Latest news with #SVNIT
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
VMC revives proposal for new bridge at Kamatibaug Zoo
Vadodara: The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) will go ahead with the construction of a new bridge for visitors at the Kamatibaug Zoo. The existing bridge, built during the reign of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, was shut to the public in 2023 due to safety concerns. The bridge, which links the aviary with the main zoo premises, was first closed to heavy and four-wheel vehicles in 2022, after signs of structural ageing were noted. Following the Morbi bridge collapse later that year, authorities decided to completely bar public access to the old bridge. For a while, it was used only by zoo and garden officials, but even that was stopped after the VMC's bridge department raised fresh red flags over its safety. Plans to build a parallel bridge have been under consideration since last year. However, the civic body's standing committee initially rejected the proposal when the lowest bid for the construction turned out to be 35% higher than the estimated cost. Even after negotiations, the revised bid stood 32.3% above the Rs 11.64 crore estimate. The contractor had quoted Rs 14.62 crore, which the committee found too steep. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The proposal was then returned with a suggestion to explore the possibility of strengthening or restoring the heritage bridge. A report by Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT), Surat, later confirmed that the existing bridge could not be strengthened or rehabilitated. Zoo officials, meanwhile, have been pushing for a new bridge, pointing out that the lack of direct access has disrupted daily operations. Staff now have to take longer routes to transport food and other supplies. Visitors — especially schoolchildren and senior citizens — are also facing inconvenience as they have to walk extra distances to access different sections of the zoo due to the closure of the old bridge. In light of the SVNIT findings and the challenges faced by zoo personnel and the public, a new proposal has been drafted. Sources said the same contractor who submitted the original bid last year has now agreed to maintain the quoted price and extend the validity of the tender. The revised proposal has once again been submitted to the standing committee and is expected to come up for discussion later this week.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Crores go down the drain as homes for the poor crumble across cities
Ahmedabad/Surat/Vadodara: A criminal waste of public money is being witnessed in key cities of Gujarat, where despite hundreds of crores being spent on their construction, homes in 'new' for the economically weaker sections (EWS), remain unallocated or uninhabitable, exposing their shoddy quality. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Six months ago, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) demolished 1,664 unused houses in Vatva, built at a cost of Rs 55.20 crore. These units were part of the 18,928 houses constructed under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme before 2014 for Rs 500 crore. "The 1,664 houses, which had been vacant for over a decade, had deteriorated significantly. An influential politician from the area had pressured to stop the allotment process," admits a senior AMC official. The official further said, "A structural audit deemed them unsafe, prompting their demolition. Now, AMC has begun inspection of the remaining houses." Nearly 4,000 units the 18,928 were never allocated for a long time — largely due to beneficiaries failing to pay the required Rs 65,000, leading to prolonged vacancy and decay. "The upcoming structural audit will guide AMC's next steps under the Public Housing Redevelopment Policy 2016," said the official. AMC's standing committee recently approved Rs 81 lakh for SVNIT, Surat, to assess the structural stability of over 8,000 houses across 270 blocks in Vatva and Behrampura. No action has been initiated against the contractors. "Most of these houses were allocated to families displaced by the riverfront project," adds the AMC official. The rot also extends to Vadodara where a Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) housing scheme in Sayajipura, comprising 1,196 units has been complete since 2019 but remains unoccupied. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These homes for the urban poor, lack basic amenities like reliable water supply, and have been abandoned. "Even these beneficiaries have not paid their contribution for the houses yet. We got the blocks painted again and some minor work that remains can be done anytime," said a Vadodara Municipal Corporation official. An elected representative pointed out that while the housing blocks may seem ready, but "without basic amenities like water, the houses cannot be handed over". In Surat, where a Rs 19 crore housing project for the economically weaker section in Bhestan, developed in 2014-15, went into a state of dilapidation even before its tenth anniversary. This project of 270 apartments was constructed without crucial water and drainage connections. With inputs from Yagnesh Mehta
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Time of India
SVNIT student attacked by another, hospitalised
Surat: A second-year engineering student of Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT) was hospitalised after being attacked with scissors by another student on the campus. The attack took place over a conversation with a female student on Monday night. Umra police booked the accused student for voluntarily causing hurt with a sharp weapon that can cause a person's death. They have also urged the SVNIT authorities to enforce stricter entry-exit measures for students at night to avoid such incidents in the future. The incident took place despite the presence of a large number of private security personnel on the campus. According to details, the two students involved in the incident were not registered for the current semester as they had not cleared their last semester. While the student who was assaulted was identified as Jay Gorfad of BTech Electronics Engineering, the accused student was identified as Garvit Jain. Both are friends. Gorfad stayed at Samras hostel on VNSGU campus. On Monday night, Gorfad went to SVNIT mess to have dinner. After dinner, he left for Bhabha Bhavan hostel on the campus to meet his friend Ved on the 7th floor. When he reached the 4th floor, he remembered that he needed to talk to his female friend. He saw Jain who was talking on the phone. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo As Gorfad's phone had been switched off due to battery issues, he requested Jain to connect him to his female friend over the phone. At that time, Jain was talking to the same girl that Gorfad wanted to talk to. Jain cut the phone and told Gorfad that the female friend would not be able to talk to him as she was at the airport. However, Gorfad insisted on talking and requested Jain to connect to her for two minutes as it was urgent. Jain got irritated over this and started beating Gorfad with kicks and punches. Soon, Jain pulled out scissors from his pocket and attacked Gorfad on his face, lips, chest, and back. After the attack, Jain left the place, and a bleeding Gorfad was shifted to a private hospital where a doctor took multiple stitches on his lips and other parts of his body. SVNIT sources said that both students were not registered for the semester as they had not cleared their previos semester. "As both students were day scholars, they don't have the right to stay on the SVNIT campus at night. We have called the parents of the both students and informed them about the incident. We will also inform them about their academic records," said an official of SVNIT. Surat: A second-year engineering student of Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT) was hospitalised after being attacked with scissors by another student on the campus. The attack took place over a conversation with a female student on Monday night. Umra police booked the accused student for voluntarily causing hurt with a sharp weapon that can cause a person's death. They have also urged the SVNIT authorities to enforce stricter entry-exit measures for students at night to avoid such incidents in the future. The incident took place despite the presence of a large number of private security personnel on the campus. According to details, the two students involved in the incident were not registered for the current semester as they had not cleared their last semester. While the student who was assaulted was identified as Jay Gorfad of BTech Electronics Engineering, the accused student was identified as Garvit Jain. Both are friends. Gorfad stayed at Samras hostel on VNSGU campus. On Monday night, Gorfad went to SVNIT mess to have dinner. After dinner, he left for Bhabha Bhavan hostel on the campus to meet his friend Ved on the 7th floor. When he reached the 4th floor, he remembered that he needed to talk to his female friend. He saw Jain who was talking on the phone. As Gorfad's phone had been switched off due to battery issues, he requested Jain to connect him to his female friend over the phone. At that time, Jain was talking to the same girl that Gorfad wanted to talk to. Jain cut the phone and told Gorfad that the female friend would not be able to talk to him as she was at the airport. However, Gorfad insisted on talking and requested Jain to connect to her for two minutes as it was urgent. Jain got irritated over this and started beating Gorfad with kicks and punches. Soon, Jain pulled out scissors from his pocket and attacked Gorfad on his face, lips, chest, and back. After the attack, Jain left the place, and a bleeding Gorfad was shifted to a private hospital where a doctor took multiple stitches on his lips and other parts of his body. SVNIT sources said that both students were not registered for the semester as they had not cleared their previos semester. "As both students were day scholars, they don't have the right to stay on the SVNIT campus at night. We have called the parents of the both students and informed them about the incident. We will also inform them about their academic records," said an official of SVNIT.
