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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
HC lifts interim stay on investigation into bribery case against employees of L&T, Cognizant, govt officials
Mumbai: The Bombay high court recently lifted an interim stay it had granted on a corruption investigation against employees of Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T),Cognizant Technology Solutions, and government officials, observing that the complaint was not filed against the infrastructure company but against its employees. Bombay High Court (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) A division bench of justices AS Gadkari and Rajesh Patil said in its July 23 order that L&T had not been arraigned as an accused in the case by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Pune. Following the directions of a sessions court in April 2024, the ACB had registered an offence against officials of L&T, Cognizant and unknown government officials in an alleged $770,000 bribery case. The case pertains to allegations that IT consultancy Cognizant, through its contractor L&T, had paid bribes worth $770,000 to government officials between 2013 and 2014 to obtain clearances to build a campus in Pune's Hinjawadi. The case was registered based on a March 2024 complaint filed by Delhi-based activist and retired police officer Prit Pal Singh, citing newspaper reports. The sessions court then directed the ACB to investigate Pal's allegations. However, L&T challenged the order in the Bombay high court. In May 2024, a different bench of the high court granted an interim stay on the investigation, citing a prima facie 'jurisdictional error' on the part of the sessions court, among other reasons. L&T had contended that Pal's allegations were 'vague, bogus and malafide', adding that they were based on 'hearsay evidence'. The infrastructure firm also said that it had undertaken the Cognizant project in 2011-12, but Pal had sought an investigation into the case after an 'abnormal delay' of over 10 years. However, senior counsel Ashutosh Kumbhakoni and advocate Manoj Badgujar, arguing for Pal, told the court that L&T had not been arraigned as an accused in the case and, hence, its petition seeking the quashing of the FIR was not maintainable. Representing L&T, senior counsel Amit Desai told the court that they were also seeking the quashing of the April 2024 sessions court order directing an investigation into Pal's complaint. On July 23, a division bench of justices Gadkari and Patil directed the investigation of the crime to continue until the next hearing. '...however, in the event the investigating agency intends to implead the petitioner (L&T) as an accused in the final report, it shall not file the said report qua the petitioner without prior leave of this court,' it said. The case will be heard further on August 20. When contacted, an L&T spokesperson said, 'We will not be able to comment this time.' A spokesperson for Cognizant said, 'We have no comments to offer. Cognizant is committed to complying with the law in all its jurisdictions of operations and will cooperate with the local authorities, as appropriate.'
Hindustan Times
02-08-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
144,776 students allotted seats in CAP round 1
Pune: The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has released the first seat allotment list for engineering admissions under the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) Round 1 on Thursday. Out of the 1,99,748 students who filled in their preferences, 1,44,776 have secured seats in engineering colleges across the state. Mumbai, India - 18 Feb. 2016 : Students appeared exams the state board's Higher School Certificate (HSC) exams at Maharashtra college of Arts Science and Commerce at Nagpada in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, February 18, 2016. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande) Candidates who have received an allotment in Round 1 must confirm their admission by reporting to their allotted institutions between August 1 and 3, with all necessary documents and fees. Those failing to complete the reporting process within this window will forfeit their current allotment, said officials. As many as 15,852 students have been allotted their first preference, and for them, accepting the allotted seat is mandatory. If they decline, they will be pushed directly to the fourth and final (open) round of admissions. The admission process is being conducted for Bachelor of Engineering (BE) and Bachelor of Technology (BTech) courses, based on scores from the MHT CET 2025 entrance exam. Meanwhile, the CET cell has introduced a crucial rule for the upcoming CAP Round 2–students must fill their top three preferences carefully. If a student is allotted a seat in any of their first three options during this round, they will be obligated to accept that seat, with no option to wait for better allotments in further rounds. The list of vacant seats will be displayed on August 4, giving students a chance to review available options. Following this, candidates can submit their revised option forms between August 5 and August 7. The provisional seat allotment for Round 2 will be released on August 11. Students who are allotted a seat in this round must accept the seat and report to the respective institutes for confirmation between August 12 and August 14, with the final deadline being 5 pm on August 14.
Hindustan Times
02-08-2025
- Hindustan Times
Mumbai Coastal Road promenade to partially open by August 15
Mumbai: By August 15, Mumbai is set to witness the partial opening of one of its most anticipated infrastructure developments—the 7.5-km seaside promenade of the Mumbai Coastal Road (MCR). The coastal road promenade, which stretches from Priyadarshini Park to the Worli side of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, is more than twice the length of the iconic Marine Drive promenade. (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will reportedly officiate the inauguration, which is expected to be held on or before Independence Day. The promenade, which stretches from Priyadarshini Park to the Worli side of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, is more than twice the length of the iconic Marine Drive promenade (3.5 km). Out of the total 7.5-kilometre stretch of the promenade, around 5.25 kilometres spanning from Priyadarshini Park to Haji Ali, and from Baroda Palace to Worli, will be accessible to the public by August 15. 'The promenade is almost ready, and tests for speed cameras have also been completed,' said civic chief and administrator Bhushan Gagrani. 'Although access is currently restricted with barricades, the completed sections will be opened to the public on or before August 15.' The initial pedestrian access points will include locations such as Tata Garden, Haji Ali Juice Centre, Mahalaxmi Temple, and three entry points near Worli. These are facilitated through dedicated pedestrian underpasses to ensure smooth and safe connectivity, Gagrani said. The ₹13,984-crore Mumbai Coastal Road spans from the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Lines to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. It features a 10.58-kilometre, eight-lane expressway connecting Marine Drive to Worli. The promenade, forming a significant part of this larger project, is envisioned as a new attraction for walkers, joggers, and cyclists. Designed with public use in mind, the promenade ranges from eight to 20 metres in width and includes 19 pedestrian underpasses to improve accessibility. Four of these underpasses—located at Amarsons Garden, Mahalaxmi Temple, Worli Dairy, and Bindu Madhav Thackeray Chowk—will initially be opened, each equipped with ramps for differently abled persons. A dedicated cycling track runs along the full length of the promenade, with cycle stands placed at designated points. The area has been developed with public amenities such as benches, litter bins, trees, bio-toilets, and drinking water facilities. Additional toilet blocks are also proposed near the park areas adjacent to the underpasses. BEST has been approached to introduce bus services along the coastal road to meet the expected surge in footfall once the promenade is inaugurated. To support this, four bus bays with shelters have been constructed, along with a dedicated bus terminus near Worli Dairy. For those travelling by private vehicles, two underground parking facilities along Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan Road in Worli have been completed and will be operational soon. These pay-and-park facilities will be managed by agencies under the supervision of the assistant commissioner of the G/South Ward. A comprehensive security arrangement is being implemented to prepare for large crowds and ensure public safety. Personnel from the Mumbai Police, home guards, the coastal police, the Indian Navy, and the Mumbai Maritime Board are expected to be deployed for patrol and surveillance. The BMC's disaster management department and the chief fire officer have also been put on alert to respond to any emergencies that may arise. Cleanliness and order will be maintained by placing litter bins at every underpass entry and exit. The assistant commissioners of the G/South and D wards have been instructed to deploy clean-up marshals and strictly monitor unauthorised hawking. Accessibility remains a key focus, with smooth ramps for differently abled visitors throughout the promenade. Warning signs and safety advisories have been installed to warn the public against the dangers of high tides and discourage climbing on seawalls or tetrapods. Reliance Industries Ltd, appointed as the project's volunteer agency, has been given the promenade's long-term landscaping and maintenance responsibilities. Until their operations begin, the superintendent of gardens will maintain the newly planted trees.
Hindustan Times
01-08-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Only UDID certificate mandatory for exam concessions
PUNE: With the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education having decided on July 30 to grant exam-related concessions to students with disabilities solely on the basis of the unique disability identity (UDID) certificate, the decision is being hailed as a positive step for students with disabilities however it has created confusion and concern among the parents of autistic students. Mumbai, India – 11, Feb 2025: Students appearing for the Class 12th board exam at an examination centre at Maharashtra College at Nagpada, the class 12 standard examination starts today across the State, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, Feb 11, 2025. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) While students will no longer need to submit separate medical certificates signed by the district civil surgeon to avail concessions for Class 10 and 12 board exams, the UDID certificate does not clearly mention the specific academic concessions required by autistic students, raising concerns about how they will receive appropriate support during the board exams. Under the current system, students with special needs falling under 21 categories of disabilities including visual impairment, hearing loss, speech and language disorders, locomotor disabilities, mental illness, cerebral palsy, autism, multiple disabilities, intellectual disability, thalassaemia, haemophilia, sickle cell disease, and Parkinson's are entitled to various academic concessions such as writer assistance, extra time during exams, and relaxation in subject choices. To avail these benefits, students up until now had to submit a medical certificate from the district civil surgeon in addition to the standard disability certificate. With the recent directive however, the board has categorically stated that only the UDID certificate will be sufficient, going forward, eliminating the need for an additional medical document. Although the parents of autistic students have expressed concern over this change, pointing out that the UDID certificate does not specify the learning challenges unique to autism, nor does it outline the academic concessions needed. Autistic students often struggle with subjects like mathematics, science, and languages. In such cases, schools typically allow substitution of subjects for example, home science instead of science, or alternative basic math from lower grades instead of geometry or algebra. These substitutions and other concessions like writer assistance and extra time during exams are usually based on detailed assessments conducted by specialists at public hospitals. These assessments take up to four months and result in detailed concession certificates tailored to the student's needs. The UDID certificate, however, does not mention such detailed academic concessions, leading parents to worry that these essential concessions might no longer be available. As the board has not issued any clear guidelines on how such needs will be addressed under the new system, the lack of clarity has caused confusion. Without the necessary academic concessions, autistic students may find it difficult to pass Class 10 and 12 examinations, potentially missing out on future opportunities. Many students on the autism spectrum have demonstrated high potential in fields such as computer applications, coding, and software testing. Losing exam-related support at the school level could hinder access to such opportunities. Schools typically ask parents to submit concession certificates between August and September for students appearing in the Class 10 exams. As the assessment and certification process for autistic students is time-consuming, hospitals often advise parents to begin the process well in advance. In response to various concerns, Sharad Gosavi, president of the Maharashtra State Board, said that the new system will prioritise the UDID certificate, and students without UDID cards will still be eligible for concessions based on recommendations from doctors and specialists. He also assured that the old process for autistic students will continue to remain in place to ensure that they are not disadvantaged. However, he emphasised that safeguards will be put in place to prevent misuse of the UDID system.
Hindustan Times
31-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
State sanctions ₹210 crore for new medical college, hostel at GT Hospital
Mumbai: Weeks after announcing that a new medical college will be set up on the Gokuldas Tejpal or GT Hospital campus in south Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has sanctioned ₹210 crore for it, according to a government resolution (GR) issued on Wednesday. Mumbai, India – Mar 04, 2024: A view of G T Hospital, in Mumbai, India, on Monday, March 04, 2024. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) This includes a boys and girls hostel and staff quarters, which will be built on a 7,091-square-metre plot between GT Hospital and Cama & Albless Hospital at Fort, the GR said. The plot, belonging to the state public works department, currently has a building housing class 4 government employees, which will be demolished. The new college building, meanwhile, will be built on the GT Hospital campus, the GR said. The Maharashtra Public Service Commission is also recruiting new professors for the college, which will initially have 50 seats. The capacity of the college would be increased to 100 seats in the coming years, medical education minister Hassan Mushrif had said in the legislative assembly earlier this month. As per the National Medical Council (NMC) guidelines, a hospital with at least 650 beds and 15,000 square metres of floor space must have a postgraduate medical college attached to it. GT Hospital has 1,026 beds. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) currently operates four medical colleges in the city—at KEM Hospital in Parel, Nair Hospital at Mumbai Central, Sion Hospital, and Cooper Hospital—whose combined intake capacity is 850 MBBS students. The state government-run JJ Hospital in Byculla, the only major teaching hospital in south Mumbai, caters to another 250 MBBS students. The BMC is also starting a hospital on a public-private partnership basis at Shatabdi College. Earlier, the state planned to build a college on the St George's Hospital campus, but there were restrictions due to it being part of a heritage area.
