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Correspondent

21 August 2024 at 10:20:16 am

Holy Contracts

The Kumbh Mela is supposed to be a celebration of faith. But in Maharashtra, it is beginning to look rather too much like an opportunity for fraudsters. For the BJP-led Mahayuti, the alleged Kumbh Mela scam is a potentially damaging test of political credibility and an unwelcome headache for Minister Girish Mahajan. The arrest of Tanay Mahajan, described as a distant relative of the Minister, in an alleged racket involving fake Kumbh work orders has handed the Opposition an opportunity it...

Holy Contracts

The Kumbh Mela is supposed to be a celebration of faith. But in Maharashtra, it is beginning to look rather too much like an opportunity for fraudsters. For the BJP-led Mahayuti, the alleged Kumbh Mela scam is a potentially damaging test of political credibility and an unwelcome headache for Minister Girish Mahajan. The arrest of Tanay Mahajan, described as a distant relative of the Minister, in an alleged racket involving fake Kumbh work orders has handed the Opposition an opportunity it will be eager to exploit. The scale of the alleged fraud makes the matter particularly serious. Police say fake work orders were shown for projects worth around Rs. 591 crore and that those who came forward were allegedly cheated of Rs. 305 crore. One complainant alone is said to have lost Rs. 2.17 crore. The documents allegedly bore the Government of India emblem and the name of the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority. Mahajan has sought to distance himself from the accused, calling him a “gone case” and saying criminal cases had previously been registered against him. He has also urged strict action against everyone involved. But politically, the Minister’s proximity to one of the accused makes the episode difficult to quarantine as an ordinary fraud case. The Fadnavis government’s larger problem is one of perception. The Kumbh Mela is one of Maharashtra’s biggest public undertakings, involving enormous expenditure, infrastructure contracts and administrative machinery. If fake work orders worth hundreds of crores could circulate convincingly enough to extract money from contractors, questions will inevitably be asked about the safeguards surrounding the real tendering process. Mahajan’s clarification that Kumbh tenders are processed online, and that genuine work orders are not issued in the names of individual officials or accompanied by unauthorised QR codes, raises the obvious question: why did the alleged racket find enough room to operate in the first place? The timing makes the political challenge sharper. The Kumbh controversy comes on the heels of allegations surrounding the recent theft of Ram Mandir donations in a BJP-ruled state. A succession of controversies can create a narrative about institutional laxity on part of the ruling party at the Centre and in Maharashtra. The answer must be radical transparency. The police must follow the money, identify everyone who prepared or circulated the forged documents and establish whether anyone inside the system enabled the racket. The government should simultaneously publish a clear account of Kumbh tenders, safeguards and authorisations. The Kumbh should be an exercise in public administration, not an invitation to private profiteering. If the Mahayuti wants to prevent this alleged scam from snowballing into a larger political embarrassment, it must demonstrate that the state and not its middlemen, is in charge.

Mumbai to face mega blocks on the weekends

Mumbai: On June 28, passengers travelling between Matunga and Mulund stations, as well as between Thane and Vashi, are likely to face inconvenience due to a mega block. There will also be a jumbo block on the weekends between Bhayandar and Borivali stations.


Central Railway

On Sunday, train services will be suspended due to a mega block between Matunga and Mulund stations. The services on the Trans-Harbour Line between Thane and Vashi stations, will also be suspended. This action will be taken by the Mumbai division of Central Railway because of various engineering and maintenance works. The block on the main line between Matunga-Mulund stations on the up and down slow lines will be from 11.05 am to 3.55 pm.


Down slow line services leaving CSMT Mumbai from 10.14 am to 3.32 pm will be diverted on the down fast line between Matunga and Mulund stations, halting at Sion, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Bhandup, and Mulund stations, further re-diverted on the down slow line at Mulund station, and will arrive at the destination 15 minutes behind schedule.


Up slow line services leaving Thane from 11.07 am to 3.51 pm will be diverted on the up fast line at Mulund station, between Mulund and Matunga stations, halting at Mulund, Bhandup, Vikhroli, Ghatkopar, Kurla, and Sion stations, further re-diverted on the up slow line at Matunga and will arrive at the destination 15 minutes behind schedule.


All up and down locals leaving and arriving at the CSMT between 11.00 am to 5.00 pm will reach their destination 15 minutes later than the scheduled arrival time.


The Trans-Harbour line block will operate between Thane, Vashi, and Nerul stations on the up and down from 11.10 am to 4.10 pm. Up and Down Trans-Harbour line services will remain suspended between Thane, Vashi, and Nerul stations during the block period.


Down line services for Vashi, Nerul, and Panvel, leaving Thane from 10.35 am to 4.07 pm, and up-line services for Thane, leaving Panvel, Nerul, and Vashi from 10.25 am to 4.09 pm, will remain cancelled.


Dr. Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, said, “These maintenance mega blocks are essential for infrastructure upkeep and safety. Passengers are requested to bear with the Railway Administration for the inconvenience caused.”


Western Railway

To carry out maintenance work of tracks, signalling, and overhead equipment, the Western Railway will also operate a mega block, which will be undertaken during the intervening night of June 27 and 28, 2026, between Bhayandar and Borivali stations.


During the block period, all fast line trains between Virar and Vasai Road and Borivali will be operated on the slow lines.

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