Latest news with #Rs260
Express Tribune
13-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Man held for faking robbery
Police have arrested a man for making a fake call to the emergency helpline 15 and staging drama of a robbery. According to police, the man had called the police helpline and claimed that four armed men had snatched his cash, mobile phone and motorcycle at gunpoint. Acting swiftly, the police reached the scene. However, during the investigation, it was found that no robbery had taken place. Instead, the man's brother had hidden Rs260,000 and the motorcycle in his shop.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Time of India
New ‘fare by meter' trend of cabbies compounds longstanding hassles faced by arriving flyers at Pune airport
Pune: Thousands of flyers arriving at the city airport and trying to exit the facility have cited major hassles with booking cabs. To compound this issue, many commuters are now claiming that a new trend of "pay by meter" that cabbies are insisting on is further creating chaos. For instance, Kalyaninagar resident Paras Agarwal, who reached Pune by flight late in June, told TOI, "I took off from Delhi on a two-hour flight and landed here around 8.20pm. By 8.35pm, I had collected my luggage and was at the AeroMall. I tried the apps of all cab aggregators, but until 9.50pm, not a single cabbie accepted a trip. Finally, one okayed the ride but told me the fare would be charged 'by the meter'. I was with my wife, who was too tired, and we just chose to not argue with him," he narrated. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Several commuters echoed this experience. Despite AeroMall officials claiming to have taken steps to ensure that arriving passengers get cabs easily, the perennial issue continues — especially in evening hours. "I am surprised that both the police and Pune RTO are unable to resolve this matter till date. I flew around five months ago and again last month — each time it was a battle. Cabbies tend to just not accept rides, and then the booking goes from one cabbie to the next again and again," said Ashutosh Goyal, a Sinhagad Road resident. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like So sánh mức trượt giá: Hợp đồng tương lai (CFD) Bitcoin vs Ethereum IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Katraj resident Yashodhan Joglekar, who landed at the city airport from Bengaluru around 8pm on June 19, said he reached home well over two hours later. "It took me approximately an hour to reach Pune. The flight took off at 6.58pm, and I landed in Pune by 8pm. By around 8.15pm, I was at the AeroMall trying to get a cab. But my perfect journey didn't end well — I found myself dealing with at least four ride cancellations over the next hour and finally got a cab only around 9.10pm. The wait was frustrating, and I managed to reach home only around 10.15pm," Joglekar said. Roshanjeet Singh, who lives in Delhi and came to Pune for a function in May, was angry too. "The fare of an Uber cab from Pune to Vimannagar showed around Rs260, but this cabbie called me and said the fare would be Rs380 by the meter. When I refused, the ride was cancelled. This happened six times. I could only get a cab after 50 minutes. What is happening in Pune?" he said. YS Rajput, vice president of the AeroMall, said they have now launched Meru cab services, besides the existing Ola, Uber and Rapido cabs for passengers. "With this, there are six cab services working at the AeroMall. There is a system wherein one can get immediate cabs, though the price could be a bit higher. We have a policy under which cabs belonging to any company can come inside to pick up passengers. Ride refusals are a problem, but we have had talks with the companies on the same," he told TOI. Pune deputy RTO Swapnil Bhosle said that the issue of "fare by meter" would be solved. "Once the new cab aggregator policy of the state gets implemented, all these companies will have to get a licence to operate by RTO. At present, they don't have a licence, but we have allowed them to operate to ensure that people don't face problems. The companies will have to follow regulations in the policy, which will mean all kinds of malpractices getting curtailed," he told TOI. Flyers were not convinced. "How can they just wait for some policy and be sure that things will get better? In many other airports, like Kolkata or Bengaluru, getting public transport from the airport is not very tough and full of hassles like in Pune," observed Sarvesh Thorat, a regular flyer.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Month after deadline, cement rd contractors get extension till Dec
Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) ambitious Rs260 crore phase-IV cement road project has hit yet another roadblock. Contractors tasked with building key arterial cement roads missed their deadlines and in a controversial move, the NMC's public works department has extended the timelines for contractors till December 2025 under packages 1, 2, and 4. Phase-IV of the cement road project covers the conversion of 33 major tar roads — each ranging between 9 and 24 metres in width — into cement roads. The roads have been divided into 14 packages spread across zones including Laxmi Nagar, Dharampeth, Mangalwari, Nehru Nagar, Ashi Nagar, Dhantoli, and Lakadganj. These corridors include critical routes like Central Jail Road, Chhatrapati Square to Besa, Ajni to Sita Nagar, and Manish Nagar to Laxmi Nagar. Adding to the concerns, the contractor for Package 9 also formally requested an extension. The original deadline for all 14 packages under phase-IV was May 2025. However, with work proceeding at a sluggish pace, officials say even the remaining packages are unlikely to meet the revised targets, indicating that more extensions may be on the horizon. The delays come at a particularly difficult time for motorists, as several of the under-construction roads are either dug up or barricaded, posing serious problems during the ongoing monsoon season. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cervecería Nacional CFD: Calcula cuánto podrías ganar invirtiendo solo $100 Empieza a invertir Inscríbete ahora Undo "Commuters are forced to negotiate muddy detours, leading to frequent traffic snarls and accidents," admitted an NMC official on condition of anonymity. Among the defaulters, M/s Drishti Structural Engineering Pvt Ltd, assigned package 1 (covering key roads in Laxmi Nagar zone), and M/s RM Dayaramani, responsible for packages 2 and 4, received extensions till December 2025. M/s PK Nagrare Constructions, which is executing package 9 in Dhantoli zone, also sought more time citing delays. Other contractors working on major city roads are also under scrutiny for slow execution. This includes high-traffic stretches like Ram Nagar, Dharampeth Jhenda Chowk to Adivasi Vikas Bhawan, which are also unlikely to meet their May 2025 deadlines. The NMC previously claimed success in its cement road initiative, converting over 690km roads under phases I-III out of the city's 1,556km tar road network. But the ongoing phase-IV delays threaten to erode public trust in the project. With costs rising and civic inconvenience mounting, questions are being raised about the NMC's contractor selection and monitoring processes. The repeated extensions raise red flags about accountability, project management, and whether penalties for delays are being enforced. INFOBOX: NMC Phase-IV Cement Road Project — Extended Deadlines Package No.---- Road Numbers---- Key Stretches---- Zone---- Extension Period 1---- RD-1, RD-13, RD-14, RD-15---- Somalwada Rd, Govind Nagar, Tapowan Main Road, Jaiprakash Nagar --- Laxmi Nagar--- Up to December 2025 2---- RD-3, RD-7---- Gulmohar Hall to Wardha road, Bharat Petrol Pump to Joggers Park Football Ground--- Laxmi Nagar --- Up to December 2025 4---- RD-4, RD-9, RD-12---- NEERI Road to Aath Rasta Sq., Deo Nagar Square to Swami Vivekanand Sq. to Gajanand Nagar, Roseta Club to FCI Godown stretch--- Laxmi Nagar --- Up to December 2025 9 ---- (requested) RD-23, RD-24---- Bharat Petrol pump to New Apolostical School to Parizad Beauty Parlour To Manewada School, Suyog Nagar to Railway Yard Compound--- Dhantoli --- Extension requested
Express Tribune
01-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Gas utility says not at fault for dug up roads
An inter-ministerial meeting decided that SSGC should hand over required PSM land to the new LNG terminal developers. PHOTO: rEUTERS The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has disbursed Rs11.9 billion to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and various Town Municipal Corporations (TMCs) for road-cutting and rehabilitation during a period from July 2024 to June 2025. The gas utility was under fire from political and civic circles for digging up roads for laying pipelines, however, SSGC sources said that the company had made timely disbursment of the mandatory road cutting charges. It was the reposnsiblity of the matropolitan and town corportations to utilise these funds in a justified manner, they said. According to the data, released by the SSGC, the gas utility made the highest payments of Rs3.55 billion to TMC North Karachi and TMC North Nazimabad. TMC Model Colony received the second-highest payment of Rs2.10 billion. Other payments included Rs1 billion to TMC Lyari, Rs7.3 million to TMC Jinnah, and Rs6.2 million to TMC Malir. The data further revealed that TMC Saddar and Chensar each received Rs260 million, while TMC Landhi was paid Rs210 million. The SSGC paid Rs490 million to the KMC for road-cutting and restoration works. The lowest amount of Rs0.227 million was paid to TMC Gulshan. Despite these massive disbursements totaling over Rs11 billion, the roads across Karachi remain in disrepair. Interestingly, SSGC never issued even a single protest letter to any TMC over their failure to restore the roads, nor did its legal department sign any binding agreement before releasing such a huge amount. Sources further disclosed that SSGC did not obtain any formal assurance from TMCs that the roads would be rebuilt after payments. However, due to the public outrage following the recent downpours, SSGC has now initiated the process of drafting protest letters to KMC and the concerned TMCs, questioning why roadworks have not been completed despite receiving the huge payments. SSGC insiders expressed concern, saying, "If the company aggressively protests or takes legal action, it may face complications in acquiring road-cutting permissions in the future from these municipal bodies."
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Global flavours tingle tastebuds as Nagpurians ‘cherry-pick' exotic fruits
1 2 Nagpur: Once a rare indulgence reserved only for the wealthy or the well-travelled, exotic fruits have now taken over not just Nagpur's bustling wholesale markets but also the city's countless roadside fruit stalls. Shoppers walking through Cotton Market, Kalamna Market, or Santra Market can spot crates of imported avocados from Peru, shiny dragon fruit from Vietnam, boxes of blueberries, and bright mandarins from Australia. What's truly striking is how these once-exclusive delights have filtered down to small vendors in local neighbourhoods and even street corners. Where earlier only mangoes, bananas, guavas, or seasonal local fruits filled the baskets of street vendors, today it's common to find gleaming mandarin oranges from the US and Australia, imported plums from Spain and Italy, juicy pears from the USA and South Africa, or crunchy New Zealand and Washington apples proudly displayed at roadside stalls. Adding to this vibrant mix are red grapes from South Africa and Spain, bringing even more international colour to local markets. Even in modest neighbourhoods, shoppers can now easily pick up a Peruvian avocado for Rs150 apiece, a Vietnamese dragon fruit for Rs120, a box of blueberries for Rs120, or imported apples for Rs260–280 per kilo. This is a far cry from just a few years ago when such fruits were seen as inaccessible luxuries. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo "There's a big demand for these exotic fruits now, not just in the major markets but even on the streets," says Ziad, a vendor in Gokulpeth and adds, "Customers want variety, and they ask for these fruits by name." Rupesh Bobate, who sells fruits at Cotton Market, explains that although wholesale hubs like Kalamna bring in these imported goods, many street sellers now buy small batches to meet local demand. Vendors point out that imported varieties often come with better packaging and durability, meaning there's less wastage and better profit margins, even for smaller sellers. For example, while Indian apples sell for Rs100–Rs180 per kilo in season, the imported ones fetch a premium price and attract a growing customer base. "While Nagpur oranges are limited to the season, the mandarin oranges, which are more juicy, are available throughout the year," says a local fruit vendor at Narendra Nagar. Meanwhile, beloved local fruits like mangoes — Kesar from Gujarat, Alphonso from Ratnagiri, Dasheri from Hyderabad — continue to hold their seasonal charm. "Mango season is a celebration for families," says Amol Wankhede, a regular shopper at both Cotton Market and local roadside stalls. "But it's also exciting to see fruits we once only saw on TV or in big stores now right here at the street corner," he adds. Vegetables, on the other hand, remain largely domestic, with even specialty items like purple cabbage, broccoli, or capsicum being sourced from within India, mainly from hubs like Hyderabad and Mumbai. Vendors note that vegetable supply stays steady throughout the year, though the cooler months favour certain varieties. Not all sellers carry exotic fruits — refrigeration, cost and fast turnover remain challenges. But even so, local sellers estimate that about 40% of customers now specifically ask for these global flavours. In addition to physical markets, online shopping websites and delivery apps have joined the trend, offering doorstep delivery of exotic fruits like blueberries, avocados, imported grapes, plums, and pears, further expanding access to these once-rare treats.
