APART FROM BEING IRREGULAR, BUSES RUN BEHIND SCHEDULE AND THE CONDITION OF THESE BUSES IS PATHETIC.

Source: CHEMBUR-GHATKOPAR PLUS, a TOI supplement dated October 15, 2011 , by Sudhakar Anchan

BEST commuters in Shivaji Nagar and surrounding areas are aggrieved lot since long due to its irregular service. Shivaji Nagar Bus Depot is one of the biggest in the eastern suburbs in size and also in number of bus routes. But time schedule of buses starting from this depot during peak hours for office goers and school hours for student community is erratic.

photo courtesy : M.M. Shirodkar

“These buses do not ply on time. During peak hours it is a nightmare travelling in these buses especially for women, senior citizens and children. Children never get particular buses during school hours,” informs Mohammed Saheb Jaan, a senior citizen who is a resident of Shivaji Nagar for the last 29 years.
“Even though, BEST’s transport department earns maximum in this route, its commuters are deprived of efficient bus services. Apart from being irregular, buses always run behind schedule, the condition of theses buses is pathetic. Old buses are put into service from Shivaji Nagar depot while new buses can be seen plying elsewhere in the suburban depot,” says Altaf Qazi, from Shivaji Nagar.
Qazi further states, “A week ago, we handed over a memorandum to Shivaji Nagar BEST depot Manager highlighting our grievances. The manager assured us to look into the matter and said that he also needs commuters support in getting the required resources.”
“The drivrs drive rashly when thebus leaves the depot and passes through 90 feet road and Ahilyabai Holkar Marg before reaching Shivaji Nagar signal causing accidents most of the time as this stretch is a busy road. Even if buses are empty these drivers purposely step up the gas” maintains Sanjay Warang, a local.
Even school children from Deonar Municipal colony face problems while catching the bus in the afternoon. Mad rush to get into these busses by school and college students between 12 noon and 12.30 pm is a regular feature in the two bus stops of this municipal colony.
Shobha Ravindra’s 11 year old daughter has to shuffle between two stops as sometimes buses skip one of these stops to avoid overcrowding.
Shobha questions, “Why can’t the BEST management press in more buses on this route during peak hours and school timings?”
Depot Manager of Shivaji Nagar BEST Depot politely refused to divulge any information about their erratic transport service. He said that he is not authorized to speak to the media.
Several attempts to contact the BEST PRO also proved futile.

Source: CHEMBUR-GHATKOPAR PLUS, a TOI supplement dated October 8, 2011, by Sudhakar Anchan

Shivaji Nagar police station is quite far off from the MHADA colony and hence they are unable to provide security to existing residents of MMRDA buildings say police

Photo Courtesy : M.M. Shirodkar

A few days ago at Ghatkopar-Mankhurd linik road near Indian Oil Nagar in MHADA Colony, a seven year girl Iram Shafiqulla Khan was found dead in an open water tank.
The Shivaji Nagar police probing the death of Iram registered a case of murder owing to the post mortem report that showed injury marks on the victim’s scalp and chest.
In this MHADA colony there are several empty buildings whose wooden doors and windows are broken. Electrical fittings are stolen and sold by drug addicts who made these empty building as their dens especially during the night. These are MMRDA buildings constructed by MHADA for displaced slum dwellers.
Watchmen from the colony say that these empty buildings from building No.32 to 35 consisting of several wings have become a perfect place for anti social elements to carry out their nefarious activities. “We are defenseless against them as these criminals carry knives, choppers and swords and threaten us if we come in their way” says one of the watchmen on grounds of anonymity. One of the them has injury marks on his neck and hand.
Residents who stay in adjacent MMRDA buildings say that this is the second such untoward incident. Barely six months ago, a girl had fallen into the open water tank at the same place. Most of the water tanks are open. Even if authorities cover it drug addicts steal them.
“No girl can venture out after eight at night. We are frightened. Many such incidences can occur in future if the menace of drug addicts is not solved. Again, the two roads which lead to MHADA colony is in such a bad shape that it is impossible either to drive down or to walk. Further, if anyone found walking alone after 9pm in this area he is robbed” said an angry resident.
He further says, “No police patrol van can be found in this area. We have given verbal and written complaints to Shivaji Nagar police but nothing has been done so far.”
But police sources say that this MHADA colony is far off from Shivaji Nagar slum. That is why police do not go there.
Crime PI Vikas Sonawane states, “Shivaji Nagar police have written a letter to MMRDA authorities to cover all the open water tanks in that area. If MMRDA fails to cover the tanks properly then they will be responsible for any untoward incidents which may occur in future. We have also started sending police patrol vans regularly in the area day and night.”

Excerpt from DNA, reported by Manoj R Nair on Tuesday, Oct 4, 2011: Read Full Article

Around 60 young men and women have been training at a ramshackle school in the Shivaji Nagar slums in Govandi for a year now to become constables in the Mumbai police.

Maharastra Police

The school’s stone-strewn ground is training ground for practising the 5-kilometre run, the 100-metre dash and the long jump — the components of the physical test to select police constables.

For two hours daily in the evening, volunteers of the local mohalla committees teach the police aspirants written Marathi and discuss current affairs, apart from the athletic training.

Almost all the candidates are Muslims and Dalits, beneficiaries of a project by community groups, Magsaysay award winner Jockin Arputham and Mumbai police that aims to increase the representation of religious minorities and backward castes in the city police.

Excerpt from Mid-Day, reported by Shiva Devnath on 2011-02-02 : Read Full Article

Sources say over 2,000 illegal lines have been supplied to the hutments in the area

Local goon allegedly supplies power and water to areas including police station; residents allege nexus between BMC and cops in flourishing scam.

In a strange case of law bending, the upholders themselves seem to be violating many laws for personal benefit.

During an investigation by MiD DAY in Govandi, it was discovered that the Shivaji Nagar police station is illegally using electricity provided by Gotya, a small-time goon from Baiganwadi residing in the area.

Further inquiries indicated that areas in and around the police station are also availing of unauthorised power supply from Gotya, who operates as a private supplier.

In fact, electricity is not the only illegal connection that the police station is using. The water supply is also unauthorised.

Excerpt from The Times of India, reported by V Narayan, TNN on Feb 3, 2011: Read Full Article
Four men, including two former police constables, were arrested on Tuesday for attempting to extort Rs 50,000 from a ration shop owner in Govandi.

When the victim, Prakashchand Lodha (36) refused to pay, they attacked him and made away with Rs 7,000 in cash and a gold chain worth Rs 13,000.

The Shivaji Nagar police said that Salim Shaikh (42) and Baba Kamble (45) had been suspended from the force two years ago due to poor work record. The other two, the father and son duo of Rajnikant Shinde (59) and Rahul (32) claimed to be journalists working with a local newspaper.

Excerpt from Mid-Day, reported by Shiva Devnath on 2011-01-20 : Read Full Article

Sena volunteer steals gold ring worth R36,000; police catch him as CCTV grab matches person featured on a political banner.

CCTV camera footage of the theft at Kamal Jewellery

Self-proclaimed politicians should not put up promotional posters around town and go about stealing jewellery while they are on public display because of the obvious hazard that poses of being recognised and caught.

That’s the lesson Deepak Ramgopal Bhaise, a volunteer for the Shiv Sena’s Shikshak Kamgar Sena, learnt when cops caught him for stealing a high-value ring from a jewellery store in Tilak Nagar after they realised that the CCTV footage of the theft and the poster he had put up in Shivaji Nagar featured the same person him.

In the last few days, AACT has seized close to 84,070 pirated DVDs. Besides this, AACT also seized 2000 inlay cards, 1,400 blank DVDs, 3 Computers & 42 DVD writers from all over in Mumbai. The DVDs seized were of the latest releases like Break Ke Baad, Harry Potter 7, Guzaarish, Action Replayy and Golmaal 3.

In a raid on 22 November, at Jalna, Badlapur Goan, AACT seized 29,387 pirated DVDs. One accused was arrested and an FIR was filed at Badlapur police station. AACT enforcement agencies also raided a video library and a godown at Shivaji Nagar, Govandi. 4600 pirated DVDs were seized along with 22 DVD writers. The total value of the seizure at this raid was close to Rs 4.85 lakhs.

In another raid conducted on 26 November, with the help of SS Branch at Bandra West in a warehouse, AACT seized 7,700 pirated DVDs, including blank DVDs worth Rs. 1.2 Lakhs and 2 accused were arrested. An FIR was registered by the AACT’s enforcement agency AA Khan and Associates in Bandra police station.

Some other successful raids were conducted in Jogeshwari and Thane on 19 and 16 November respectively, where the team has seized worth Rs. 8.6 lakhs pirated DVDs. FIRs were filled in the local police stations.

Moser Baer CEO Entertainment Division Harish Dayani said, “When we started our operations, Mumbai was our main target. Although we have come a long way since, we cannot ignore Mumbai as it is the distribution point for most pirates. Having expanded into North India we have consistently maintained the frequency of our operations here in Mumbai – Thane region.”

A 30-year-old man who was found dead in a gutter near the Shivaji Nagar dumping ground on Saturday was murdered, police said on Monday. The police had initially assumed that the man had died of natural causes. But, the post-mortem report proved that the man had been smothered to death. The police have now registered a case of murder against unknown persons.

Inspector DM Desai said, “Around 7.15am on Saturday, some locals spotted the body of a man in a gutter. After his body was fished out, he was identified as Mohamad Ismail Ansari, a resident of Shivaji Nagar.” He added, “The man was bleeding profusely from his ears and nose.

The body was sent to Rajawadi Hospital for a post-mortem. Initially, a report of accidental death was filed, but was changed to murder.”

An officer from Shivaji Nagar police station speaking on condition of anonymity, as he is not authorised to speak to the media, said, “Ansari, used to work in an embroidery unit in Shivaji Nagar. Ansari’s relatives told us he had run away from home in Bihar around 15 years ago. A few months ago, after his parents passed away, he came to the city and contacted his relatives living here. Ever since, he has been staying in Kamala Raman Nagar in Govandi, close to where his relatives live.”

Ansari’s relatives have alleged that local goons killed him as he had refused to cough up the money demanded by them. The police are questioning five people, including the son of a social worker, against whom Ansari’s relatives have made allegations.

Residents from Shivaji Nagar protested outside the Shivaji Nagar police station on Monday, saying the area had been witnessing a lot of criminal activity in the past few months.

Assistant commissioner of police (Deonar division) said, “We are taking preventive measures to ensure that crime is under control. But, since a major portion of the area is occupied by slums, where petty fights become serious crimes, it becomes difficult.”

Excerpt from Hindustan Times, reported by HT Correspondent on November 18, 2010: Read Full Article

A team of six women police officers and home guard has been formed to talk to every woman in Govandi to find out leads on the kidnapper of the two-month-old Shahid Ansari. On Monday, Shahid was abducted by a burqa-clad woman from the health centre at Shivaji Nagar, Govandi, when his mother was standing in the queue to buy medicines.

The accused gave a 10-rupee note to the baby’s elder brother Mohammed, 8, asked him to go and get her a paan and fled with the baby.
On Wednesday, Rajneesh Seth, joint commissioner of police (law and order) visited Shahid’s parents and instructed the police to form a special squad to investigate the case.

PTI : Police have launched an intensive hunt for an unidentified burqa-clad woman, who allegedly stole an infant from a civic body”s health care unit here, but lack of proper description about the accused is proving to be a hurdle in the search.
Two-month-old Shahid was taken to a health unit at Shivaji Nagar in Govandi by his mother Munni Khatun Ansari (28) yesterday for a check-up as her infant son was suffering from fever. She was accompanied by her eight-year-old son Mohammed Tahir, police said.
After the check-up, Munni went to the counter to buy medicine, leaving the infant with her elder son. A burqa-clad woman struck a conversation with Mohammed and asked him to buy a ”paan” for her giving him Rs 10, they said.
Mohammed handed over the infant to the lady and went to bring the ”paan”. But when he returned, the woman and his infant brother were missing, police said.
Munni was immediately informed by Mohammed, following which she lodged a complaint with the local police.
“A kidnapping case was registered against the unknown burqa-clad woman. We are looking for the accused and the baby boy at various railway stations and bus depots,” D Jodgujari, Senior Inspector, Shivajinagar police station told PTI today.
Munni had saved her son”s photograph in the mobile, which has been circulated among the cops at the police station but they have no proper description of the accused woman as she wore a burqa and there were no CCTVs, said another police officer, requesting anonymity. .