Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra Minister Pratap Sarnaik

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday attributed the prolonged delay in completing the Mumbai-Goa National Highway to what he termed “political interference”, questioning why contractors had left the project and why land acquisition and other issues had not been resolved despite years of assurances.Speaking to reporters at Mangaon during his Raigad visit, Thackeray said he had earlier spoken to Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari about the highway. According to Thackeray, Gadkari had cited contractors becoming “fed up” and leaving the project as one reason for the delay. Thackeray questioned why the contractors had become fed up and “who they got fed up with”, suggesting that the reasons behind their exit needed closer examination.Thackeray also questioned the execution of the project, saying land acquisition should have been completed by the government before contracts were awarded. He alleged that the failure to resolve such issues had contributed to the highway remaining incomplete for years.He further criticised the condition of newly constructed portions of the highway, questioning the need for bypasses if newly built roads themselves were already in poor condition.His remarks have direct implications for motorists from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai travelling towards Raigad, Ratnagiri and Goa. Years of construction, diversions and bottlenecks have meant longer journeys, higher fuel consumption and greater vehicle wear, while monsoon conditions can make construction stretches and diversions more hazardous.The Union government, however, has previously cited delays in land acquisition and other pre-construction activities, besides cash-flow issues involving some contractors, as reasons for the slow progress of NH-66. It has said pending issues were being resolved.Thackeray said he was not opposed to development, but questioned the nature of development taking place in the Konkan. He said local residents should benefit from infrastructure and investment and asked what purpose development served if local people’s land, water and electricity resources were used while benefits went elsewhere.He also raised concerns over the proposed ‘Third Mumbai’ development, saying local residents and young people needed to know what was being planned and whether they were being prepared to participate in the emerging economy. He referred to proposed educational, medical and other institutions and questioned whether young people from Raigad, Pen and Panvel were being adequately prepared for the opportunities such development could create.Thackeray also urged Konkan residents to recognise the importance of their land and exercise caution before selling it. He argued that people risk losing their economic base if ancestral and agricultural land is sold without understanding how future development could affect its value.He alleged that political and commercial interests could acquire land ahead of development announcements. These are political allegations and have not been independently established; they should not be treated as findings of wrongdoing against any individual or company.Thackeray’s intervention drew a response from Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik, who said suggestions made by the MNS chief on public issues should be considered.“Raj Saheb is also a politician. If he has made certain suggestions, they deserve to be considered,” Sarnaik told reporters in Thane.Sarnaik acknowledged that the Mumbai-Goa highway had remained delayed for several years but said work had gained momentum under the present Mahayuti government. He said the project had been pending since the erstwhile Congress-NCP government and claimed that the pace of execution had subsequently improved.For motorists, however, the political exchange boils down to a simple demand: finish the pending work and deliver a safe, smooth and predictable Mumbai-Goa journey.The highway is an important economic corridor for the Konkan, carrying local, commercial and tourist traffic. After years of promises, the government’s claim of accelerated execution will ultimately be measured on the ground—by fewer diversions, safer construction zones, better traffic management and substantially shorter and more predictable travel times.

Around 90% of the 164 unauthorised schools have the word “English” in their names, reflecting the aspiration for English-medium education in slum pockets (AI Image)

MUMBAI: In Baiganwadi, Govandi, the morning rush begins before the school bell. Traffic chokes the narrow roads as autorickshaws, two-wheelers and pedestrians jostle for space. Students in uniforms stream into the lanes, while inside one of the neighbourhood schools, a teacher wipes the blackboard clean before the day’s first lesson.For the children, it’s an ordinary school morning. For their schools, however, the future is far less certain.

Top hotspots for unauthorised schools

M-East Ward, covering Govandi, Mankhurd and Trombay, accounts for 64 (39%) of the 164 unauthorised schools identified across Mumbai, making it the city’s largest cluster. About 36 schools here have been served closure notices, with FIRs against some.Many operate from cramped one-to-three-storey premises, with small classrooms, old wooden benches and, in some cases, children seated on floors. School managements say obtaining recognition is difficult in slum pockets where land is scarce.School management officials said the requirements for schools include a minimum 5,000 sq ft plot, a 30-year lease or ownership of land, an Essentiality Certificate and building and fire clearances, besides prescribed infrastructure and sanitation facilities and a fixed deposit of Rs 21 lakh.“No one can give you an assurance of even one or two years in a slum, and they want a 30-year lease,” said a teacher at a Baiganwadi school with 800 students. The school has an FIR registered against its management. “We have met the authorities multiple times, and have been given eight months to figure out things,” the teacher said.For parents, the lack of recognition is not always apparent. Aslam Siddiqui, an actor and parent at the school, said he was unaware of its status. “I broke my leg last year. The school was close to my home, so I could walk her here.”Multiple principals of unauthorised schools said students in classes 10 and 12 are, on paper, transferred to recognised schools through an arrangement between the two institutions and appear for board exams under the recognised school’s name. Their school-leaving certificates carry the recognised school’s name, although they attend classes at the unauthorised school.Around 90% of the 164 unauthorised schools have the word “English” in their names, reflecting the aspiration for English-medium education in slum pockets. In M-East Ward, there is just one English-medium civic school, catering to around 1,100 students.In L Ward, another hotspot covering Kurla-Sakinaka, across Asalpha station, Pereirawadi is home to Prerna High School, which has functioned since 1993. It was originally a Marathi-medium aided school, but enrolment shrank by early 2000s, with even govt teachers declared surplus.In 2011, the school switched to English and applied for recognition. Its management says infrastructure requirements have been completed, but recognition remains pending because the school cannot get its name on the 7/12 land record. Owner and lawyer Devendra Hande said, “For the past 15 years, we have been regularly going to the education department. We were even on a list of schools to be regularised but we have inevitably dropped out.” On the shift to English, he said, “People from humble backgrounds, like domestic workers, aspire to send their kids to an English-medium school because they think it’s a gateway to a better life.”Principal secretary (school education) Ranjit Singh Deol said approvals and regularisation for 47-48 schools may soon happen, but safety remained a concern. “The main reason why approvals are not given easily for such schools is because of the physical structure. They operate without any structural and fire audits and, in the case of an accident, if lives are lost, who will take responsibility?” BMC education officer Sujata Khare said, “We have shifted 2,000 students and plan to eventually shift most to municipal schools.” On the shortage of English-medium civic schools, she said, “There are private aided schools they can go to.”A senior official said govt also faced a larger political and policy dilemma: “If more English schools are opened, we will be accused of promoting English over regional languages. If the schools are regularised, we will be accused of privatising education.”A former teacher, who opened a school in Govandi in 2020, said, “This entire slum is BMC land. We cannot be its legal owners, yet we have rent receipts.” He said instead of mandating 5,000 sq ft, it would be practical to focus on the number of seats per class. If schools are indiscriminately closed, he fears dropout rates will rise. “We want to be recognised, but norms should be different for slums. The same infrastructure standards for a school in Colaba should not be imposed on Baiganwadi.“

So far, the civic body has identified 3,177 BWGs across Mumbai, of which 2,025 are registered with the BMC

Sanjeev DevasiaMumbai:While the BMC has invited expressions of interest (EOI) from third-party agencies to help bulk waste generators (BWGs), including housing societies, hospitals and commercial establishments, to set up and operate decentralised, on-site wet waste processing systems, the civic body is also planning to allow establishments and societies that do not have adequate space for in-situ processing to tie up with nearby housing societies or establishments that have the required space. The BMC is also offering a property tax rebate of up to 15% to establishments undertaking in-situ waste processing. Meanwhile, 31 firms participated in the pre-bid meeting organised by the BMC as part of the EOI process. Of the 2,025 BWGs, including housing societies and commercial establishments, registered with the BMC, A-ward has the highest number at 263, followed by G-South and P-South wards.As per civic rules, housing societies and commercial establishments generating over 100 kg of wet waste daily, or a built-up area exceeding 20,000 square metres or having daily water consumption of 40,000 litres or more, have to set up an on-site waste processing system or hand over the waste to the BMC as of now.“However, there are many establishments and housing societies which are BWGs but do not have the space to set up waste processing units. So, we plan to allow establishments or housing societies to tie up with establishments that have the space to set up the waste processing system within their premises. The establishment providing the space will also be able to avail of the property tax rebate. The establishments or societies can form a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) after identifying the appropriate technology for processing their wet waste,” said a civic official.Accordingly, the BMC floated an EOI to empanel third-party agencies that will assist societies and institutions with site assessments, technology selection, installation, operation and maintenance of waste processing systems, staff training, statutory compliance and linkage of dry waste with authorised recyclers.According to civic sources, 31 firms took part in the pre-bid meeting held after the BMC invited EOIs from qualified agencies to help BWGs set up and operate on-site waste processing systems, as part of an effort to reduce dependence on landfills and long-distance transportation of garbage. So far, the civic body has identified 3,177 BWGs across Mumbai, of which 2,025 are registered with the BMC. Many of these carry out various forms of waste processing using different methods. Under the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, all BWGs need to be registered. Therefore, the civic body is in the process of ensuring that all BWGs are registered through the BMC ward offices.

The BMC has moved a proposal to allot a 12-acre plot housing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex in Andheri (West) at an annual rent of around Rs 21 lakh and a 50% share in revenue to the mandal

Mumbai: Despite opposition from the BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT), activists and residents’ groups, the BMC has gone ahead and given a six-month extension to the ‘validity’ of Shri Vile Parle Kelawani Mandal’s (SVKM) bid to take over the 12-acre plot housing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex in Andheri (West).The bid validity ended on Aug 1 and has now been extended till Feb 2027. This means that SVKM will be able to take over the plot till Feb 2027. Officials said that usually the validity of any bid is six months, and if the proposal is not accepted during this period, then the tender should be cancelled and a fresh tender is usually floated. Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said he will lead a protest march of Advanced Locality Management (ALM) and resident groups against the takeover of three open spaces in Juhu and Andheri (West) SVKM led by BJP MLC Amrish Patel. Aaditya said he’s appealing to “all Mumbaikars, all political parties, all associations/ housing societies/ ALMs to join protest.”The BMC has moved a proposal to allot a 12-acre plot housing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex in Andheri (West) at an annual rent of around Rs 21 lakh and a 50% share in revenue to the mandal. SVKM was recently also given two open spaces measuring close to 4 acres in total by Mhada in Juhu and DN Nagar. One of the two plots, the Lokmanya Tilak Udyan in Juhu, is currently maintained by BMC and used by residents. The allotments have already been opposed by Mumbai BJP chief MLA Ameet Satam.In fact, the BMC’s proposal to extend the bid validity quotes Satam’s letter seeking scrapping of the proposal. “First, the initiation of such a tender to allot reserved open space of BMC under PPP model when open spaces policy for the city is not yet finalised is completely illegal, and any reserved open space in the city can’t be tendered and allotted in this manner. Hence, kindly cancel the tender immediately,” the BMC proposal states quoting Satam’s letter.The Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group and RTI activist Anil Galgani have also urged CM Fadnavis to ensure that all three plots remain reserved open spaces, open and accessible to the general public at all times, in conformity with the Development Plan (DP). “This shows the BMC is still keen on giving the plot to SVKM despite the opposition. The bid validity should not have been extended. With this, the BMC has kept the issue alive and will allow SVKM to still take over the plot after the opposition weakens,” Galgali said.Patel, who is president and trustee of SVKM, has maintained that there are no irregularities in allotment of the plots and that they were transparently given by BMC/Mhada and the due process was followed. “We will utilise these plots for creating sports facilities for 52,000 of our students. There will be no construction and the plots will only be used for sports purposes,” Patel has said.Officials said bid validity is the fixed timeframe—typically 90 to 180 calendar days from the date of bid opening—during which a bidder’s quoted prices, terms, and conditions remain legally binding and cannot be changed or withdrawn.