Latest news with #KolhapurMunicipalCorporation
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Irani quarry in Kolhapur city goes nearly dry raising questions over Ganesh idol immersion
Kolhapur: Members of several Ganesh mandals in the city are worried that they do not know where and how would idols be immersed at the end of Ganeshotsav this year. The Irani quarry adjacent to Rankala Lake, where domestic and mandal idols from across the city and suburban areas are immersed, was recently cleaned, but the contractor did not refill the quarry with water. This has rendered Ganesh mandals to question how will they immerse 21ft idols in this quarry. Due to restrictions on immersion into natural water bodies, idols are immersed in artificial immersion tanks. Suraj Patil, a Sambhajinagar Ganesh mandal member, said, "There are nearly 50 Ganesh idols in Kolhapur city which are between 18ft to 21ft in height. If the water level isn't increased, how will these idols get immersed in the quarry?" Officials of Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC), however, said the quarry will be full by the time Ganesh immersion arrives. A KMC official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said: "Due to the immersion of a large number of idols, the Irani quarry and another quarry adjacent to it are filled with heaps of idols and other materials. Therefore, both these quarries have to be cleaned once every two years. This year, tenders were floated, and the quarries were cleaned. The contractor took up this work just before monsoon. Water was pumped out of the quarry, so one of the quarries has less water. By the time of Ganesh immersion, this quarry will be full due to rainwater." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Natyagruha restoration misses 1-year deadline; set to reopen in few months
1 2 3 Kolhapur: It has been a year since a major fire tragedy reduced the Keshavrao Bhosale Natyagruha and Rajarshi Shahu Kusti Maidan to ashes. However, although restoration work soon began and is still under way, heavy rain and technical difficulties have presented limitations and the reopening of the theatre will take a few more months. Soon after the fire, Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC), state govt, public representatives, and theatre lovers became resolute to rebuild the theatre as its orginal form within a year. State govt released Rs25 crore for the reconstruction. The theatre's design was finalised collectively by govt, municipal bodies, heritage committees, artists and public representatives. KMC city engineer Ramesh Maskar said: "It has been only 10 months since the work on the theatre began. In the first phase strengthening of walls, laying tiles, waterproofing and roofing was completed. 40% of the work was done the second phase, including backstage, footing, art gallery makeup room, green room and brickwork construction, including columns, has been completed. In its phase three, a work order has been issued. " To break down the work done so far, in phase one a tender worth Rs7.35 crore was published on Oct 3, 2024. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Access all TV channels anywhere, anytime Techno Mag Learn More Undo The tender of the lowest bidder, Lakshmi Hericon Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai, was approved, and a work order was given to them on Oct 14, 2024. In phase two, administrative approval was given on Feb 6, 2025, for the proposal of Rs3.2 crore for the green room and necessary works. In phase three, the proposal of Rs11.77 crore for interior, acoustics, electrification, and ancillary work was approved by the district collector on April 8, 2025. "The theatre uses cutting-edge technology and systems. Therefore, only those who have experience in maintaining and handling technology should handle them. After the work is completed, the maintenance and repair work will be done by a private organisation," said Maskar. On the night of Aug 8, 2024, the KMC-run theatre complex was gutted in the fire. Since then, the day is considered as a black day in the history of theatre in Kolhapur. The Natyagruha was built in 1915 by Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj and is named after legendary theatre artist Sangeet Surya Keshavrao Bhosale. Incidentally, the night of the fire marked the eve of Bhosale's 134th birth anniversary. Production manager Milind Ashtekar said: "I have spent my life on the theatre premises. I have seen the renovation of Natyagruha three times, and I also had the misfortune of seeing it getting gutted last year. Although this wound will never heal, I am satisfied that the heritage Natyagruha is being restored to its original form once again." The approved grant so far is Rs 25.1 crore, of which Rs22.3 crore has been planned, and the remaining Rs2.8 crore has been proposed for the reconstruction of the embankment of Rajarshi Shahu Khasbag Maidan. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Kolhapur residents suffer health issues as dust pollution rises after rain recedes
Kolhapur: Residents are facing significant hardship due to dust while commuting on roads since the showers have receded. The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation repaired potholes by filling them with murum, but as the rain has subsided, large amounts of dust have been blowing in the air on almost all city roads. The number of people suffering from headaches, itchy eyes, and sore throats has also increased drastically. In Feb this year, the civic body purchased a multipurpose sprinkler tanker worth Rs 1.5 crore, and people are questioning the current whereabouts of this sprinkler. Satish Yadav, a resident of Budhwar Peth, said, "Due to the poor condition of roads, the ongoing works at CPR Hospital and at the old district court premises, a large amount of dust is blowing in the air. KMC installed mist fountains, mechanical air filtration units, and a water tanker sprinkler to reduce dust. Where are they? Why are the mist fountains not operating?" Every year, roads in the city are constructed using crores of rupees, but not a single road is built with quality and according to road standards. Poor and incomplete road works are taking a heavy toll on the city, especially on two-wheelers and pedestrians. Large amounts of dust fly on the roads after heavy vehicles like trucks or buses pass by. Commuters behind those vehicles cannot stop breathing, nor can they breathe properly. Manisha Chavan, a resident of the Devkar Panand area of the city, said, "For the past two days, all the members in my family and also in the neighbourhood have said that they are facing sore throats with itchy eyes due to the dust particles flying in the air. But KMC is least bothered about the sufferings of the common man."
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
KMC suspends 3 officials in Rs85L drainage scam claim
Kolhapur: Civic administrator K Manjulekshmi has suspended three Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials following allegations of their involvement in an Rs85 lakh scam related to drainage pipe laying work in the Badbade Mala area of Kasba Bawda. The suspensions come after former KMC corporator and Shiv Sena district coordinator Satyajit alias Nana Kadam on July 21 alleged that officials and a contractor colluded to submit fraudulent bills for uncompleted development work. Manjulekshmi has also formed a committee, comprising additional commissioner Shilpa Darekar and city engineer Ramesh Maskar, to investigate the matter thoroughly and submit a report within 48 hours. According to Kadam, the tender for laying drainage pipes was finalized in 2021 for an estimated cost of Rs2.4 crore. "A private contractor from the Kasba Bawda area was awarded the contract with an 18-month deadline. While the contractor submitted bills in five stages and received payment for four, a "fake Measurement Book (MB)" was prepared for the fifth bill without the completion of the remaining work. This allegedly led to the KMC disbursing approximately Rs85 lakh to the contractor based on these fraudulent documents," Kadam said. Replying to these allegations, the contractor concerned on July 26, via email, wrote to the chief minister, KMC administrator, district superintendent of police and the anti-corruption department, claiming that the bill has been taken as advance for the work done on the drainage pipeline. He also shared screenshots of the payments given to several KMC officials. After this, the KMC registered a case against the contractor, whereas an immediate inquiry was imposed against the civic officials concerned. The KMC, in a press release, said junior engineer, public works department assistant superintendent and senior clerk have been suspended. Manjulekshmi said, "The contractor has admitted in writing that he forged signatures. Therefore, Rs 85 lakh will be recovered from him. Also, criminal proceedings have been ordered in this case. The investigation of the officials, employees, bill approvers and others involved in this serious matter of fake bill approval and the entire process is ongoing."
Time of India
11-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
80 Kolhapur students make it to state list in school scholarship exam
Kolhapur: Students excelled in the school scholarship exam, with two securing the top rank in the state merit list. The Maharashtra State Education Council declared the results for the Stds V and VIII exam on Thursday, revealing that 80 students from Kolhapur district were among the 422 state toppers from rural and urban areas. The first prize was bagged by Ishwari Digvijay Kotkar of ZP-run Vidya Mandir Sonali in Bhudargad tehsil, securing 294 of 300 marks in the Std V scholarship exam. The second and third ranks were bagged by the ZP school students too. In urban areas, among the civic-run schools, four students from Laxmibai Jarag Vidyalay, run by Kolhapur Municipal Corporation, bagged positions in the top 10. "We have eight students in the state merit list this time. We have 44 students among the top 100 students from Kolhapur district. Last year, we had two students in the state merit list from Std V, who appeared for the scholarship exam," D C Kumbhar, administrative officer of KMC education board, said. The civic school is the most sought after for admissions by parents. In 2007, one of the students bagged the first rank in the state. Meena Shende, district primary education officer of Kolhapur ZP, said, "Twenty-seven students from the rural areas of the district have made it into the state merit list for the Std V scholarship exam and 18 in the Std VIII exam, which tests general knowledge, reasoning and mathematics. The total pass percentage of the students from Kolhapur district is around 36%, much higher than the state average." Sourabhi Suryakant Dawar from Kendra Shala Fejiwade in Radhanagar bagged the second rank in the state list with 292 marks. Shlok Shashikant Patil from Vitthal Vidyamandir Pedrewadi in Ajara tehsil came third with 290 marks in the Std V scholarship exam in the rural merit list. Among Std V scholarship urban students, Swara Arun Patil and Powar Advait Dilip bagged the joint fifth rank with 288 marks, Sanskar Shahaji Patil bagged the sixth rank with 284 marks with Madhurima Bharatkumar Jadhav. All these students are from KMC-run Laxmibai Jarag Vidyalay. In the Std VIII scholarship exam, Soushruti Amit Pundpal bagged the second position with 290 marks in the state merit list among students from urban centres. She is from Vyankatrao Highschool Ajara. Shwetal Sunil Bandgar of Bapuji Salukhe Highschool bagged the eighth rank with 280 marks. Nupur Yuvraj Powar of Namdeorao Bhoite Vidyalay Kasba Walve from Radhanagari tehsil bagged the first rank in the state merit list among Std VIII students from rural schools.
