To give a colourful journey experience to railway commuters at Currey Road, Dockyard Road and Masjid station and believing in the power of active citizenship to create positive change, 300 plus Ismaili Civic volunteers -from little children to seniors - were out in full force early Sunday morning, donning aprons, gloves and big smiles they set out to beautify three of Mumbai’s railways stations, viz. Currey Road, Dockyard Road and Masjid stations through wall art. The activity, a part of Project Mumbai’s ‘Hamara Station, Hamari Shaan’ (HSHS), aiming to be India's largest citizen-led public art initiative in partnership with Central Railway, wherein 13 stations, several thousand feet of space, will be beautified through artwork. Youth volunteers, including Scouts and Guides, lent their creative charm to all paintable areas at the stations in Mumbai through the day - the ticket counters, walls along platform one, walls outside the stations, foot over bridges as well as the staircases. “Ismaili Civic believes in responsible citizenship through action. We are delighted that so many people have enthusiastically come forward today, as proof of our commitment to improving quality of life and beautifying our city through art, is one of the ways of doing so. The impact of civic initiatives is magnified when we all come together. We can make a difference and create a beautiful space for commuters”, said Sophia Premjee, member of the Ismaili Council for India. Murad Hudda, President of the Ismaili Council for Western India said, “It is so exciting to see our stations getting spruced up. This is one of the many ways that volunteers lend their time and talent for the betterment of our city and those amongst who we live.” “Teamwork and partnership are key to the success of this initiative. We are grateful to Project Mumbai for the collaboration with Ismaili CIVIC, and to the numerous volunteers whose efforts are visible today”, said Nazim Hamid, President of the Ismaili Council for South Mumbai. "Kuchh Pal Apney Sheher Ke Liye--a bit of your time for your city is what we at Project Mumbai are working on to make your urban environment better as well as make Mumbai the country's Kindness capital", said Shishir Joshi, founder and CEO of Project Mumbai. HSHS, as the initiative is popularly known, involves individuals, citizen groups, organisations, corporate volunteering. HSHS is also creating livelihood opportunities to traditional, young and budding artists from Mumbai and the outskirts. 150 such young artists from townships on the outskirts of Mumbai, would benefit from the crowdfunding support and talent sharing opportunity.
21 October,2024 08:51 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarA survey conducted by Greenpeace among women commuters ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly election 2024 has revealed that over 96 per cent of respondents said they would use public buses more for daily travel and intercity trips if bus services were made 'Fare-Free' for women. Greenpeace's public transport manifesto demands the introduction of 'Fare-Free' public bus transport schemes for women and transgender individuals across all state, city, and municipal-run buses in Maharashtra. Additionally, it calls for fare-free or subsidized tickets and passes for women passengers, the physically challenged, and transgender people on the Mumbai suburban railway. A remarkable 94 per cent of women expressed a desire for political parties to prioritise fare-free, safe, and reliable public bus transport in their agendas for the Maharashtra assembly polls, while 95 per cent endorsed Greenpeace's campaign for the inclusion of 'Fare-Free' public transport for women and transgender persons in the election manifestos of political parties. Nearly half of the students and women earning less than 40,000 rupees per month report daily travel by public bus. The specific travel patterns of women often make transportation more expensive for them, as they need to purchase multiple tickets for linked trips in a single journey. In the current social context of urban mobility in India, where women are disproportionately burdened with unpaid care work, the cost and frequency of public transport significantly impact women more than men. Survey Details This survey gathered opinions from women in Mumbai about the city’s public bus system and their views on a proposed 'Fare-Free' bus scheme for women. The survey also explored why some women avoid using buses, examining challenges like safety, overcrowding, and the condition of bus shelters. A total of 504 women were interviewed at 52 bus stops across Mumbai to ensure broad spatial coverage. Equal numbers of bus stops were selected from four regions: South Mumbai, Western Suburbs, Eastern Suburbs, and Harbour Suburbs.
21 October,2024 07:37 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Railways has decided to extend the services of the Festival Special Trains from Dadar to Kazipet (Telangana) to cater to the increased volume of passengers travelling during Diwali 2024. The details of the trains are given below:07196 / 07195 Dadar-Kazipet Weekly Special (via Nizamabad, Karimnagar) (18 services) 07196 Dadar-Kazipet Weekly Special has been extended to operate every Thursday from November 28 to January 1 (Nine services)07195 Kazipet-Dadar Weekly special has been extended to operate every Wednesday from November 27 to January 29 (Nine services) The trains will halt at Kalyan, Igatpuri, Nashik Road, Manmad, Nagarsol, Rotagaon, Lasur, Aurangabad, Jalna, Partur, Selu, Parbhani, Purna, Hazur Sahib Nanded, Mudkhed, Umri, Dharmabad, Basar, Nizamabad, Armur, Metpally, Koratla and Ligampet Jagityal 07198 / 07197 Dadar-Kazipet Weekly Special (via Pimpalkhuti, Ballarshah) (16 services)07198 Dadar-Kazipet Weekly special has been extended to run every Sunday from December 1 to January 26 (Eight services)07197 Kazipet-Dadar Weekly special has been extended to run every Saturday from November 30 to January 25 (Eight services) The trains will halt Kalyan, Igatpuri, Nashik Road, Manmad, Nagarsol, Rotagaon, Lasur, Aurangabad, Jalna, Partur, Selu, Parbhani, Purna, Hazur Sahib Nanded, Mudkhed, Bhokar, Himayatnagar, Sahasrakund, Kinwat, Adilabad, Pimpalkhuti, Lingti, Kayer, Wani, Bhandak, Chandrapur, Ballarshah, Sirpur Kagaznagar, Bellampalli, Manchiryal, Peddapalli and Jamikunta There will be no change in the timings and composition of these trains, the railways has informed. Passengers can book the tickets for trains 07196 and 07198 on special charges. The bookings will open on Tuesday, October 22, at all computerised reservation centres and on the Railways' website http://www.irctc.co.in. For detailed timings at halts of the special trains, passengers can visit http://www.enquiry.indianrail.gov.in or download the NTES app. Railways reduces time limit for advance train reservation to 60 days The Railway Board has reduced the advance reservation period of seats from existing 120 days to 60 days, an official notification said on Thursday. The reduction in time limit for advance train reservations will come into effect from November 1, it said. "It has been decided that w.e.f 01.11.2024, the existing time limit for advance reservation by trains will be reduced from 120 days to 60 days (excluding the date of journey). All bookings done up to October 31 under the ARP (Advance Reservation Period) of 120 days will remain intact. There will be no change in the case of certain day time express trains like Taj Express, Gomti Express etc where lower time limits for advance reservation are, at present in force. There will also be no change in the case of a limit of 365 days for foreign tourists, a Railway Board's circular, dated Oct 16, 2024, said. The Railway advance reservation period has undergone changes from time to time. Advance Reservation Period has varied from 30 days to 120 days. Based on the experience of various periods, 60 days Advance Reservation Period has been observed as the optimal period from passengers' point of view, the officials said, adding that there will be several benefits of 60 days reservation period.
21 October,2024 07:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has reached consensus on 210 of the 288 assembly seats for Maharashtra Assembly election 2024, which is a "significant achievement", the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on Monday, accusing the BJP was spreading misinformation, reported the PTI. The aim is to ensure the defeat of forces looting Maharashtra, he said in a swipe at the ruling alliance comprising Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, the BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. "We have arrived at a consensus on 210 seats. It is a significant achievement. We aim to contest polls as a joint force and we will defeat the forces looting Maharashtra," Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP and key strategist for the Shiv Sena (UBT), told reporters, as per the PTI. The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP). Sanjay Raut's comments came amid a flurry of news channel reports that the Uddhav Thackeray-led party may break away from the MVA and contest all 288 seats on its own. The past few days have seen hectic parleys among the three main opposition parties to finalise a seat-sharing deal, with speculation doing the rounds of the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) not being on the same page. The statement from Sanjay Raut also comes amid speculation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah having a phone conservation with him, hinting at the Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP, which were allies for decades before going their separate ways in 2019, getting back together. The two parties had broken of their alliance after the 2019 assembly polls. The undivided Shiv Sena, at the time, accused the BJP of going back on a promise to share the chief ministerial tenure. The BJP has routinely denied any such agreement. Asked about the phone conversation, Sanjay Raut said, "The BJP is feeding false news. We know who is doing it. The party fears loss in the assembly polls so is spreading misinformation," according to the PTI. Sanjay Raut said the BJP engineered a split in the Shiv Sena (in June 2022), brought down Thackeray's MVA government and also ensured the party name and symbol went to the rebel faction led by Eknath Shinde. "The worst the BJP did was to give the reins of the government to traitors (a term the Uddhav group uses to describe Shinde and rebel MLAs), who have been looting the state for the past couple of years. We (Uddhav faction) have had maximum conflicts with the BJP," Sanjay Raut further said, underlining the impossibility of a rapprochement, the news agency reported on Monday. Sanjay Raut emphasised such misinformation has nothing to do with seat-sharing discussions in the MVA. Asked about some Congress leaders leaking information to the media against the Shiv Sena (UBT), Raut said he was "surprised a Congress leader can make such a comment", the PTI reported. "We will not assist the BJP, which seeks to undermine the Constitution and insult the pride of Maharashtra," Sanjay Raut asserted. Maharashtra assembly polls will be held on November 20, while results will be declared on November 23. The term of the current assembly ends on November 26. (with PTI inputs)
21 October,2024 05:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe reconstructions of the Carnac bridge in south Mumbai has reached a significant milestone with the successful installation of the first girder at its designated location, an official statement said on Monday The installation marks an important development for the on going reconstruction project of the bridge that connects the historic Masjid Bunder railway station to P. D'Mello Road in south Mumbai. According to the official statement, the installation took place over the weekend, specifically during a scheduled railway mega block from midnight to 3:30 am on October 19 and 20. The Central Railway administration executed the placement of the steel girder while coordinating special traffic management and power supply arrangements to ensure safety and minimal disruption to rail services. The project has been underway due to safety concerns regarding the old Carnac bridge on Lokmanya Tilak Road, which had become hazardous for commuters. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) initiated the bridge's reconstruction, with plans to significantly enhance transportation in the region. "The recent installation involved moving a 550 metric ton girder, spanning 70 meters, to the bridge's southern side. The important step was completed on October 14, setting the stage for the subsequent girder installation," said an official statement. It further said that under the guidance of BMC Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani, the bridge department worked in tandem with Central Railway officials to ensure the successful execution of this complex operation. The technical supervision was provided by M/s RITES Limited, as per the approved project blueprint by the Central Railway. The newly installed girder measures approximately 70 meters in length and 9.5 meters in width, weighing around 550 metric tons. The girder was initially placed in a cantilever position alongside the railway tracks, necessitating meticulous planning and execution for its transfer from east to west. "On the nights of October 19 and 20, the railway authorities conducted thorough assessments of the risks and technical aspects before proceeding with the installation. The careful planning ensured that both rail traffic and power supply were temporarily suspended, allowing for a seamless and safe installation process," it said. With the successful installation of the first girder, focus will now shift towards expediting the placement of the second girder. The project is on track to complete the work by the end of December 2024, alongside the remaining construction tasks, the statement said.
21 October,2024 05:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Bombay High Court (HC) on Monday quashed the conviction of a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport's (BEST) bus driver, who was implicated in the death of a pedestrian 27 years ago, news agency PTI reported. The court emphasised that there was insufficient evidence to support claims of rash or negligent driving against the driver. A single bench of Justice Milind Jadhav concluded that the prosecution had not proven that the accident was the result of any reckless behaviour on the part of the driver, Shivaji Karne. In its ruling, the court pointed out that no witnesses had testified to Karne speeding or running a red light. "There is no doubt that the incident has led to the death of a person, but when there is no evidence relating to rash and negligent driving, the conviction of the applicant [Karne] is not justified and warranted," the court stated. The judge also took note of the fact that Karne had rushed the victim to a hospital immediately following the incident, which further undermined the prosecution's case. The bench stated that the magistrate and sessions courts appear to have been "swayed away with emotion because of the demise of the injured". "In the present case, the prosecution has failed to establish that there was criminal rashness or culpable negligence on the part of the applicant, which would render him liable for punishment," the court concluded, ultimately quashing the previous judgments and acquitting Karne. In 2001, a magistrate's court had convicted Karne under sections 279 (rash driving) and 304-A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code, with the sessions court affirming this conviction the following year. He was sentenced to three months of simple imprisonment, spending two months in custody before being granted bail, PTI reported. The incident in question occurred on December 2, 1997, when Karne was driving from Chira Bazaar to Crawford Market in south Mumbai. While navigating a turn at a traffic signal, he struck a man who was crossing the road. Following the collision, both Karne and the bus conductor hurried the man to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The prosecution had argued that Karne was driving in a careless manner. However, the high court highlighted that at the time of the accident, Karne was 32 years old and would now be 58. The court mandated that if he had faced suspension or dismissal owing to the conviction, he should be reinstated with back wages. If he has since retired, the BEST Undertaking was instructed to ensure that his retirement benefits are disbursed accordingly. (With PTI inputs)
21 October,2024 04:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole has made serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that the party is manipulating the voter list in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Speaking at a press conference, Patole accused the BJP of undermining democracy out of fear of defeat in the upcoming elections. He urged the Election Commission to remain independent and resist pressure from the central government.According to ANI, during the press conference in New Delhi, Patole stated, "We held a joint press conference the other day in Mumbai, where we highlighted these allegations. This is the truth. Fearing a defeat, the BJP is strangling the democratic system. We have provided proof to the Election Commission. EC should be alert and not become servitors to the Central Government; this is our suggestion to them." His comments reflect growing tensions as the election season approaches.As per ANI, as the Congress party prepares for the upcoming Assembly polls, Patole addressed the issue of seat sharing within the party and its alliance. He confirmed that Congress would consult with its allies before announcing the candidate list. "We will declare the first list tomorrow. More than the Maha Vikas Aghadi, there are differences in Mahayuti. The issues on 30-40 seats will be resolved. All three of us are planning to hold a press conference tomorrow. So, we will go to Mumbai tonight, where we will speak with the leaders of our allies and declare the list tomorrow—that is our plan," Patole explained.Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat mentioned that the screening of candidates was taking place and that a Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting was scheduled to discuss these important matters. "The screening (of candidates) is being done today. The CEC meeting is going to be held. It will be done soon," Thorat said.Ramesh Chennithala, Congress election in-charge for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, added that there were no significant differences within the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. "There are no differences in Maha Vikas Aghadi. We are united. Talks are ongoing regarding seats, and it will be resolved soon. We have a CEC meeting today," Chennithala assured.Maharashtra is set to vote in a single phase on November 20, with results expected to be declared on November 23. In the last assembly elections of 2019, the BJP emerged victorious, winning 105 seats, while the Shiv Sena secured 56, and the Congress managed 44 seats. The 2014 elections saw the BJP win 122 seats, the Shiv Sena claim 63, and the Congress capture 42 seats.As the election draws nearer, the Congress party's accusations against the BJP and the ongoing discussions about seat sharing indicate a high-stakes battle ahead in Maharashtra's political landscape. With both parties gearing up for a tense electoral showdown, the focus will remain on how these developments unfold in the coming week. (With inputs from ANI)
21 October,2024 03:01 PM IST | MumbaiA PIL has been filed in the Bombay High Court seeking guidelines to curb black marketing and ticket scalping at major events, in the backdrop of alleged foul play during the online tickets sale for British band Coldplay's highly anticipated concert in Navi Mumbai in January 2025, reported news agency PTI. The plea was mentioned on Monday for urgent hearing before a division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar. The public interest litigation (PIL), filed by advocate Amit Vyas, said there are several irregularities and illegalities during the sale of tickets for major events, such as concerts, live shows and so on, reported PTI. Such irregularity and illegality was witnessed last month when tickets for the Coldplay concert were made available on the BookMyShow platform, he claimed in the petition. An advocate appearing for Vyas informed the HC that certain secondary websites are still selling tickets for the Coldplay concert at exorbitant prices. The bench noted that a police inquiry was on in connection with the Coldplay tickets row and posted the matter for hearing in November after the Diwali vacation. The plea sought the court to lay down stringent guidelines for prevention of black marketing, ticket touting and scalping of online tickets of such major events. Such illegal means were rampant during the IPL matches, the cricket world cup matches in 2023 and the concerts of singers Taylor Swift and Diljit Dosanjh, the PIL claimed, reported PTI. During such events, the organisers and ticketing partners exploit fans by listing the tickets on secondary ticket websites for exorbitant prices, it alleged. Such irregularities were recently seen when tickets were being sold last month on the online ticketing website BookMyShow for the Coldplay concert to be held in January 2025, the petition claimed. "The sale of online tickets was apparently manipulated by BookMyShow platform in such a manner that even before mid-noon on the day the tickets were made available, people got logged out and were not allowed to access the website for purchase of tickets," the PIL alleged, reported PTI. Within minutes, tickets of all three shows were shown as sold out on the BookMyShow portal even as tickets were later found available on a secondary website at exorbitant prices. Vyas last month filed a police complaint against the Coldplay tickets row with the city police's Economic Offences Wing and an inquiry is on into it. In the plea, Vyas said such illegal practices have deprived people of their fundamental right to have an equal opportunity to access public entertainment. "The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 mandate e-commerce entities to ensure fair and non-deceptive practices. However, in the absence of effective regulations in the ticketing sector, entities such as BookMyShow are not complying with the rules," the PIL claimed, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
21 October,2024 02:25 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a significant shift in the state's political landscape, several prominent leaders have joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ahead of the Maharashtra Elections 2024. On Monday, the Pune district chief and leader of Shiv Sena (UBT) from Shirur, Dnyaneshwar Aaba Katke jumped ship. Katke, who is also known as Mauli by his followers, was welcomed into the fold by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare, state president of the party. Before joining hands with the Mahayuti alliance's constituent, the Sena (UBT) leader was serving as the election coordinator for the Shirur assembly constituency and has held various positions in the Pune Zilla Parishad. Dnyaneshwar Katke jumping ship before Maharashtra Elections 2024 is being viewed as a significant blow for Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, particularly in the key Shirur seat. Maharashtra Elections 2024: Sena (UBT) leader joins NCP with his key workers In his social media post, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said Dnyaneshwar joined NCP with his key workers like Vinayak Gaikwad who is the Sarpanch of Kolwadi, Deputy Sarpanch Nana Gaikwad, Sarpanch of Pethgaon Suraj Bhalchandra Chaudhary, and others. "I heartily welcome Dnyaneshwar Katke, Shivaji Uttam Choudhary and other dignitaries to the NCP and wish them all the best for the future," he wrote. शिवसेना (उबाठा) पक्षाचे पुणे जिल्हाध्यक्ष श्री. ज्ञानेश्वर (माऊली) आबा कटके यांनी आज त्यांच्या प्रमुख कार्यकर्त्यांसह राष्ट्रवादी काँग्रेस पक्षात प्रवेश केला. कोलवडीचे सरपंच श्री. विनायक (भाऊ) गायकवाड व उपसरपंच श्री. नाना गुलाब गायकवाड, पेठगावचे सरपंच श्री. सूरज भालचंद्र चौधरी,… pic.twitter.com/6Qwg0yZ9Si — Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) October 21, 2024 Maharashtra Elections 2024: Congress tribal leader joins forces with Pawar Jr In another development, Sanjay Tiware from Dashrath Tiware Prathisthan, along with Tukaram Vekhande and Jitendra (Pappu Tarmale), also joined the NCP at the same event. Their induction is expected to strengthen the party's presence in the Shahpur region. Additionally, Bharat Manikrao Gavit, a senior tribal leader from the Congress party, has joined the NCP. Gavit, who carries forward his father’s legacy, was inducted in Mumbai. His previous roles include serving as Union Minister of State for Home and Minister of State for Social Justice. His influence in the Nandurbar region is expected to bolster the NCP’s tribal support ahead of the Maharashtra elections 2024. Currently, Gavit is serving as the Chairman of the Adivasi Cooperative Sugar Factory, Dokare Nawapur, is a member and former president of the Nandurbar Zilla Parishad and is serving as President of Ladki Bahin Yojana Nawpaur Vidhan Sabha Kshetra Samiti. "Joined Ajit Pawar to create a bright future for my people in Nawapur Assembly Constituency, will carry forward Manikrao Gavit’s rich legacy," Bharat Manikrao Gavit said after joining the fold.
21 October,2024 02:01 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole, who is in Delhi, on Monday said that the grand old party will release its first list of candidates for the Maharashtra Elections 2024 on October 22. According to the reports, Patole, before the party's CEC meeting for Maharashtra Elections 2024, said that after a meeting with leaders from other constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, Congress will release the list and likely hold a press conference. Nana Patole, speaking to ANI, added that Mahayuti has more fissures than the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. He said, "We will declare the first list tomorrow. More than Maha Vikas Aghadi, there are differences in Mahayuti. The issues on 30-40 seats will be resolved." #WATCH | Delhi: Ahead of the CEC meeting for #MaharashtraAssemblyElections2024, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole says, "We will declare the first list tomorrow...More than Maha Vikas Aghadi, there are differences in Mahayuti...The issues on 30-40 seats will be… pic.twitter.com/5vAHRDPWwk — ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2024 He added, "All three of us are planning to hold a press conference tomorrow. So, we will go to Mumbai tonight. There, we will speak with the leaders of our allies and declare the list tomorrow - that is our plan." Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, adding to it, told the news agency ANI, "Screening (of candidates) is being done today. CEC meeting is going to be held. It will be done soon." #WATCH | Delhi: On #MaharashtraAssemblyElections2024, Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat says, "Screening (of candidates) is being done today. CEC meeting is going to be held. It will be done soon." pic.twitter.com/XmEvi4xAJU — ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2024 Maharashtra Elections 2024: BJP announces first list Nana Patole's announcement came after the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday released the first list of 99 candidates for the Maharashtra Elections 2024. The names included Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis from Nagpur South-West and state party president Chandrashekhar Bawankule from Kamptee. The saffron party has also fielded turncoat Ashok Chavan's daughter Sreejaya who will be the party's face in the Nanded district. Maharashtra Elections 2024: Polls on November 20 Elections in Maharashtra, this time, are being held alongside the Jharkhand assembly elections 2024. The western state will vote in a single phase on November 20 and the counting will be conducted on November 23. The term of the current Maharashtra assembly will end on November 26.
21 October,2024 01:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe seemingly unending wave of bomb threats received by airlines is disrupting the Indian aviation industry, with 36 such incidents being reported by press time on Sunday. The threats have been traced to a social media account, which has now been suspended. The troubles started on Monday with three flights receiving bomb threats. Since then, the number kept escalating. “The increasing number of threats has thrown flight schedules into disarray, causing delays and rescheduled flights, leaving passengers to deal with the ensuing chaos,” said a highly placed Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) source. “The BCAS has stepped up its efforts to manage the situation. Late on Saturday evening, BCAS Director General Zulfiquar Hasan met with airline CEOs to assess the status and discuss strategies for handling the ongoing threats,” the source added. Grounded aircraft at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Saturday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi A senior Ministry of Civil Aviation official stated, “Though it is clear that the threats are sent via unverified handles on social media, the source is yet untraced. The investigation is underway but according to what we know as of now, the individual/group issuing these threats is either using a VPN [Virtual Private Network] to issue the threats or the individual/group is using the dark web to create the handles used for issuing the threat which is making it very difficult to track them.” The official added, “We are taking help from social media platforms as well for the investigation. The accounts from which the threats are being issued are suspended as and when they come to our notice. Furthermore, some of the threats have been tracked to Germany but it is highly likely that this will not be the original location of the threat due to the use of a VPN and the dark web." Belgavi incident The Belagavi Airport in Karnataka also received a bomb threat via email. A BCAS source confirmed, “A hoax mail was received regarding a threat to Belagavi airport. A case has been registered in this regard at the Marial police station.” The source added that a comprehensive search was conducted both inside and outside the airport, but nothing suspicious was found, confirming that the threat was indeed a hoax. An investigation is underway to identify the sender of the email. “Authorities are on high alert as efforts continue to trace the origin of the social media threats and to ensure passenger safety,” a BCAS source added. Expert Speak Captain Mohan Ranganathan, An aviation expert, said“When it comes to bomb threats, there are guidelines in the ICAO [International Civil Aviation Organisation] manual which need to be followed not only by agencies but also by airlines. These guidelines help in defining whether the threat received is genuine. The civil aviation minister has termed these attempts to be a sort of prank. We can see that as soon as a bomb threat is received, the flight declares an emergency. I have noticed that the ICAO guidelines are not being followed in many cases here. Someone might even be trying to test the strength of our agencies and might take advantage of this situation by executing something as agencies stretch their resources thin when multiple bomb threats arrive in a short span of time.”
21 October,2024 01:42 PM IST | Mumbai | Prasun ChoudhariADVERTISEMENT
