Mumbai auto drivers learning Marathi prioritize refusal phrases over basic communication.

MUMBAI: While people learning new languages start with bare necessities, some city auto drivers seem clear on their priority. After nearly a week of learning basic Marathi at RTO-run classes, they are rustling up a string of excuses in Marathi to refuse rides.One such auto driver in Kurla has scribbled down on paper what he claims are essential phrases in Marathi to get by but what catches the eye is that most are different ways to turn down passengers-from “mala jevayla jayche aahe” (I need to eat), “mala lagvi la jayche aahe” (I need to use the restroom) and “mala ghari jaychay” (I need to go home) to “mala gas bharaychay” (I need to refill CNG) and “mala riksha durust karaychi aahe” (I need to repair the auto).Ride refusals are a major menace, making up 60% of auto passengers’ complaints.The notes aren’t entirely dedicated to strategic refusals, though. They include practical phrases such as “hoy, basa” (yes, please sit), “kuthey jaychay?” (where do you want to go?), “to kuthe aahe?” (where is that place?), “ujvi kade gheu?” (should I take a right?), “davi kade gheu?” (should I turn left?), “flyover varun gheu ka?” (should I take the flyover?), along with the all-important financial vocabulary of Mumbai’s transport ecosystem: “sutte dya” (please give change) and “sutte nahi” (I don’t have change).

Union leader: Illegal language classes fleecing auto drivers

Mumbai Rickshawmen’s Union leader Thampy Kurien said many non-Marathi auto drivers have now acquired a basic working knowledge of Marathi and are likely to use their own sentences while communicating with commuters to sound more natural. He raised concerns over several unauthorised Marathi coaching classes that have allegedly sprung up across the city, with individuals claiming affiliation with regional groups and charging drivers at least Rs 500 for lessons.He demanded a crackdown on such operations and urged the state govt to continue its online Marathi learning platform, enabling drivers to learn functional Marathi from their vehicles or homes.The language drive comes ahead of enforcement of the amended Motor Vehicles Rules requiring drivers of all commercial passenger vehicles to possess a working knowledge of Marathi. Officials said the deadline for completing the training ended on Aug 15 and enforcement will begin on Aug 18 with show-cause notices for violators, which will grant them a month to polish functional Marathi skills.Meanwhile, over 1 lakh certificates have been prepared and will be distributed simultaneously across Maharashtra’s 58 RTOs on Monday. Drivers will also participate in a live-streaming of a felicitation ceremony at Thane’s Ram Ganesh Gadkari Rangayatan to be attended by CM Devendra Fadnavis, and deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.RTO sources said drivers may have to demonstrate functional Marathi during inspections and produce their certificates when asked.For Mumbai’s passengers, however, the real test of Marathi proficiency may be far simpler: whether “hoy, basa” eventually becomes more common than “mala ghari jaychay”.

Students protest at Kalyan APMC exam centre on Sunday. The protest was called off late at night

Kalyan: Candidates appearing for the Bombay high court clerk typing skill test alleged widespread technical glitches at examination centres in Kalyan, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nanded, Washim, Bhandara, and other parts of the state on Sunday, with server failures, keyboard malfunctions and candidates being logged out during the test triggering protests in Kalyan and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke joined the protesting candidates in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and extended his support, demanding a fresh examination.Over 600 candidates from the Kalyan’s APMC Market examination centre staged a protest. They called it off late at night after Kalyan authorities acknowledged in writing that the test could not be conducted due to technical problems, and that the students had reported on time but were unable to appear for it.Late in the evening, the HC registrar issued a statement, saying the clerk recruitment typing test had been conducted smoothly across Maharashtra, but acknowledged that technical issues had been reported at certain examination centres, particularly in Kalyan and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The registrar further said that the technical issues, if any, relating to the process conducted by the agency were being examined. The candidates would be informed through an official communication about the further appropriate course of action, the statement said.There was no immediate clarity on whether the test would be conducted afresh.Around 11,000 candidates were scheduled to take the test at 19 centres across Maharashtra.Candidates from different examination centres across the state took to social media and alleged that the software developed glitches, some keys on keyboards and keypads did not respond, screens failed to display properly and candidates were not logged in simultaneously. Some also claimed that they were automatically logged out within minutes of starting the test. Candidates further alleged that the system also failed to properly compare the total words typed with the words omitted, adding to their concerns about the fairness of the assessment.Joining the protesting candidates in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dipke said: “The keyboard and server were not working and candidates were being logged out within 10 minutes. If an entire shift is affected, how can the examination be considered fair? The examination must be conducted afresh. This is no longer just a Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar issue; it has become an issue concerning candidates across Maharashtra.”Dipke also interacted with candidates at the Kalyan APMC committee centre through a video call after they contacted him following similar disruptions. “Do not back down until the students’ issue is resolved,” he told the candidates in Kalyan.Dipke further said the authorities should issue a notification on the re-test and demanded hard copies of examination-related records for the candidates.“Taking cognisance of the protest, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’s principal district judge met the protesting candidates and said the issue would be placed before the high court’s committee, which would take a call on it,” a high court official said.At the Kalyan APMC centre, the test was scheduled in three shifts — 10.15am-11.15am, 12.15pm-1.15pm and 2.15pm-3.15pm. Candidates appearing for the first shift alleged that several computers and keyboards were not functioning properly. They claimed that technical problems prevented them from taking or completing the one-hour test. According to the students, instead of being allowed to leave after the scheduled examination time, several candidates remained at the centre until around 3.30pm.The first-shift candidates subsequently informed those scheduled in the second and third shifts about the problems. Following this, candidates from the later shifts decided not to appear for the examination, alleging that they could not risk being marked absent or failing because of technical faults at the centre. The affected candidates staged a sit-in on the road outside the examination centre, stopped the vehicle of a district court judge and placed their demands before him. The candidates sought an assurance that those affected by the technical problems would be given another opportunity to appear for the examination under proper arrangements. They called off the protest late at night.(With inputs from Mohammed Akhef in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)

Mumbai: FDA has issued a formal show-cause notice to Shah Rukh Khan, Tiger Shroff, and Ajay Devgn for their role in the advertisement of the Vimal Elaichi brand, alleging that this is masked to promote Vimal Pan Masala, which is banned in the state for causing oral cancer.The notice states that the ad is in circulation via YouTube and allied media platforms. “In the said advertisement, the expression ‘Vimal Elaichi’ is used in a manner which appears to create an association with the Vimal Pan Masala brand prevalent in Maharashtra, and may thereby mislead consumers and indirectly promote the brand identity of the prohibited product,” the notice reads.India carries a massive burden of oral cancer, accounting for roughly 30% of global cases, largely due to the prevalence of smokeless tobacco. National data registries report over 1,43,000 new cases and nearly 80,000 deaths annually.Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Director of the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer, who has long campaigned against tobacco use and called for tighter regulation, said, “We have tried multiple times to approach these Bollywood actors who have made huge profits out of these products and caused mass addiction. These are youth icons, their actions translate into direct sales. Tobacco companies are not paying them out of charity.”The administration added that Vimal Pan Masala is a product prohibited for manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution, and sale in the state under a Prohibition Order issued by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. According to the notice, the advertisements violate the sections under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as well as advertisement regulations, and COTPA Act with fines up to Rs 10,00,000 for the first offense.They said that using the expression ‘Vimal Elaichi’ creates an association with the prohibited Vimal Pan Masala brand, potentially misleading consumers and serving as an indirect or surrogate promotion of a restricted tobacco-related product.Chaturvedi explained that once addiction kicks in, it is very difficult to turn back even if someone knows about the harms. The actors have been instructed to immediately discontinue their participation, remove the advertisements from their social media and digital platforms, and cease further promotional cooperation.Furthermore, they are required to furnish complete details on due diligence, endorsement contracts, distribution channels, and evidence of whether Vimal Elaichi is available for sale independently. They are also asked to submit a written explanation with supporting documents within 15 days of receiving the notice. “If no explanation is received within the stipulated period, or if the explanation furnished is found to be unsatisfactory, further action may be initiated...,” the notice states.

In a letter dated August 12 to Canadian Consul General Jeff David, Powai Action Forum member Ratan Sharda said broad pavements used by residents for nearly 25 years had been barricaded or obstructed, leaving pedestrians without safe walking space

Mumbai: The controversy over barricaded footpaths along Central Avenue in Powai’s Hiranandani Gardens has now reached the Canadian Consulate. Residents have sought its intervention with Brookfield, the Canadian-origin company undertaking the redevelopment of Citipark.In a letter dated August 12 to Canadian Consul General Jeff David, Powai Action Forum member Ratan Sharda said broad pavements used by residents for nearly 25 years had been barricaded or obstructed, leaving pedestrians without safe walking space and, at places, forcing them onto the road.Powai residents have complained that longstanding footpaths adjoining redevelopment sites were suddenly being claimed as private property.Sharda clarified that residents were not asking the Consulate to adjudicate on the ownership or legal status of the land. Instead, they have urged it to take up the community’s concerns with Brookfield’s Canadian and Indian leadership and encourage the company to demonstrate standards of responsible corporate citizenship.Residents have sought disclosure of approved plans and the basis on which the pedestrian areas are being claimed as private property. They have also demanded safe and continuous pedestrian access while the dispute is resolved, reconsideration of barricades and planters that impede movement, and Brookfield’s participation in a public meeting with residents and civic authorities.The letter points out that Central Avenue is a busy commercial stretch used daily by residents, children, workers and visitors. The absence of pavements, it says, poses particular risks to senior citizens, children and persons with disabilities.“Large international investors should strive to improve the communities in which they operate,” Sharda wrote, adding that pedestrian safety and everyday quality of life should not become secondary considerations.The Forum has asked the Consulate to acknowledge its representation and indicate whether the concerns can be conveyed to Brookfield’s senior management.Brookfield Properties had earlier said the construction had all requisite approvals in place, and the company complied with all applicable rules and regulatory requirements.

The drive gathered momentum in July, when MSEDCL intensified field inspections and detected 11,032 fresh cases of theft through illegal hooks and meter tampering

Mumbai : The state power utility, MSEDCL, on Sunday announced that it has intensified its drive against power theft, uncovering as many as 19,599 cases across domestic, commercial, industrial and other consumer categories over the past four months. Of these, a staggering 11,032 cases were detected in July alone, reflecting the scale of electricity pilferage in the state.According to MSEDCL, inspections conducted since April revealed 15,965 cases involving direct hooking of power lines or tampering with electricity meters, resulting in power theft worth Rs 30.36 crore. Assessment of another 3,634 cases is still underway. The anti-theft campaign was launched in April as part of efforts to reduce distribution and commercial losses. The highest number of theft cases were detected in the Konkan region (7,496), followed by Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (4,597), Nagpur (4,521) and Pune (2,985) regions.Of the total cases assessed so far, MSEDCL has issued electricity theft bills amounting to Rs 30.36 crore. Around 6,629 consumers have paid Rs 14.12 crore, while penalty and settlement charges are also being levied. The utility has recovered Rs 1.85 crore as compounding charges in 4,959 cases so far.The drive gathered momentum in July, when MSEDCL intensified field inspections and detected 11,032 fresh cases of theft through illegal hooks and meter tampering. Assessments in 8,462 cases established theft worth Rs 15.11 crore, and corresponding bills have been issued. Consumers involved in 3,036 cases have already paid Rs 6.22 crore, while assessments and penalty calculations continue in the remaining cases. Region-wise, July detections included 4,084 cases in Konkan, 2,365 in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, 2,324 in Nagpur and 2,259 in Pune.MSEDCL managing director Lokesh Chandra warned that consumers failing to pay assessed amounts and penalties within the stipulated period will face criminal action under Section 135 of the Electricity Act, 2003, which provides for fines and imprisonment of up to three years for power theft. The utility is also inspecting disconnected connections and taking action against defaulters found illegally sourcing electricity from other locations.Ends

Ride refusals make up over 60% of auto passengers’ complaints

Mumbai: ‘No’ has got some stiff competition. After spending nearly a week learning basic Marathi at RTO-run language classes, some auto drivers in Mumbai are using their newly acquired vocabulary to rustle up a string of excuses in Marathi to refuse rides.One such auto driver in Kurla has scribbled down on paper what he claims are essential phrases in Marathi to get by but what catches the eye is that most are different ways to turn down passengers—from “mala jevayla jayche aahe” (I need to eat), “mala lagvi la jayche aahe“ (I need to use the restroom) and “mala ghari jaychay” (I need to go home) to “mala gas bharaychay” (I need to refill CNG) and “mala riksha durust karaychi aahe” (I need to repair the auto).Ride refusals are a major menace across the suburbs, making up 60% of passengers’ complaints. Many students, senior citizens, women and office-goers face the daily frustration of multiple auto drivers refusing to go to their destinations, especially during peak hours.The drivers’ notes aren’t entirely dedicated to strategic refusals, though. They include practical phrases such as “hoy, basa” (yes, please sit), “kuthey jaychay?” (where do you want to go?), “to kuthe aahe?” (where is that place?), “ujvi kade gheu?” (should I take a right?), “davi kade gheu?” (should I turn left?), “flyover varun gheu ka?“ (should I take the flyover?), along with the all-important financial vocabulary of Mumbai’s transport ecosystem: “sutte dya” (please give change) and “sutte nahi” (I don’t have change).Mumbai Rickshawmen’s Union leader Thampy Kurien said many non-Marathi auto drivers have now acquired a basic working knowledge of Marathi and are likely to use their own sentences while communicating with commuters to sound more natural. He raised concerns over several unauthorised Marathi coaching classes that have allegedly sprung up across the city, with individuals claiming affiliation with regional groups and charging drivers at least Rs 500 for lessons. He demanded a crackdown on such operations and urged the state govt to continue its online Marathi learning platform, enabling drivers to learn functional Marathi from their vehicles or homes.The language drive comes ahead of enforcement of the amended Motor Vehicles Rules requiring drivers of all commercial passenger vehicles to possess a working knowledge of Marathi. Officials said the deadline for completing the training ended on Aug 15 and enforcement will begin on Aug 18 with show-cause notices for violators, which will grant them a month to polish functional Marathi skills.Meanwhile, over 1 lakh certificates have been prepared and will be distributed simultaneously across Maharashtra’s 58 RTOs on Monday. Drivers will also participate in a live-streaming of a felicitation ceremony at Thane’s Ram Ganesh Gadkari Rangayatan to be attended by CM Devendra Fadnavis, and deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.RTO sources said drivers may have to demonstrate functional Marathi during inspections and produce their certificates when asked.For Mumbai’s passengers, however, the real test of Marathi proficiency may be far simpler: whether “hoy, basa” eventually becomes more common than “mala ghari jaychay”.