logo
Will Rs 80,000-cr road reshape Maharashtra or divide it?

Will Rs 80,000-cr road reshape Maharashtra or divide it?

Time of India4 hours ago
Will Rs 80,000-cr road reshape Maharashtra or divide it?
Alka Dhupkar
TIMESOFINDIA.COM
Jul 21, 2025, 19:28 IST IST
Land, faith, and finance collide as Maharashtra pushes a controversial expressway through its most fertile and politically sensitive districts
Barely weeks after the final stretch of the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg was inaugurated, the Maharashtra government has set its sights on a new, even more ambitious road project: the Shaktipeeth Expressway .
Pegged at a staggering Rs 80,000 crore, the proposed expressway promises to cut travel time between Nagpur and Goa from 18 hours to just eight. But as the plan advances, it has run into strong resistance from opposition parties, farmers, environmentalists, and even some within the ruling alliance.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘Every child has the right to education': Union Minister Paatil lays foundation stone for redevelopment of 7 municipal school buildings in Surat
‘Every child has the right to education': Union Minister Paatil lays foundation stone for redevelopment of 7 municipal school buildings in Surat

Indian Express

time12 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

‘Every child has the right to education': Union Minister Paatil lays foundation stone for redevelopment of 7 municipal school buildings in Surat

Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil on Monday laid the foundation stones for redevelopment of seven municipal school buildings, which will be equipped with the latest technology and facilities, in different parts of Surat. These schools fall under the state government's Schools of Excellence category. Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Paatil said, 'Every child has the right to education. Many students will benefit from these new schools, as the classrooms have been equipped with the latest technologies and facilities… I also studied in a municipal school for six years.' The schools marked for redevelopment are situated in South B zone (Kanakpur), Limbayat, Varachha A and B zones, and Rander zone. Appreciating the 'innovative education system' implemented by Surat Municipal School Board, Paatil said, 'Surat is the fourth fastest developing city in the world with different development projects being carried out by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). Surat is moving ahead with the pre-planning for the next 50 years. Within a short period, people in Surat will get facilities like Bullet train and Metro train.' At the event organised at an SMC Primary School at Pardi Kande in Surat city, the minister stressed on the importance of water conservation at homes to realise the motto of 'Water is Life' and 'Water is Tomorrow'. Paatil said children should be taught the importance of water conservation from an early age. Surat City mayor Daxesh Mavani and Choryasi BJP MLA Sandeep Desai along with officials of the Surat Municipal School Board were present on the occasion. Mavani said, 'Generally, there is a trend among the parents to get their children educated in private schools. However, here in Surat, there is a reverse trend, where parents are shifting their children from private schools to municipal schools. The reason is the good percentage obtained by students in Class 10 and Class 12 exams. On the lines of private schools, municipal students are also given training in robotics, coding, drones, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for a better future.' There are approximately 362 municipal schools in Surat catering to around 2 lakh students — the highest number in the state. Sources in the Surat Municipal Education Board said that this year, around 48 schools in the state have been approved for 'Schools of Excellence' category by the state government. These schools will have larger classrooms, computer training rooms, multipurpose halls, and laboratories. Of these 48 schools, foundation stones for redevelopment work for 10 such schools were laid in construction will be carried out at a cost of Rs 35.47 crore and the work is supposed to be completed by year-end. In the interim, students of schools undergoing redevelopment have been transferred to other municipal schools. Notably, with Surat being home to a large number of migrants drawn towards its diamond, textile and chemical industries, the SMC runs several schools imparting education in Gujarati, English, Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, and Marathi. This year, the overall pass percentage of municipal school students in the state board exams was 96% for Class 10 and 94% for Class 12, said Mavani.

Seraj suffered losses of Rs 1,000 crore due to disaster: Former Himachal CM Thakur
Seraj suffered losses of Rs 1,000 crore due to disaster: Former Himachal CM Thakur

The Print

time12 minutes ago

  • The Print

Seraj suffered losses of Rs 1,000 crore due to disaster: Former Himachal CM Thakur

Addressing a press conference here, Thakur claimed that out of total loss of Rs 1,235 crore in the state due to the natural calamity, Seraj alone suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore. Asserting that his Seraj assembly constituency in Mandi district was affected badly in the disaster, the former chief minister also demanded that the Sukhu government should build community shelter homes for more than 500 affected families. Shimla, Jul 21 (PTI) Leader of the Opposition in Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Jai Ram Thakur, on Monday accused the ruling Congress of indulging in politics over the rain-related disaster in the state. He also urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu 'not to take the calamity lightly' and refrain from adding to the agony of people of Seraj by shifting institutions. About 15 people were killed while 27 missing after 10 cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc in various parts of Mandi on the intervening night of June 30 and July 1. Thakur claimed that besides extensive damage to roads, bridges, and water and power supply, over 500 houses have been damaged completely and 700 partially in Seraj. Urging Chief Minister Sukhu to restrain Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi from making 'irresponsible' statements regarding the tragedy, the BJP leader said that it will take years to heal the wounds inflicted by the natural disaster in Seraj. 'I spent major part of my life in building Seraj but the disaster has ruined everything and it would take years to rebuild the constituency,' he said. During his first visit, the chief minister only went up to the helipad while he did visit some areas during his second visit and gave only Rs 1 crore to the Public Works Department in the name of relief work against loss of Rs 500 crore to roads and bridges, Thakur alleged. Taking a dig at Revenue Minister Negi, the LOP said that he should have visited Seraj instead of sitting at Shimla and cursing the Opposition, and claimed that his statement gave an impression as if he was happy over the tragedy in Seraj. Negi recently said that Thakur is idle nowadays and is indulging in nitpicking. 'If he (Thakur) takes up some important issue we can take him seriously, but just speaking for the sake of it will not help,' he had said. The LOP said that the revenue minister first issued orders to shift the Horticulture College from Thunag and now a conspiracy is being hatched to shift the Panchayati Raj Training Institute located there, in spite of the fact that no damage has been caused to it. Thakur also pointed out that after the tragedy in Seraj, no senior officer was appointed for rescue and rehabilitation work and the entire operation was left to a patwari. Sadly, the government also transferred the executive engineer of the Public Works Department from Seraj four days ago, he said. Disasters hit Shimla many times but did the government shift the capital, he asked. Thakur said that the disaster in Seraj was different and terrifying as cloudburst even struck places at an altitude of 12,000 ft and mountains cracked where no river or drain existed, and underscored the need for a detailed study to find out the new emerging phenomenon. He also urged the government that the help being distributed among the disaster affected families in Seraj should be displayed to check unscrupulous people from taking undue advantage. Besides, it must be ensured that the help being rendered by various social and voluntary organizations was evenly distributed and reached all the affected families, he added. PTI BPL KVK KVK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

Mizoram govt allocates 1.85cr for road repair works
Mizoram govt allocates 1.85cr for road repair works

Time of India

time26 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Mizoram govt allocates 1.85cr for road repair works

1 2 Aizawl: The Mizoram govt has allocated Rs 1.85 crore for urgent repair works on three critical road stretches across the state, following a review meeting chaired by CM Lalduhoma on Monday amid mounting public pressure over deteriorating road conditions, reports HC Vanlalruata. The meeting held was attended by PWD minister Vanlalhlana. Senior officials from the PWD and finance department reviewed the status of roads in the worst condition and outlined immediate remedial measures. The Darlak–Tuidam road in Mamit district bordering Bangladesh and Tripura, which has remained incomplete due to the contractor's financial or technical failure, has been identified as a priority.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store