logo
Shelar & Cong MP get into spat over Dharavi master plan

Shelar & Cong MP get into spat over Dharavi master plan

Time of Indiaa day ago

Mumbai: With Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad raising questions daily on the master plan approved by CM Devendra Fadnavis, BJP's Ashish Shelar, in reply, called Gaikwad for an "open discussion" on the Dharavi redevelopment project.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
He denied special benefits were given to the
, lead developer for the project. In a social media post, Gaikwad said she was ready for discussion and asked him to "inform the time and place" but set one condition — "that it happen in presence of Dharavikars."
Gaikwad asked how the master plan was being touted as implementation of the 2016 Dharavi Development Plan when the master plan was based on FSI and TDR policies decided in 2024. She accused govt of violating MRTP Act as the master plan was accepted by govt without inviting objections or suggestions. Shelar, in a post on social media, said there is a difference between master plan and development plan. "The master plan specifies how much land is needed for rehabilitation, where it will take place, and what physical and social infrastructure is required for redevelopment of Dharavi, along with the necessary land.
When the development plan is presented by DRPA, suggestions and objections will be invited from citizens as per MRTP Act," he said.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

How John Matthai became a leading light of economic policy in independent India
How John Matthai became a leading light of economic policy in independent India

Mint

time24 minutes ago

  • Mint

How John Matthai became a leading light of economic policy in independent India

The biographer is a bit like the cat burglar, stealthily climbing up the scaffolding of a person's life, breaking in, surveying the assortment of riches and then leaving with only a few select, precious elements. This sounds easier on paper than in practice. The biographer starts his or her undertaking with an inherent handicap, given the limited access to a subject's life (especially if the subject is long deceased), and is forced to temper vaulting ambition with discretion. It is in the choice of things the author focuses on—the life lived and the circumstances surrounding that life—that determines what makes for a good biography. What finally makes a biography truly stand out is the craft of storytelling, transforming the tedium of chronology into a compelling narrative. Bakhtiar K. Dadabhoy's biography of John Matthai, Honest John, is an object study of how an author has to perform an intricate balancing act between the different elements of a subject's life: unspooling the various milestones, his professional progression, the contexts (economic, social and political) defining his professional choices and, finally, how the interplay between the subject's personal events, or emotional growth, determine some life choices or professional achievements. John Matthai is, admittedly, an interesting choice—independent India's first railways minister and its second finance minister—though charting his life holds myriad challenges and Dadabhoy's courageous enterprise manages to score on some counts but comes up empty on many others. Also reads: My mother, the family's memory-keeper Matthai's life became manifestly fascinating by first moving from the private sector to the government, and then becoming a core member of the policy circle that watched over the transition of India from a colony to an independent republic. Matthai had till then shifted from academia to policymaking before settling down at the Tata Group. As a professor of economics at Madras Presidency College, he was nominated to the Madras legislative council in November 1922, affording him first-hand experience in bridging the distance between theory and practice. This brought him to the notice of the Tata Group which pursued him and convinced him to join. Matthai's work on the Bombay Plan—drafted under the imprimatur of J.R.D. Tata and G.D. Birla, among others—had caught the attention of both Congress party leaders as well as the colonial administration. Matthai's graduation into national-level policymaking happened when he was invited to join the interim government in August 1946. It is here that Matthai bumped up against national politics, preparing him for long debates, contentious arguments and partisan broadsides against his policy choices. Initially approached for the finance portfolio, the political exigency of having to accommodate Muslim League's Liaquat Ali Khan forced Matthai to console himself with the industries and supply portfolio. From here to railway minister during independence, which literally had to transport the horrors of Partition across borders, and finance minister thereafter, Dadabhoy's biography is like a luxury train, affording readers a fleeting view of modern India's economic history as it passes by. Dadabhoy diligently excavates official memoranda, policy briefs, letters, Parliament records and debates to provide a glimpse of how a newly-formed republic, recovering from decades of surplus extraction while grappling with widespread poverty and the after-effects of a devastating communal carnage, was trying to craft a sustainable and equitable policy architecture. Statements from leaders with contesting views provide an interesting dynamic, showcasing some of the moral and ethical dilemmas in constructing a democratic, empathetic and secular republic from scratch. Matthai's biography as a vehicle provides an excellent vantage view. But herein lies the nub. There is a lot going on outside that is covered meticulously and, yet, the tumult and turmoil occurring inside the vehicle goes completely undocumented. This is a large, noticeable gap; Dadabhoy has fastidiously mounted flesh and bones to a skeletal framework but forgotten to add a soul to the end-product. It is this conspicuous omission that robs the biography of meaning. Writing about the art of writing biographies, specifically Lytton Strachey's biography of Queen Victoria, author Virginia Woolf had commented: 'Could not biography produce something of the intensity of poetry, something of the excitement of drama, and yet keep the peculiar virtue that belongs to fact—its suggestive reality, its own proper creativeness?" This 'suggestive reality" is perhaps the secret sauce that could have helped Honest John become a compelling narrative, instead of just an interesting read. For example, close to 100 pages are dedicated to tracing the debates, question-and-answers, budgetary allocations after Matthai joins the interim government and later assumes office as railways minister. It is an informative interlude, providing readers a view of India's modern economic history in the making. But, then, readers come away not any wiser about the dramatis personae, specifically John Matthai, scripting this important chapter in India's history. In the preface to American Prometheus, a biography of scientist Robert Oppenheimer, authors Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin confess that, 'It is a deeply personal biography researched and written in the belief that a person's public behaviour and his policy decisions (and in Oppenheimer's case perhaps even his science) are guided by the private experiences of a lifetime." There are multiple instances in Honest John which cry out for some understanding of Matthai's 'private experiences". The first, and most obvious, missing link in the book is the influence of Achamma Matthai. Apart from a perfunctory mention in the book as John Matthai's wife, Achamma deserved some more exposure. She was one of the early female graduates in India, having graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from St John's Diocesan College, Kolkata, in 1920. The relationship between Achamma and John needed to be explored in more granular detail and not the boilerplate statement, 'It proved to be a happy marriage". Achamma's influence on John Matthai's career trajectory, his professional choices and his moral journey looms over the book like some nebulous spirit, palpable yet undefined. This becomes evident in March 1944, when both John and Achamma are distraught after their daughter Valsa dies under mysterious circumstances in the US. This is soon after the Bombay Plan is announced and two years before Matthai resigns from the Tatas to join the interim government. The interim period is intensely important but Dadabhoy provides little for us to understand Matthai's state of mind, how he manages to tackle the demons or how the tragedy shaped his personality thereafter. In the foreword to the book, Matthai's daughter-in-law Syloo (married to Ravi Matthai) describes the man: 'Daddy was seen as being a formidable person, a man with a serious demeanour and an eminence which many thought precluded intimacy or even small liberties. But, at home, he was an entirely different person." In other words, Matthai, like everybody else, was human with the usual flaws and frailties. Dadabhoy provides a brief glimpse of the man's faultlines by recounting the episode where Matthai seeks Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's intervention after Matthai's son reportedly runs over and kills a pedestrian in Allahabad. This is the only instance when readers catch sight of the great man's feet of clay; Dadabhoy's hands may have been forced here by an earlier book which first recounted the incident. But barring this single incident, there is scarce little to sketch out the man's personality. This shortcoming is perhaps born out of necessity. While Parliamentary records and inter-ministerial archives have become much more accessible, we do not know if Dadabhoy had similar luck with John Matthai's personal documents and letters. Also, to be fair to Dadabhoy, many of the people who knew Matthai personally have all passed on, adding another layer of insurmountable constraints. This biography, therefore, apart from being a valuable document for understanding how some of India's policy contours unfolded in the first decade after independence, adds little to the mystique of John Matthai as one of India's leading post-independent policy architects. The author is a senior journalist and author of Slip, Stitch and Stumble: The Untold Story of India's Financial Sector Reforms. He posts @rajrishisinghal 'Honest John: A Life of John Matthai': By Bakhtiar K. Dadabhoy, Penguin Random House India, 396 pages, ₹999 Also reads: India's growth and urban planning: On different planets

Bihar: VIP Bathroom Built For Rahul Gandhis Visit To Dashrath Manjhis Home Dismantled Swiftly
Bihar: VIP Bathroom Built For Rahul Gandhis Visit To Dashrath Manjhis Home Dismantled Swiftly

India.com

time41 minutes ago

  • India.com

Bihar: VIP Bathroom Built For Rahul Gandhis Visit To Dashrath Manjhis Home Dismantled Swiftly

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, visited Gahlour village in Gaya, Bihar, today to meet the family of the iconic 'Mountain Man' Dashrath Manjhi. In preparation for his visit, the Bihar government constructed a VIP bathroom outside Manjhi's home in just two hours, only for officials to dismantle it immediately after Gandhi's departure. Manjhi Family's Plight Highlighted Anshu Kumari, Dashrath Manjhi's granddaughter, revealed that a toilet built by the government in 2015 was demolished to make way for a road, leaving the family without a toilet for the past decade. During Gandhi's visit, Manjhi's son, Bhagirath Manjhi, raised two key demands: converting their mud house into a permanent structure and securing a Congress ticket for Anshu Kumari to contest the Bodh Gaya Assembly seat in the upcoming elections. Political Outreach To Dalit Community Gandhi heard out the family's grievances and promised them that the Congress party would take their pleas seriously. The visit is regarded as a calculated move by Congress to strengthen its rapport with the Dalit community in Bihar. It uses the iconography of Dashrath Manjhi, who famously tunnelled a road through a mountain to bring development to his village. A luxury toilet was set overnight specially for Rahul Gandhi during his visit to the Manjhi family's clay house … Rahul Gandhi considers the Dalit as UNTOUCHABLE??#Bihar #Gaya #DashrathManjhi #BiharElections #RahulGandhi — Amitabh Chaudhary (@MithilaWaala) June 6, 2025 The swift construction and removal of the VIP bathroom has sparked discussions about the state's priorities, with critics questioning the lack of permanent facilities for Manjhi's family despite their historical significance.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge extends wishes on Eid-al-Adha
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge extends wishes on Eid-al-Adha

Time of India

time44 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge extends wishes on Eid-al-Adha

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday extended greetings on the occasion of Eid-al-Adha . In a social media post on X, Kharge said, "Eid al-Adha celebrates the noble values of selfless sacrifice, trust, and forgiveness. As we celebrate this joyous occasion, may we all unite to foster stronger fraternity and work towards a peaceful, harmonious, and just society. Eid Mubarak !" Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Recycling scrapped cars at high prices! Car scrapping services | Search Ads Undo Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also extended wishes on the occasion and wished for love, peace, and prosperity in people's lives. "Eid al-Adha Mubarak to all! On this joyous occasion, may love, peace, and prosperity fill every home. Wishing everyone happiness, blessings, and a spirit of brotherhood," the Congress MP posted on X. Live Events Wishing for the joy, prosperity, and good health, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal also extended greetings on the occasion. Venugopal posted on X, "May the Holy celebration of Eid-Al-Adha bring tonnes of joy, prosperity and good health for you and your loved ones! Let's once again embark on the path of compassion, brotherhood and unity that this divine festival stands for. Wishing everyone Eid Mubarak!" People across the country are celebrating Eid-al-Adha. Earlier today, people flocked in large numbers to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah to offer prayers on the occasion. Scores of devotees thronged the historic Jama Masjid this morning to offer prayers and celebrate Eid al-Adha. Dressed in traditional attire, worshippers came together in a spirit of devotion, unity, and celebration, marking one of the most significant festivals in the Islamic calendar. In Mumbai, people offered Namaz at the Jama Masjid Mahim Dargah. People also offered Namaz in several other cities, including Sambhal, Gorakhpur, Thiruvananthapuram, and Bhopal. Eid al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice , commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. The day is marked by prayers, charitable acts, and the ritual sacrifice of animals, with a message of sharing and empathy at its core. Eid al-Adha is called Id-ul-Adha in Arabic and Bakr-Id in the Indian subcontinent, because of the tradition of sacrificing a goat or 'bakri'. It is a festival that is celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety in India.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store