logo
#

Latest news with #DRP

Hyderabad-based Navayuga Engineering Company Limited bags contract to clear Deonar dumping ground
Hyderabad-based Navayuga Engineering Company Limited bags contract to clear Deonar dumping ground

Indian Express

time3 days ago

  • Business
  • Indian Express

Hyderabad-based Navayuga Engineering Company Limited bags contract to clear Deonar dumping ground

Two months after floating a Rs 2,368 crore tender to clear the existing mounds of untreated legacy waste through bio-remediation from the Deonar dumping ground in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday finalised Hyderabad based firm Navayuga Engineering Company Limited (NECL) as the winning bidder for the project. The NECL will be awarded the project at 7.29% above the estimated cost, as a result the cost of the project now stands at Rs 2,540 crore. The BMC's move to clear the dumpsite came months after the state government in October last year allocated a 124-acre portion of the larger 311-acre Deonar landfill for constructing housing tenements for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP)–a project spearheaded by the Adani Group and the state government's Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)–Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL)–where the Adani Properties Private Limited (APPL) holds 80% of the share and remaining 20% is with SRA. In its tender document the BMC had mentioned that 110 hectares or 271-acre portion of the land will be cleaned as part of this project. Earlier in 2020, the NECL and Adani had entered into a 74:26 joint venture with the latter holding the maximum stake for constructing the 47.8 km long Vijayawada Bypass. For this project, the two firms had also incorporated a new company–Vijayawada Bypass Project Private Limited (VBPPL). Previously, the NECL has also bagged contracts for some major infrastructure projects in Mumbai including the extension of the Eastern Freeway from Mankhurd to Anand Nagar at a cost Rs 2,682 crore and the 13-km long Thane Coastal Road extending between Balkum and Gaimukh which is also being built at Rs 2,727 crore. The NECL was also involved in the construction of the Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi–a portion of which collapsed on November 2023 following which 41 construction workers remained trapped underneath for 16 days. The BMC had floated the tender for clearing the Deonar dump-site on May 14. However, the deadline of the project got pushed three times. On July 4, three firms including Navayuga, HG Infra Engineering Limited and RE Sustainability emerged as the final shortlisted bidders. According to the BMC's records, all the three firms had submitted quotations above the estimated price of Rs 2,368 crore set by the BMC authorities. While Navayuga quoted 7.29% above the estimated price, HG Infra quoted 11.53% above the price and RE Sustainability quoted 24.8% above the estimated price. Civic officials said that considering Navayuga was the lowest bidder among the three, they were shortlisted and the final work order will be awarded at Rs 2,540 crore which will be 7.29% above the estimated cost of Rs 2,368 crore. 'Almost all the companies who were present in the pre-bid meeting had raised their concerns on the complexities of this project. For example, the entire dump-site needs to be cleared within three years and the same will require immense deployment of logistics. As a result, all of them had submitted quotations over the estimated price. Still the final price was selected on the basis of competitive market rates,' said an official. According to the BMC's projections in order to clean up the facility in three years, the BMC will have to process a minimum of 23,000 MT of the legacy waste every day that is present in the dumpsite. This is nearly four times more than the quantum of waste entire Mumbai generates on a daily basis. Civic officials also said that to transport the waste residues that will be generated post bio-remediation of such a large pile of solid waste, at least 1,200 trucks will be needed to be deployed into action every day. 'Besides logistical challenges, there is also a natural obstacle that we have to encounter. In Mumbai, there is a monsoon for every four months and during this period bio-remediation cannot take place. In three years, there will be three monsoon seasons which equates to 12 months–during which there won't be any progress for 12 months. As a result, the window of operation is 36 months only,' the official added. The officials also maintained that a key challenge is securing permission from multiple state departments before going ahead with the cleaning work. The dumpsite stands adjoining the Vashi Creek which falls under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). Meanwhile, the banks of the creeks have mangrove patches and nurseries whose jurisdiction falls under the state environment department.

Uproar in House as Sena (UBT) comes down heavily on Shinde for ‘corruption in BMC' remark
Uproar in House as Sena (UBT) comes down heavily on Shinde for ‘corruption in BMC' remark

Indian Express

time4 days ago

  • Politics
  • Indian Express

Uproar in House as Sena (UBT) comes down heavily on Shinde for ‘corruption in BMC' remark

The Maharashtra Assembly on Thursday descended into chaos after Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched a scathing attack on the erstwhile Shiv Sena-led administration over alleged corruption in the BMC, sparking protests from the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) and a 10-minute adjournment. Besides, the Opposition was also upset over the fact that Sena UBT party leader Bhaskar Jadhav was denied an opportunity to reply . Replying to a debate under Rule 293 on urban development and housing, Shinde — who also holds the urban development portfolio — said the Mahayuti government had accelerated stalled redevelopment projects in Mumbai and promised that the 'Marathi manoos' who had left the city due to lack of affordable housing would now return. He announced the clearance of 21 cluster redevelopment schemes and assured completion of several long-pending projects in partnership with state-run utilities. Referring to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), Shinde rejected criticism about private control being given to Adani group, saying the state government was actively involved through the Slum Rehabilitation Authority and dismissed claims that the Adani Group had been handed the project without safeguards. He also announced an online portal for pothole-related complaints and incentives for redevelopment in airport funnel zones. However, his sharp remarks accusing the previous BMC administration — controlled by Uddhav Thackeray's Sena — of large-scale irregularities triggered a furore from the Opposition benches. After Shinde's speech, Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav rose to respond but was denied the opportunity by Speaker Rahul Narwekar, who maintained that only Aaditya Thackeray, who had initiated the debate, could exercise the right to reply — and he was not present in the House at the time. The decision led to loud protests from the Opposition, with Sena (UBT) members accusing the Speaker of bias and siding with the ruling alliance. Amid the din, the Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes. When proceedings resumed, Cabinet Minister Shambhuraj Desai (Shiv Sena) and Shinde objected to the alleged gestures made by Jadhav and Thackeray towards the Chair. Shinde also accused Jadhav of daring the Speaker to suspend him — calling it 'unacceptable conduct.' Ajay Chaudhari, leader of the Sena (UBT) in the Assembly, defended his colleague, arguing that the right to reply was not restricted to a single member and that Thackeray had momentarily stepped out due to official commitments. Outside the House, Jadhav accused the Speaker of acting like a government functionary. 'The Speaker has abandoned neutrality. He denied the Opposition the basic right to reply. Shinde's speech was full of falsehood, and we were not allowed to counter it,' he said, alleging that several critical issues, including civic concerns in Thane and other cities, education, anganwadis, and water supply, were ignored in Shinde's response. Outside the house, Aaditya Thackeray further criticised Shinde and challenged him for a one-hour public debate on the working of the urban development department. 'I will ask pointed questions, and I expect straight answers,' he told reporters, calling Shinde 'ungrateful and shameless,' and accusing him of betraying the very party that gave him political space and position.

We are helping Marathi manoos return to Mumbai, says Shinde
We are helping Marathi manoos return to Mumbai, says Shinde

Time of India

time4 days ago

  • Politics
  • Time of India

We are helping Marathi manoos return to Mumbai, says Shinde

Mumbai: With BMC polls approaching and talk of the Thackeray cousins coming together, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday focused on Marathi voters in the city. In his speech in the state assembly, he claimed that the Mahayuti govt was helping the Marathi manoos return to the city. Speaking about the state's efforts to restart stalled redevelopment projects, he said, "Marathi people have to leave the city and move to distant suburbs like Vasai and Nalasopara. Many are stuck in transit camps for years. These homes will help Marathi people return to Mumbai." He attacked Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying, "They need to think about why the Marathi manoos was thrown out of Mumbai. They think of Marathi people only during elections. Then they ask, who are you?" You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai While replying to the Opposition's debate against the govt, Shinde said, "We cleared 21 cluster development projects. We are involving state undertakings like Mhada, SRA, and MMRDA to do joint ventures with developers to revive stalled projects." Shinde spoke of the govt's efforts for the redevelopment of BDD chawl in Worli, which has 15,600 residents who are mainly Marathi. He also spoke about the govt's efforts to provide housing for mill workers, who are also sons of the soil. "So far, we gave homes to 13,161 mill workers in the city," said Shinde. He spoke of redevelopment efforts at Abhyudaya Nagar, Motilal Nagar, Kamathipura and Patra chawl. On the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), he said, "It is wrong to say the govt is giving land to Adani. The govt also has a share in the DRP. Those who criticise the project—my question is, do they want locals to continue to live in poor conditions?" Referring to the Mithi river desilting scam, Shinde alleged those who are targeting Dino Morea could soon face the music. "Who was the contractor in the case? They see Dino Morea. But if he opens his mouth, then many people will become Morya," he said. In order to aid redevelopment of buildings in the airport's funnel zone, he said the govt took a decision to allow base plus intentional FSI. "This will help attract builders for redevelopment projects. "

Department of Veterans Affairs layoffs: Trump's plan to sack over 83,000 junked, VA plans to shed employees through retirements and resignations
Department of Veterans Affairs layoffs: Trump's plan to sack over 83,000 junked, VA plans to shed employees through retirements and resignations

Time of India

time6 days ago

  • Business
  • Time of India

Department of Veterans Affairs layoffs: Trump's plan to sack over 83,000 junked, VA plans to shed employees through retirements and resignations

The US Department of Veterans Affairs had in March 2025 planned to layoff nearly 83,000 employees to bring down the total strength to less than 400,000, a figure which it had in 2019 before the Covid pandemic wreaked havoc across the world. The massive shedding of employees was to a part of the massive restructuring of the federal government following President Donald Trump 's orders to bring down the cost. But the plan to fire more 83,000 employees, which was confirmed by a memo sent by VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek , seems to have been shelved. However, the VA said Monday (July 14), it still plans to bring down the employee strength. This will be undertaken by resignations and retirements. The numbers by which the employee strenth will go down - 30,000, a figure much less than the over 80,000 circulating in March 2025. "The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced it's on pace to reduce total VA staff by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of fiscal year 2025, eliminating the need for a large-scale reduction-in-force," a VA press release dated July 7 stated. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 Most Beautiful Female Athletes in the World Click Here Undo It went on to highlight the number of employees in the department had come down in the first five month of 2025. Also Read: Russia caught napping as Antonov An-124 Ruslan takes off from Ukraine, flies over Kiev and vanishes in Germany Live Events "While VA had been considering a department-wide RIF to reduce staff levels by up to 15%, employee reductions through the federal hiring freeze, deferred resignations, retirements and normal attrition have eliminated the need for that RIF. The numbers break down as follows: VA had roughly 484,000 employees on Jan. 1, 2025, and 467,000 employees as of June 1, 2025 - a reduction of nearly 17,000. Between now and Sept. 30, the department expects nearly 12,000 additional VA employees to exit through normal attrition, voluntary early retirement authority ) or the deferred resignation program. VA has multiple safeguards in place to ensure these staff reductions do not impact Veteran care or benefits. All VA mission-critical positions are exempt from the DRP and VERA, and more than 350,000 positions are exempt from the federal hiring freeze." Trump's initial plan saw military veterans and Democrats voicing their strong protest. They were joined by a small group of Republicans too. Also Read: Virgin River Season 7: Is release date confirmed? See what to expect, cast, new characters, key storylines and season 8 update After his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States of America in January, Trump set up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and brought in Elon Musk , then his close confidant, to shed the flab from the federal government. Musk, however, left the Trump administration in last May 2025 following a rift with the US President and since then the two have indugled in a series of verbal altercation on the policies adopted by the White House.

Bombay HC dismisses PIL challenging transfer of salt pan lands for Dharavi redevelopment project affected people
Bombay HC dismisses PIL challenging transfer of salt pan lands for Dharavi redevelopment project affected people

The Hindu

time10-07-2025

  • Politics
  • The Hindu

Bombay HC dismisses PIL challenging transfer of salt pan lands for Dharavi redevelopment project affected people

The Bombay High Court on Thursday (July 10, 2025) upheld the government decision to rehabilitate Dharavi redevelopment project affected people (PAP) on the salt pan land, dismissing the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a Mumbai-based lawyer and social activist on the grounds that no material provided supporting why salt pan lands cannot be utilised for rehabilitation. A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne was hearing PIL challenging the government's approval of transferring 256 acres of salt pan land for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) to accommodate ineligible residents of Dharavi. The court dismissed the PIL, citing a lack of research and evidence to support the information raised in the PIL. The Court also observed that salt pan lands are excluded from wetlands after the Centre changed policy in 2024, permitting the transfer of salt pan lands for specific purposes. PIL has failed to prove that salt pans cannot be utilised for rehabilitation. The lawyer Sagar Devre challenged the State's decision to hand over the salt pan land parcel in Mulund, Kanjurmarg and Bhandup to Adani for a rental housing scheme for ineligible residents of Dharavi and the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry's Office Memorandum (OM), which enables the transfer of land. The State proposed to the Centre, which owns the salt pans, for the transfer of land for the Dharavi PAP project on a 99-year lease in February last year. According to Mr. Devre, how can land be used for construction when it is situated in a Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) area. While on behalf of the Central government, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Anil Singh argued PIL was filed casually. While dismissing the PIL, the HC also asked the government to consider environmental issues during execution. Sanjay Devre said, 'Will take the matter to the Supreme Court and file a detailed petition.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store