take action against them.” Another passenger, Kiran Gaikwad, said, “I live in Sion and need to go near the Hyatt Hotel. I’ve been waiting for an auto for 15 minutes but haven’t found one. None of the auto drivers are willing to go by the meter. Earlier, they charged R30 for a shared ride, but today they are charging R50 per passenger in a shared auto. It’s blatant exploitation by the auto drivers. One driver told me that they would charge R50 for the fourth seat, and I would have to sit next to the driver; if I sit in the back, they would charge meR60.” Another passenger, Hitesh Pawar, said, “I live in Sion and want to go to Phoenix Mall. It’s only about 2.7 kilometres from Kurla railway station, but auto drivers are randomly charging R200. I’ve been standing in the queue for 20-30 minutes, but there hasn’t been a single auto available. In shared autos, the drivers are charging R50. It’s very challenging for us to get to work on time.” IT professional Rohan Harugade had been getting late to reach Vile Parle from Kurla, where he was seen struggling to get a rickshaw. “I’ve been waiting here for more than 30 minutes to get a rickshaw to Vile Parle. I was supposed to reach on time for a job interview, but now I’m getting very late,” Harugade said.
14 December,2024 01:01 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar Sharma | Shirish VaktaniaDespite opposition from various schools and teachers’ unions, the Maharashtra government has decided to implement a new academic calendar for schools starting from the 2026-27 academic year. Under the new system, the academic year will begin on April 1 and end on March 31, aligning with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) calendar. However, schools and teachers’ associations have stated that the decision is not final until a government resolution (GR) is issued. They remain steadfast in their opposition to adopting the CBSE calendar. The education department has deferred implementation to 2026-27. Representation pic/iStock This decision, proposed by a state-appointed steering committee, is part of the State Council for Educational Research and Training’s (SCERT) revised State Curriculum Framework for School Education (SCF-SE). Released in October, the framework aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to enhance the holistic development of students. Initially, the state education department intended to implement the changes in the 2025-26 academic year. However, following objections raised by schools and teachers’ organisations during discussions with the school education minister, the department has deferred implementation to 2026-27. The education department has also decided to gradually familiarise schools and other stakeholders with the proposed changes under the revised SCF-SE. A senior official from the school education department stated, “The arrangement of concluding the academic year on March 31 and starting it on April 1 is expected to provide students with more time for studies. The state government will issue a final directive or GR closer to the implementation date.”Under the new academic calendar, summer holidays for state board schools will be scheduled from May 1 to June 14. SCERT Chairman Rahul Rekhawar said, “A GR will be issued soon with further details.” In addition to the academic calendar changes, the revised curriculum will align with the CBSE pattern and offer greater flexibility for students to select subjects based on their interests. The focus will shift from rote learning to fostering creativity, particularly in Mathematics and Science. “The new system aligns with the NEP 2020 and aims to redefine education for different age groups, ensuring holistic development,” the official added. The decision has been met with resistance from principals’ and teachers’ unions, who have expressed concerns over logistical challenges and the potential impact on school operations. Critics argue that the government must address these issues and provide adequate support to schools before enforcing the changes. Speaking to mid-day, Mahendra Ganpule, spokesperson for the Maharashtra School Principals’ Association, said, “We continue to oppose the proposed academic calendar that aligns with the CBSE board. Starting the academic year in April could pose significant challenges, especially in regions like Marathwada and Vidarbha. Unless a GR is issued, we will not take this decision seriously. We have already submitted our objections to the school education minister, not just to delay implementation to 2026-27 but to reject the proposal outright.” Mar 31Day academic year will end under new system
14 December,2024 01:01 PM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghADVERTISEMENT
