Nashik: The city police has undertaken a drive since November 25 against errant auto-rickshaw drivers to discipline traffic in the city and to prevent financial loot of passengers. So far, action has been taken against around 1,470 auto rickshaws and a fine of Rs 3.60 lakh has been recovered. A total of 170 auto rickshaws which have no permits have been seized.

Over 23,000 auto rickshaws are running in the city daily, however, it is coming to light that out of them, 10,000 auto rickshaws have no permit. City police are trying to trace out whether auto rickshaws in such numbers are running in the city or not, their routes and the area which has the highest number of rickshaws.

Police are taking action against those auto rickshaw drivers which are not charging a fare as per meter, to carry additional passengers than the limit of three passengers, no uniform and batch, carrying of passengers after illegal agreement with a private company and no documents.

With the start of police action, many auto rickshaws have disappeared from the roads. City police changed the timing and places to take action for a week. They have started the second phase of the action. It is necessary that there should be an audit of auto rickshaws in the city transparently.

A work regarding this has been given to personnel in police chowkis in the city. They are taking note of auto rickshaw halts in their area, number of auto rickshaws, owner and driver, whether auto rickshaws run on the meter or not and the routes of share-a-rickshaw. This information will be collected jointly. This will be immensely benefitted in future, Commissioner of Police Vishwas Nangre Patil has clarified.

Sting operation at 9 places
It is important to charge a fare as per meter and auto rickshaw drivers should provide this facility if it is demanded, however, they are charging an excessive fare in the name of share-a-rickshaw. To curb this, police have so far conducted sting operation at 9 places.

Police in civil dress demanded to charge a fare as per meter, but they opposed it. Action against these auto rickshaw drivers was taken as per rules, police have clarified.
Boards erected at 200 rickshaw halts

The police department has issued temporary notifications for 263 rickshaw halts in the city. Of them, boards have been erected at 2000 halts and the number of auto rickshaws has been mentioned on them. However, it is mandatory that representative of auto rickshaw unions should have information of their numbers halt wise, senior police and RTO officials have made it clear.

Nashik: On International Day of Person with Disability (PWD) around 12 to 13 PWD of Nashik city have gone on hunger strike against the Nashik Municipal Corporation. The disables have alleged that the Social Welfare Department of NMC has not taken any action against their application under NMC’s scheme for disabled.

The NMC officials have said that there were irregularities in some applications and that is why the corporation rejected them.  The agitators have said that they have applied for the scheme number 2 of NMC’s social welfare department.

The scheme allows corporation to divert the fund which is not used in this scheme and provide the fund to PWD candidate to set up their own business. The agitators have alleged that the corporation has rejected their application though they have fulfilled all the terms and conditions of the scheme.

The agitator, Atul Bagul said, “I have applied for the scheme on October 10, 2018. All the required documents, conditions and regulations were fulfilled by me, but still, nothing has happened. Every time visit NMC the officials gave various reasons as commissioner has changed, he is on holiday, deputy commissioner got retired and whatever reason they can site, they have given to avoid me.”

On the other hand the deputy commissioner of Social Welfare Department of NMC, Archana Tambe, said, “We already told them on Friday the process is going on. We had meeting with the committee of social welfare. Within a week the decision about the pending application if they are as per the rules and regulations of the scheme, will be accepted. It will take time for the process they should understand that.”

It is expected that the corporation will soon take some steps for the PWD’s in City. The agitators have said that they will stage more serious agitation if their demands are not fulfilled.

Beach sides, warm places on Nashikites Radar in holiday season

Prashant Nikale

NASHIK: The gorgeous winter of Nashik is blooming slowly and the Nashikites are packing bags for enjoying beaches. The holiday season has started everywhere after the heavy monsoon. The weddings mahurats have also started after Diwali and couples are choosing various domestic as well as international holiday places for their honeymoon.

Datta Bhalerao, President of Travel Agents Association of Nashik (TAAN) informed, “Nashikites are choosing warm places this winter. The beach sides are also turning out to be preferred choice. The travelers have chosen Kerala as their favourite destination this year for domestic holiday travel.

As usual Dubai Festival also has takers with Dubai turining out to be international holiday destination for many. However, in the present situation, business has come down by five to ten per cent this year.” He also informed that the bookings for the domestic as well as for international holiday packages have come down.

In interstate vacation places like Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Lonawala, and as well other hill stations are in demand. Southern India has high demand with Andaman Nicobar, Rameshwaram and beach sides being favourites. The international tourist hotspots for Nashikites in this season are Dubai, Myanmar, Mauritius, Singapore and most of the South East Asian block.

Nashikites are preferring warm places and beach sites, this winter. The bookings for domestic, international holiday packages are around 60 to 65 percent full this year.

 Nashik in tourist books
While Nashikites are looking to a destination outside the city, there are many tourists from other cities and states as well as from other countries who have mapped Nashik as their choice of travel destination. The natural beauty of Nashik, the status of the wine capital of India and its religious importance is getting a good footfall of around 25,000 to Nashik. Due to its marvelous winter season, the number gets doubled in this season.

MUMBAI:

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government will attempt to ascertain if mega projects, like the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train, can be shelved in view of a staggering Rs 6.71 lakh-crore total debt burden on the state, Minister Jayant Patil said on Tuesday.

Talking to media here, he informed the debt burden includes Rs 4.71 lakh crore, besides obligation of another Rs 2 lakh-crore on ongoing projects.

“Now, we are reviewing what projects are critical for the development of the state and whether others like Bullet Train project can be postponed for a later stage,” Mr Patil added.

His comments came a couple of days after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray ordered a review of all undergoing development projects taken up by the previous government, especially the big-ticket ones like Bullet Train.