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Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bawankule asks for alternatives as meeting with farmers over Purandar airport ends in stalemate
1 2 3 Pune: The meeting held at the Pune district collector's office on Monday between state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and farmers opposing land acquisition for the proposed Purandar airport failed to yield any result. Farmers stood firm and refused to give up land for the project, despite the minister's assurance of fair compensation plus the willingness to negotiate. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Bawankule also heads the land acquisition department. He said, "The farmers are adamant they will not part with their land. I have requested them to suggest alternatives within seven days, since the project is vital for the region's development. They may put forth their demands, but refusing is not an option." Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 10 Mysterious Photos That Cannot Be Explained True Edition Undo He said the govt will announce its own compensation package within two weeks, if the group of farmers fails to submit proposals within the given time. Land acquisition will be carried out under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013, which allows compensation of up to four to five times the market value along with other benefits. The minister said the recent land survey has been put on hold following protests and assured no survey would be conducted forcibly. "The project will transform the future of west Maharashtra. It will open the doors to development and help farmers export produce globally." Meanwhile, during the meeting, farmers also demanded that cases filed against them during protests be withdrawn. On Saturday, the authorities had tried to carry out a drone survey which led to clashes and at least 18 police personnel and several farmers were injured. Pune rural police have registered three different cases against protesters. Bawankule said, "There are videos showing protesters attack officials. People involved directly in the crime will face action. However, we could decide to withdraw cases against innocent bystanders who may have been wrongly booked. The matter will be discussed with the CM on Tuesday." A farmer who attended the meeting, Santosh Hagawane, said, "Our land is under cultivation. The law clearly states such land cannot be acquired. Our land is like our mother— we depend on it to survive. We will not give it to the govt for any project." He also said the govt had surveyed alternative sites, including areas near Baramati, which are not cultivated and something similar should be considered to build the airport. "Seven villages which are likely to be affected have passed resolutions against acquisition. Over 4,500 to 5,000 farmers will lose their land if the project goes ahead," he added.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Supriya urges PMRDA to change ring road alignment by 200m to save villagers' homes
Pune: Baramati MP Supriya Sule on Monday urged the PMRDA to change the alignment of the proposed inner ring road by just 200m to protect homes of villagers likely to be affected by the project. She held a meeting with the PMRDA commissioner, Yogesh Mhase, in the Akurdi office. "We fully support the project and all development-related works. Our only demand is a slight change in the alignment to save the houses of villagers in Haveli taluka," Sule said. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune A senior PMRDA official said they had initiated the land acquisition for the project and residents of Bhilarewadi in Haveli had opposed it. "We are discussing this matter with the villagers and authorities concerned to find a solution," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo According to the PMRDA, the inner ring road project is crucial to address traffic congestion in the city limits. It will help divert heavy vehicles away from the central areas of Pune city. It is designed to accommodate growing traffic volumes and support the city's expanding infrastructure needs. The primary objective of the 83.12km project is to establish circular connectivity among key hubs such as Lohegaon airport, Hinjewadi IT Park and Chakan MIDC. The project cost is estimated at Rs14,200 crore. Regarding the repair of the 1.5km stretch of road between Nasrapur and Baneshwar temple in Bhor tehsil, NCP MP Sule said she and the local residents would take "Shramik Card" and start the road work themselves on May 23 if the authorities failed to do so by May 20. "We will do it without compensation and seek permission from the government for the same," she said. Sule said the PMRDA officials had sought time till May 20 citing some technical issues. She had staged a sit-in protest last month outside the district collector's office, claiming that the road connecting Baneshwar temple was in a very poor condition and the administration neglected the repeated demand for its repair. A senior PMRDA official said they had initiated the tendering process for the road repair and bids were being scrutinised. "Once the tender is allotted, the work will begin soon," he said. MSID:: 120900567 413 | Pune: Baramati MP Supriya Sule on Monday urged the PMRDA to change the alignment of the proposed inner ring road by just 200m to protect homes of villagers likely to be affected by the project. She held a meeting with the PMRDA commissioner, Yogesh Mhase, in the Akurdi office. "We fully support the project and all development-related works. Our only demand is a slight change in the alignment to save the houses of villagers in Haveli taluka," Sule said. A senior PMRDA official said they had initiated the land acquisition for the project and residents of Bhilarewadi in Haveli had opposed it. "We are discussing this matter with the villagers and authorities concerned to find a solution," he said. According to the PMRDA, the inner ring road project is crucial to address traffic congestion in the city limits. It will help divert heavy vehicles away from the central areas of Pune city. It is designed to accommodate growing traffic volumes and support the city's expanding infrastructure needs. The primary objective of the 83.12km project is to establish circular connectivity among key hubs such as Lohegaon airport, Hinjewadi IT Park and Chakan MIDC. The project cost is estimated at Rs14,200 crore. Regarding the repair of the 1.5km stretch of road between Nasrapur and Baneshwar temple in Bhor tehsil, NCP MP Sule said she and the local residents would take "Shramik Card" and start the road work themselves on May 23 if the authorities failed to do so by May 20. "We will do it without compensation and seek permission from the government for the same," she said. Sule said the PMRDA officials had sought time till May 20 citing some technical issues. She had staged a sit-in protest last month outside the district collector's office, claiming that the road connecting Baneshwar temple was in a very poor condition and the administration neglected the repeated demand for its repair. A senior PMRDA official said they had initiated the tendering process for the road repair and bids were being scrutinised. "Once the tender is allotted, the work will begin soon," he said. MSID:: 120900567 413 |
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Time of India
Central scheme wins freedom for 41 inmates
Pune: A total of 41 undertrial prisoners (UTPs) and convicts walked out of state prisons after receiving bail under a centrally funded initiative introduced in 2024. Known as Poor Prisoners' Scheme , it assists impoverished inmates who remain incarcerated due to their financial inability to pay fines or secure bail. The state prison authorities confirmed that a four-member empowered committee across various districts had identified 35 UTPs and 2 convicts in 2024, followed by four UTPs in 2025 as eligible recipients. Subsequently, Rs 5.54 lakh was submitted to the courts to facilitate their release on bail. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune The freed beneficiaries were previously held in various correctional facilities, including Yerawada, Arthur Road, Taloja, Thane, Nashik, Nagpur, Dhule, Yavatmal, and Chandrapur jails. The state's jails have a total population of 39,009. The scheme aims to decongest prisons in the days to come. Special inspector general (prisons) Jalindar Supekar told TOI, "A large number of prisoners are languishing in 60 jails for a considerable period of time even after they were granted bail and pleaded guilty in petty criminal cases because they cannot engage the services of lawyers and fulfil bail conditions due to their poor economic conditions." "After the central govt scheme to release poor prisoners on bail came into effect, we issued instructions to state jail superintendents to secure copies of the bail orders from the courts and ensure that maximum prisoners get the benefit of the scheme. Courts also inform the jails if the accused is not in a position to fulfil bail conditions," Supekar said. He said that jail superintendents, through the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), identify prisoners eligible under the scheme and recommend their names to the district-wise empowered committee for a final decision. The prisons department received funds of Rs 9.27 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh from the govt in 2024 and 2025 for implementing the scheme, he added. DLSA member Sonal Patil said, "First-time offenders involved in theft, cheating, robbery, among other cases, are granted bail. We conduct inquiries as to why they are unable to furnish surety for securing bail. To examine their financial capacity, we render services of civil representatives or NGOs, probationary officers, revenue officers, and social workers and identify the beneficiaries. We submit the list to the empowered committee because they are authorised to pay fines up to Rs 25,000 and cash surety up to Rs 40,000." Patil said the prisons department gave us a voluminous list of prisoners, but our office minutely scrutinised the list, checked their criminal antecedents, and identified first-time offenders. Prisoners involved in multiple crimes and habitual offenders are not considered under the scheme, she added.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Time of India
Pune Porsche crash case: Arrest of labour contractor, jeweller legal, says prosecution
Pune: The prosecution informed a special court on Saturday that the arrest of a labour contractor and his jeweller friend in the May 19, 2024, Porsche Taycan car crash case was legal and police communicated in writing the reasons for taking action against them. Special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray, in his counter-submission, dismissed the defence lawyers' claim that assistant commissioner of police (crime) Ganesh Ingale did not communicate the reasons for arresting their clients. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Hiray presented copies of chargesheets, remand reports, and the case diary to prove his point and said signatures were obtained on the arrest memo under sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The prosecution argued that the accused could not claim bail on the grounds of parity merely because the mother of the minor Porsche car driver was granted anticipatory bail by the Supreme Court on April 22. The mother, being a woman, claimed bail as per the provision of section 437 (bail to be granted to women in non-bailable offences) of the CrPC, he said. In contrast, the accused filed bail pleas under section 439 of the CrPC (power of sessions court to grant bail in non-bailable offences) and was not entitled to claim the benefit of parity. The bail plea hearing will continue on May 6. The labour contractor's son was among the two minors accompanying the 17-year-old driver of the high-end car at the time of the accident, which claimed the lives of two young software engineers in Kalyaninagar. Police's case is that the jeweller friend provided his blood sample to swap it with that of the contractor's minor son.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Trying to determine exact cause of incident': North Goa SP Akshat Kaushal on Shirgao stampede
A tragic stampede at the Shirgao temple during the Larai Jatra festival in Goa resulted in six deaths and several injuries. Authorities are investigating the cause, suspecting rumors may have triggered the panic among the 50,000 attendees. NEW DELHI: Police on Saturday said they are still trying to determine the exact cause of the stampede at the Shirgao temple during the Larai Jatra festival . North Goa Superintendent of Police (SP) Akshat Kaushal informed that over 50,000 people had gathered inside the temple for the event, with approximately 400 police officers deployed for security. He added that this was the first time such an incident had occurred during the festival. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune "We are still trying to determine the exact cause of the incident. However, we have been told that the stampede might have happened due to some people spreading rumours... The biggest challenge for us was to peacefully vacate more than 50,000 people who were inside the temple for the (Larai) Zatra. Around 400 police personnel were deployed here for the Zatra. This is the first time something like this has happened on this occasion," SP Kaushal told ANI. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Website Builder — Create a Website in Minutes — Shopify Shopify Get Offer Undo Earlier in the day, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visited Shirgao, where the stampede occurred. The incident took place around 4-5 AM on Saturday. 'This is the first time a stampede incident has taken place in Goa,' Sawant said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called to enquire about the situation. "The unfortunate stampede incident took place today at around 4-5 AM. This is the first time a stampede incident has taken place in Goa. I have reached the spot right now. I met the injured at different hospitals. Six people died in the incident. I have asked the State administration to conduct an inquiry into the incident... PM Modi called me and enquired about the incident," Sawant said. Both President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their grief over the tragic stampede in Shirgao.
