Latest news with #BhushanGagrani
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
BMC is a collaborator in Mumbai's film industry: Gagrani
MUMBAI: For the first time ever, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has stepped into the world of entertainment, not as a regulator, but as a facilitator. A coffee table book on Mumbai's cinematic legacy and a green filming handbook was launched at the symposium. (Photo by BMC) Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said the BMC's involvement in the film industry is not about control, but about collaboration. 'Let me make it clear today that BMC is not here as an organiser but as a participant,' he said, at a meet hosted by the BMC in collaboration with Mumbai – City of Film and the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, on Wednesday. Titled the 'Role of Film Industry in Mumbai's Economic Development', the event is part of Mumbai's designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Film in 2019. Gagrani spelt out the civic body's vision to support and strengthen Mumbai's entertainment ecosystem. He said that while the municipality has played the role of service provider and stakeholder in various other sectors, this is the first time the BMC is formally engaging with the entertainment industry. With a cultural legacy that spans Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati cinema and theatre, and now OTT platforms, Mumbai has a unique place on the global entertainment map. 'The city's soft power comes from this very magic of storytelling, which deserves civic support,' Gagrani said. 'Historically, BMC has had little to no direct involvement in the entertainment space, especially when it comes to film production, live events, or post-production,' he added. 'That's about to change.' Gagrani mentioned how the BMC's vast infrastructure can intersect with the logistics of filming and live events. The BMC is now looking at how best to support an industry that contributes over ₹25,000 crore to the economy and employs more than 5 lakh people, Gagrani said. As part of its new approach, the BMC will streamline and thus ease the process of shooting in the city. This includes offering one-window, pre-approved permissions, the ability to book locations online, and access to a variety of public spaces for filming, including lakes, urban forests, hospitals, schools, and even garbage-collection points, all identified and mapped by the BMC's business development department. HT was the first to report on Monday about various locations identified by the BMC for film shoots. The civic body is also working closely with the Mumbai police, fire department, and local ward offices to ensure smooth coordination across departments. Gagrani acknowledged that many of these locations are within densely populated neighbourhoods and assured the audience that the concerns of local residents will be respected. 'The BMC aims to find a balance between creative needs and community well-being,' he said. Dr Amit Saini, additional municipal commissioner, addressed the gathering, saying, 'The first issue we often face comes from nearby residents, who complain of noise and smoke pollution. That's why it is important to maintain a symbiotic relationship with the surrounding community, especially in Mumbai and the MMR.' He cited the example of a shoot at Gilder Lane School in Byculla, where there was a lot of old furniture and waste on the street. 'We began by cleaning the site. We identified that the main problem was caused by DG sets emitting fumes and smoke. Initially, we had a D-base connection, which proved to be insufficient, so we worked on upgrading it. Right now, our primary focus is on improving the location as a starting point,' said Saini. Looking beyond film and TV production, the BMC is also setting its sights on live entertainment. Two major venues for large-scale events will be announced soon. The civic body plans to offer comprehensive support for these events, from infrastructure to safety services. 'We are covering 360 degrees of entertainment – Bollywood, OTT, live television and events,' Gagrani said. He said the aim is to build an ecosystem that not only supports the creative industry but also positions Mumbai as a global cultural destination. Apart from Gagrani and Saini, other stakeholders at the event were represented by Prashant Sajnikar, joint managing director, Film City; Lohita Sujith, senior director, copyright and digital economy, Motion Picture Association; Shivraj Walchal, actor and director. The event was moderated by Chaitanya Chinchilkar, vice-president and business head, CTO, Whistling Woods International.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BMC chief meets Raj Thackeray
Mumbai: In the backdrop of allegations raised by the MNS regarding BMC's ongoing Rs 4,000-crore waste collection and transportation tender, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani met with MNS chief Raj Thackeray at his Shivaji Park residence. When contacted, Sandeep Deshpande, Mumbai party chief, said he was unaware of the details of the meeting. The meeting comes after Deshpande recently alleged the tendering process was a mere formality. tnn
Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- Indian Express
From dense green cover to improved pathways and better illumination, BMC chalks out Shivaji Park facelift
From better walkways to improved lighting, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has chalked out a major facelift plan for the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park or Shivaji Park. Located in Dadar at Central Mumbai, Shivaji Park is a 28-acre open ground that is thronged by sports enthusiasts, evening and morning walkers, and tourists regularly. The park is also a preferred location for many politicians for holding their political rallies since the ground is located at the heart of the city. However, at present, the topography of this ground is in a barren condition and the grass on the surface has withered away with time. The top soil of this ground comprises loose red soil, which gets displaced easily leading to dust pollution at the locality. Over the past few years, the local residents have raised multiple complaints owing to this red dust issue to the civic authorities. On Tuesday morning, municipal commissioner and state appointed administrator Bhushan Gagrani visited the Shivaji Park to review its current condition. Earlier, between 2020 and 2021, the BMC had carried out a beautification plan of the park as part of which the sitting ledges were improved and heritage structures including a drinking water fountain (Pyau) was also restored. Civic officials said that as part of the new plan, the pathway of the park will also be improved, and natural grass will be planted to curb displacement issues that are being caused due to the red soil. Earlier on February this year, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) had directed the civic authorities to plant grass on the existing layer of red soil to ensure that the soil becomes more fertile and the issue of dust displacement is resolved. 'The citizens have insisted the removal of entire topsoil surface to get rid of the red soil. It could be done in a phased manner so that the daily activity at the park is not affected. We will have to consult with expert horticulturists and agriculturists on this regard before the final aspect of the development plan is proposed,' a civic official said. The officials said that additionally, the BMC has also proposed improving the pathways, sitting areas and the lighting condition of the park. The officials added that the beautification of the plan will be proposed in a way to ensure that the heritage aspect of the historical ground is also reflected. Meanwhile, the officials added that the local residents will also be consulted before finalising the project blueprint.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BMC plans hawker-free zones across all wards
Mumbai: A year after submitting a list of 20 hawker-free zones to Bombay HC, BMC is now planning to replicate the model across all civic wards. At a recent meeting, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani directed ward officials to coordinate with local police and identify specific stretches that can be strictly monitored and kept free of illegal hawkers. These areas will be jointly supervised by civic and police staff to ensure consistent enforcement and pedestrian safety. A BMC official said, "Complaints about hawkers occupying footpaths and narrowing walking space have been increasing, especially in high traffic areas. We have been asked to address this through targeted enforcement. The commissioner has also instructed that additional manpower and machinery be provided to wards on demand. Consistent enforcement will send a strong message to hawkers and discourage them from returning. " In May, a dozen housing societies from Thakur village in Kandivli East had approached Mumbai North MP and minister Piyush Goyal, seeking his urgent intervention to address growing encroachment by illegal hawkers in their locality. They said hawkers had taken over roads and footpaths, and claimed that no action had been taken despite repeated complaints and peaceful protests. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Treatment That Might Help You Against Back Pain! Back Pain Treatment | Search Ads Undo You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai In a similar move, traders' body Dadar Vyapari Sangh alleged in a letter to BMC and police chiefs in Feb that the menace of illegal hawkers in Dadar had reached alarming levels. It said it had to discontinue a valet parking initiative it had launched due to lack of official support. Citizen activist Nikhil Desai said effective action is possible if BMC and police work in coordination. "Dadar TT, which is on the list of proposed hawker-free zones, continues to be overrun by hundreds of hawkers at any given time. The only sustainable solution is to relocate them to designated hawking zones." He also recalled how in March a ward officer who took action against illegal flower vendors outside Matunga station was abruptly transferred after facing political pressure. Rajkumar Sharma, president of the Chembur-based advanced locality management and networking action committee, felt authorities keep passing the buck. "Ideally, BMC officials should act against such encroachments before residents are made to take matters in their own hands and go to court."
The Print
4 days ago
- Climate
- The Print
Mumbai is better prepared to handle disasters now: civic chief on anniversary of 2005 deluge
In the aftermath of the floods, the corporation undertook a massive exercise including the widening and deepening of 200 km of nullahs, he said. As the city marked the 20th anniversary of the July 26, 2005 deluge that claimed over 450 lives, Gagrani told PTI that from upgrading the disaster management control room to widening the drainage network and installing Doppler radars, the BMC has taken multiple measures to prevent a repeat. Mumbai, Jul 26 (PTI) Mumbai is better prepared to deal with any disaster than it was during the catastrophic 2005 floods, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said on Saturday. Weather forecasting improved a lot with the installation of multiple Doppler radars and local weather stations. The BMC also updated its disaster management control rooms and started ward-level control rooms, the commissioner said. 'It helps in quick mobilisation of men and machinery. Also, the coordination with other agencies is faster and better,' Gagrani said. The Brihanmumbai Storm Water Drainage (BRIMSTOWAD) project undertaken in 2006 for overhauling the aging storm infrastructure was still incomplete, he conceded. Mainly the works related to the Mithi river — which had breached its banks on July 26, 2005 — were yet to be completed, he said. Though BRIMSTOWAD is incomplete, the works of seven Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) were in progress and six major pumping stations along with 15-16 small pumping stations are already operational, Gagrani said. A senior BMC official said the civic body also built underground water storage tanks in low-lying areas like Hindmata for accumulation of excess rain water, and deploys hundreds of pumps to avoid waterlogging. On July 26, 2005, it started raining heavily around 2.30 pm, and within a few hours, all the rivers and nullahs swelled, submerging roads and railway tracks. The Santacruz observatory recorded an unprecedented 994 mm of rainfall in 24 hours. Areas such as Kurla West, LBS Marg, Sakinaka, Bandra Kurla Complex, Goregaon, Dahisar and Borivali were badly affected. Public transport including suburban local trains which are considered the lifeline of Mumbai came to a standstill. Vilas Vaidya, former chief of BMC's disaster management cell, told PTI that the control room, then located on the ground floor of the BMC headquarters, was quite ill-equipped. The cell just had a few phone lines and wireless sets, besides two engineers and some employees. 'The real problem started from 5.30 pm onwards, when office-goers from Mantralaya (state secretariat) and private offices left for home. Everything came to a standstill. Trains were not running. Roads were waterlogged and BEST buses and other vehicles were also stuck,' said Vaidya, who retired in 2011. Things improved after that as the city got new flood response teams, an updated civic control room, rain gauges in every ward and trained staff for managing disasters, he said. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was then stationed at Pune. Later, two NDRF teams were permanently stationed in Mumbai, he said. There were further challenges after the floodwaters receded. Thousands of animals had died, and disposing of their carcasses was also a tough task. 'Initially the BMC identified a place near Mira Road for disposing of dead livestock, but due to opposition from local people, the officials were forced to find another place. Finally, dead animals were buried at Deonar dumping ground and this work went on for almost 15 days,' Vaidya recalled. Around 50,000 residential establishments were partly damaged and 2,000 were completely destroyed during the 2005 deluge, while nearly 40,000 commercial establishments and 30,000 vehicles were also damaged, as per official estimates. PTI KK KRK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
