Latest news with #GayaMunicipalCorporation
Time of India
03-08-2025
- Time of India
GMC employee killed in Gaya, four arrested
Gaya: Manish Manjhi, an employee of the Gaya Municipal Corporation, was killed in Delha police station area of the town late on Saturday evening. Manjhi was abducted, taken to a deserted area and subsequently killed. Confirming the GMC employee's killing, Delha police station SHO, Dev Raj Indra, said four people have been arrested in this connection. An FIR has also been lodged in this regard. The four accused have been identified as Vakil Manjhi, Vicky Manjhi, Babloo Manjhi and Vikas Manjhi. Vakil Manjhi is the brother-in-law (sala) of Manish, police said. The SHO said an old enmity appears to be the reason behind the killing. According to stories doing the rounds in the area, the killing was the result of elopement and subsequent love marriage of the alleged killer's sister with the killed man's brother. On the issue of honour killing , the SHO said the investigation was in the preliminary stage and it will be inquired from that angle as well. At this stage, nothing can be said with certainty, he said. The love marriage took place several years back and it was not an inter-caste issue, said the SHO. For that reason, the honour killing theory gets weakened, he added. On the other hand, Manish's brother told reporters that ever since his love marriage, his wife's brother nursed hatred against him as well as his family and his brother's murder was the outcome of that anger. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
29-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Gaya undergoes heritage makeover for Pitripaksh
Gaya: As the Pitripaksh approaches, Gaya is undergoing a heritage revival to welcome pilgrims with restored glimpses of its ancient identity. The fortnight-long religious fair will take place from Sept 6 to Sept 21. The Gaya Municipal Corporation (GMC) has taken up the beautification of several major historical sites. Key sites under renovation include the Suryakund pond, Sita Kund, other historic ponds and the Rajendra Tower, a prominent city landmark. Once work is complete, the Rajendra Tower will resume its hourly bell chimes, restoring a tradition that once helped locals keep time. Built between 1910 and 1914 during the British era under collector George Oldham, the clock tower was renamed Rajendra Tower in 1981 in honour of India's first president, Dr Rajendra Prasad. The original clocks, once a reference point for timekeeping, were removed for repairs and kept in municipal storage after they stopped working. Municipal commissioner Kumar Anurag said, "Renovation and beautification of the clock tower has started. Four new clocks with bell sound requisitioned from Kolkata will be installed at the top. The sound will be audible in at least 500 metres radius. However, the bell sound will be switched off during night hours." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search Ads Get Info He added, "The walls of Suryakund pond will be painted on the theme of the footprint of Lord Vishnu in the sanctum sanctorum of Vishnupad Temple and the pinddaan rituals. Adequate lighting arrangements will also be made. The civic body has already installed seven mini high-mast lights there." Painting and lighting work will also be undertaken at Sita Kund along with improvements at Ram Kund and Godawari Pond, where sandstone railings are being added. Social worker Bijoy Kumar Mithu said, "The municipal administration should make beautification plans for other neglected sites too like the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the chowk, Azad Park, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium and Jawahar Town Hall that would present a better picture of Gaya."
Time of India
17-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Gaya tops Bihar cities in Swachh Survekshan's 10-L population category
Gaya: Gaya has done Bihar proud by securing a position in top 50 in the category of cities with 10 lakh population in Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 for the first time, said mayor Virendra Kumar, alias Ganesh Paswan on Thursday. The holy city secured the top position in Bihar in the 10-lakh population category and 27th rank in the country in the Swachh Survekshan, the results of which were announced on Thursday. Gaya has also achieved a three-star rating for garbage-free city and open defalcation free ++ status. This is a huge leap from 2023-24, when it finished at 272nd position nationally. Paswan, expressing happiness, said in a bid to keep the city clean, door-to-door garbage garbage collection is being done by about 10 sanitation workers each in 53 wards. "A QR code has been installed at each house, which the sanitation staff has to scan and report to the supervisor. In the houses, where the QR code is not installed or has got damaged, it is being re-installed," he said. Gaya Municipal Corporation standing committee member and former deputy mayor Akhouri Onkar Nath, alias Mohan Shrivastava, said along with the sanitation workers, a fleet of around 350 vehicles collect waste every morning and evening. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "The clogged drains are cleaned by a dedicated team using state-of-the-art machines. At night, garbage is lifted from all major roads. At the same time, sweeping of all main roads is done through machines. The garbage is sent to the processing plant located at Naili, where organic manure is prepared," he said, adding it is a matter of pride that Gaya has achieved the feat. "Gaya Municipal Corporation officials, workers, councillors and common citizens have given full support," he said. Municipal commissioner Kumar Anurag said the achievement will create a sense of competition among people to keep the city clean. "The municipal administration has recently taken many new initiatives to keep the city neat and clean. Now, we are eyeing to secure position in top 10 and eventually top-three in India," he said. Gaya: Gaya has done Bihar proud by securing a position in top 50 in the category of cities with 10 lakh population in Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 for the first time, said mayor Virendra Kumar, alias Ganesh Paswan on Thursday. The holy city secured the top position in Bihar in the 10-lakh population category and 27th rank in the country in the Swachh Survekshan, the results of which were announced on Thursday. Gaya has also achieved a three-star rating for garbage-free city and open defalcation free ++ status. This is a huge leap from 2023-24, when it finished at 272nd position nationally. Paswan, expressing happiness, said in a bid to keep the city clean, door-to-door garbage garbage collection is being done by about 10 sanitation workers each in 53 wards. "A QR code has been installed at each house, which the sanitation staff has to scan and report to the supervisor. In the houses, where the QR code is not installed or has got damaged, it is being re-installed," he said. Gaya Municipal Corporation standing committee member and former deputy mayor Akhouri Onkar Nath, alias Mohan Shrivastava, said along with the sanitation workers, a fleet of around 350 vehicles collect waste every morning and evening. "The clogged drains are cleaned by a dedicated team using state-of-the-art machines. At night, garbage is lifted from all major roads. At the same time, sweeping of all main roads is done through machines. The garbage is sent to the processing plant located at Naili, where organic manure is prepared," he said, adding it is a matter of pride that Gaya has achieved the feat. "Gaya Municipal Corporation officials, workers, councillors and common citizens have given full support," he said. Municipal commissioner Kumar Anurag said the achievement will create a sense of competition among people to keep the city clean. "The municipal administration has recently taken many new initiatives to keep the city neat and clean. Now, we are eyeing to secure position in top 10 and eventually top-three in India," he said.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
100 pink toilets to be built in 16 cities: Minister
Patna: At least 20 pink toilets will be installed under state schemes in six urban local bodies, in addition to 70 more being constructed under the (Urban) 2.0 in 10 other cities across Bihar, the urban development and housing department announced on Friday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In total, 100 pink toilets are being built across 16 urban local bodies as part of an initiative to provide safe, hygienic and private sanitation facilities for women. According to an official press release issued by the department, the project aims to protect women from sexual harassment and violence, while also safeguarding their health and dignity. Urban development and housing minister Jibesh Kumar highlighted the importance of this initiative in promoting women's well-being. "Safe, private and hygienic facilities are essential for women's health, dignity and empowerment. The pink toilet initiative is a novel step towards providing high-quality personal hygiene facilities for women and girls in the state," he said. "These toilets will be equipped with essential amenities such as electricity, water, cleanliness, and, most importantly, the availability of sanitary pads," he added. Abhay Kumar Singh, secretary of the department, outlined the cities and towns where the pink toilets will be constructed. These include Gaya Municipal Corporation, Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation, Biharsharif Municipal Corporation, Purnia Municipal Corporation, Sasaram Municipal Corporation, Sitamarhi Municipal Corporation, Rajgir Nagar Parishad, Bodh Gaya Nagar Parishad, Sultanganj Nagar Parishad, Bhabua Nagar Parishad, Barahiya Nagar Parishad, Buxar Nagar Parishad, Jale Nagar Parishad, Singhwara Nagar Panchayat, Kamtaul-Ahiyari Nagar Panchayat and Dev Nagar Panchayat. Also, helpline numbers will be made available for each pink toilet and women caretakers are being appointed to manage and maintain the facilities.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Where souls find salvation, Gaya Ji regains its sacred name
1 2 3 4 Patna: Though the Bihar govt has officially renamed Gaya as Gaya Ji, long-time residents have always referred to it by this name, thanks to its deep mythological and religious significance. Considered the only place where performing "pind daan" (rituals for the salvation of ancestors) is believed to grant " moksha " (liberation) to departed souls, the town has long been revered by pilgrims and spiritual seekers. Also known as Gaya Dham, Gaya Ji Dham, Gaya Kshetra and Moksha Dham, the holy city derives its name from the demon Gayasur, son of Tripurasur and Prabhavati. In 2022, the Gaya Municipal Corporation passed a resolution to officially rename the city as Gaya Ji. Acharya Brajendra Kumar Mishra, a scholar of Hindu texts, said the place has been known as Gaya Ji since ancient times and is frequently referenced in various Hindu scriptures. "It became Gaya after the foreign invasions. The only place whose name has traditionally been addressed with the suffix 'ji' is Gaya Ji," he said. Quoting a shloka from the Vayu Purana, Mishra recited, "Gadadharam Vishnu Padam Ashtadash Padandvim, Vande Akshay Vatam Chaayam Phalgum Gaurim Gayeshwarim." He added, "Due to the change in the names of many religious places after foreign invasions, Gaya Ji became just Gaya. The glory of Gaya Ji is described in the Vayu Purana, Bhagwat Maha Purana and other scriptures. It is where Raja Ramchandra came with Mata Sita where Dharmaraj Yudhishthir Ji visited, where Mata Mangala Gauri is seated atop Bhasm Kut mountain, where the inner stream of the river Falgu flows continuously and where the feet of Lord Sarveshwar Shriman Narayan are enshrined. It is the place where the souls of the departed find satisfaction and salvation through shraddh rituals. That is why the scriptures refer to Gaya as Gaya Pranah," he said. Shambhu Nath Vitthal, the chairman of Vishnupad Temple Management Committee (VTMC), Gaya Ji, said the place is known for 'pitra mukti' or "moksha". "It is probably the only place in the world known as the land of both gyan (knowledge) and moksha," he said, pointing to Bodh Gaya, where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, just 7km away. Discussing the spiritual importance of Vishnupad Temple, Vitthal said it is referenced in numerous sacred texts including the Shrimad Bhagavad, Ramcharitmanas, Vayu Purana, Agni Purana, Vishnu Purana, Padma Purana, Garuda Purana, Devi Bhagavad and the Upanishads. The temple, he said, was built in 1787 by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar. "Gayasur, a demon, offered his body to Lord Brahma for performing a yajna. When he wished to rise again, Lord Vishnu placed his right foot on him, leaving His footprint at the spot where Vishnupad Temple stands today. When Lord Vishnu asked him for a boon, Gayasur requested that the place become a site of moksha," Vitthal said. "That is why the ancestors of 121 kuls (lineages) under the seven gotras of a person performing pinddaan here attain salvation. These 121 lineages include not only ancestors from the paternal and maternal sides but also animals like cows that served the family," he added. Mahesh Lal Gupt, a former lawyer who returned to his ancestral profession as a panda (priest), said the renaming had been a long-standing demand of locals for over four decades. "We are happy that the state govt has notified it as Gaya Ji. It is the only place in India with the 'ji' suffix in official records now. People call Varanasi 'Kashi Ji' out of reverence, but it is recorded as Kashi in official documents. The same goes for Jagannath Puri in Odisha, known for 'Ann Brahma' and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh," he said. "Gaya Ji is known as Pind Brahma and is mentioned extensively in scriptures. Pandharpur in Maharashtra is known as Nad Brahma. Gaya Ji is also referred to as Panch Kosham, Gaya Kshetram and is considered the most sacred site where all teerths were summoned by yajna. Vayu Purana, Vishnu Purana, Skanda Purana, and Garuda Purana describe the significance of shraddh and pind daan since the Dwapar and Treta Yugas, including references to Ram-Sita's Ramshila and Sita Kund," Gupt said. "Hindus, Sikhs and even Jains from across the globe come to Gaya Ji during the Krishna Paksha of the month of Ashwin to perform pind daan. The fortnight is known as Pitrapaksha," he added. On the recent construction of a rubber dam to retain water year-round for pinddaan rituals, Gupt said the Rs 300-crore project was a matter of technical concern. "There is no water source except the undercurrent of the river Falgu beneath the sand. The aim of the rubber dam is to ensure water availability throughout the year. But silt flows in with the water and accumulates, causing inconvenience to both the public and pilgrims. There is no system in place for silt removal. You cannot fill a river with water from a tubewell," he said.
