Latest news with #Narwekar
Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Ex-corporator asks BMC for underground parking at Regal Junction
Mumbai: Former corporator Makarand Narwekar has written to BMC Commissioner and has asked to construct an underground parking at Regal Junction citing Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) directions. Narwekar said the Regal Junction Area development project, which has been under an undeclared and unexplained stay for some time, envisioned an underground parking facility with a viewing deck over it—an idea that promised both functional and aesthetic value to one of South Mumbai's most prominent public spaces. Narwekar drew attention to the recent meeting of MHCC held for deliberation and for granting of in-principle approval for the Regal Junction Project and said that MHCC, while granting its in-principle approval, had specifically stated that the Assistant Commissioner, A Ward, was advised to keep the public plaza open for public activities and all the parking to be planned underground. Narwekar said that this recommendation aligns with the original plan and with the pressing need to free surface space for pedestrians and tourists, while accommodating vehicular needs underground. According to Narwekar, while around 50 cars are currently parked in an open space diagonally opposite Regal Cinema, the proposed underground parking was designed to accommodate around 150 cars and bikes. Therefore, the provision of underground parking with a viewing deck above it is essential to improve the tourist experience in the area and to reduce surface congestion. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai | Gold Rates Today in Mumbai | Silver Rates Today in Mumbai 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.
Time of India
12-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Mumbai civic school's decision to shift 1,300 students to online mode of learning sparks outrage and a call for protest in front of BMC HQ
Mumbai: A protest has been called after a civic-run school in Colaba shifted all classes for 1,300 English medium students to online mode after the municipal corporation's school infrastructure cell declared the school building unsafe. This decision affects half of the 2,800 students enrolled across the school's Marathi, Urdu, Kannada and English medium sections. Parents and students of Colaba Municipal School protested on Monday against the abrupt shift to online learning. Makarand Narwekar, former BJP corporator from Colaba, stated that if the BMC does not provide an alternative space for schooling within two days, a protest march with all students and parents will be organised. While students from Marathi, Urdu and Kannada medium sections were successfully transferred to nearby schools within the locality, authorities were unable to secure physical classroom space for the English medium sections. Consequently, these students have been directed to continue their education virtually until further notice. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai "This building is not dilapidated. It was repaired two years ago. At most, some repairs are needed, but shutting down the school and jeopardising the future of students will not be tolerated. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mix Pink Salt with This Ingredient and Watch the Weight Melt Away curiouslythink Learn More Undo The time has come for IAS officers sitting in air-conditioned offices in BMC to wake up. If the BMC doesn't secure an alternative space for schooling in the next two days, all students and parents from the school will march towards the BMC headquarters," said Narwekar. A BMC official said, "We are trying to accommodate all the children in a BMC school near the MTNL office in Colaba. We are also talking to some private institutions to use their vacant classrooms and accommodate the children." Shivnath Darade, a member of the Maharashtra State Teachers Council, said, "The officials could have informed students and parents before the academic year began, allowing them to make necessary arrangements. Instead, more than a month into the academic session, students have been abruptly transitioned to online learning." 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.
Time of India
10-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Mumbai corporator seeks child rights commission's intervention over Colaba school closure
Mumbai: Makarand Narwekar, former BJP corporator from Colaba, has written to the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR), seeking its intervention to issue a notice to BMC. He alleges that around 1,500 students of a BMC-run school in Colaba have been attending online classes after both its buildings were declared unsafe. In his letter to the MSCPCR, Narwekar stated that these students belong to Mumbai Public School at A M Sawant Marg, Colaba, which has a total strength of over 1,500 students. "The Child Rights Commission should issue a notice to the BMC and investigate the handling of these closures, which has made students from modest backgrounds suffer. Senior BMC education department officials must be held accountable for playing with the future of these students. The commission should fix responsibility on these officials for destroying the future of the children," said Narwekar, adding that the BMC has made no alternate arrangements for the 1,500 students, forcing them to opt for online classes. BMC did not respond to Narwekar's allegations. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai 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.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Maha speaker makes NCP (SP), BJP MLAs apologise for scuffle
Supporters Of BJP & NCP (SP) MLAs Clash MUMBAI: A day after supporters of NCP (SP) legislator Jitendra Awhad and BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar came to blows in the lobby of Vidhan Bhavan, both netas apologised on the directions of speaker Rahul Narwekar. Taking a strong view of the ruckus, Narwekar said such an incident had never happened before. One supporter of each MLA said to be involved in the clash will have to face the breach of privilege committee for maligning the image of the legislature. In addition, Narwekar said only legislators, their personal assistants and govt officials will be allowed into the House during the session. Even ministers will have to hold meetings requiring external visitors outside the assembly premises, he said. An ethics committee will also be set up, like in Parliament, to ensure legislators follow a code of conduct, he said. 'It is important to maintain public's belief in democracy. The state legislature is temple of democracy. Legislators need to uphold this tradition because they have taken an oath to follow the Constitution,' Narwekar said. He said after the scuffle, he sought a report from the security chief. Among those apprehended was Nitin Deshmukh who claimed he was Awhad's supporter and Sarjerao Bhosale, who was Padalkar's cousin. They will face the privileges committee and cases have been lodged against them and 6-7 others.
Hindustan Times
09-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
State FDA laboratories to increase staff, sample collection and analysis to triple
Mumbai: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra is set to undergo a major upgrade, with a significant expansion of its laboratory infrastructure and food sample testing capacity, said FDA Commissioner Rajesh Narwekar. The 325 newly recruited food safety officers and the two new upcoming laboratories, will address the earlier shortage of staff, increase the collection of food samples across the state, and allow more samples to be tested. FDA labs conduct 12 essential tests to examine the composition, quality, and contamination in food and pharmaceutical samples. (AFP) Narwekar said, 'Each food safety officer will be tasked with collecting at least 10 samples. This means around 3,250 samples will be gathered—almost three times more than before.' In addition to the state's three functional FDA laboratories in Mumbai, Sambhajinagar, and Nagpur, Narvekar said that two more will be added soon—one in Pune and another in Nashik. 'The construction of the Pune laboratory has been completed, while the Nashik facility is expected to be ready in the next two months,' he added. At present, Mumbai and the Konkan region carry the bulk of the testing responsibility. However, Narvekar emphasized the need to distribute the testing load more evenly across regions. 'Nearly 80% of pharmaceutical manufacturing takes place in areas like Palghar, Ambernath, and Taloja. The food industry also has a heavy presence here. Meanwhile, Amravati division doesn't have a single FDA laboratory,' he explained. The FDA has submitted a proposal to set up additional labs in both Amravati and the Konkan to address this imbalance, he added. The FDA is also expected to improve its ability to deliver timely reports. Last year, with the central government's approval, the FDA partnered with five NABL-accredited laboratories under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). These labs, located in Nashik, Pune, and Navi Mumbai, helped share its workload, but due to logistical constraints, reports for samples collected from distant regions like Latur would take as long as 12-14 months to be finalised. Narwekar said that by using external laboratories, the FDA shortened that duration to just 14 days. However, the central government scheme that facilitated this partnership ended in March. 'We've sent a proposal to extend this arrangement and expect approval in the next 7 to 8 days. If approved, it will significantly reduce the burden on our own labs,' Narwekar added. FDA labs conduct 12 essential tests to examine the composition, quality, and contamination in food and pharmaceutical samples. 'It's a technical and strictly regulated process,' Narwekar said, stressing on the critical role laboratories play in the food and drug safety ecosystem. 'After collecting a sample, the lab test report becomes the basis for legal action. If the report shows that a drug is harmful to health, we initiate prosecution,' he added.
