COVID cases surge by 45% in Mumbai. 3,555 cases, 190 omicron cases but zero deaths
Daily COVID-19 cases in Mumbai rose by 45% on 30th December (3,555) in a day, though no fatalities were registered. Mumbai also reported 190 cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the highest single-day spike so far. Maharashtra’s tally rose 40% to 5,368 while deaths remained steady at 22. The number of Omicron infections rose to 450.
The Maharashtra government announced fresh restrictions with weddings, social, political, and religious events limited to 50 persons, and funerals to 20 persons.
Source: The Times of India, Hindustan Times
Section 144 imposed in Mumbai till January 7 to fight COVID-19 rise: No mass gatherings allowed
As COVID-19 cases rise in the city, the Mumbai Police on Thursday has imposed Section 144 in the city starting from today till January 7. Curbs have been put in place on New Year’s celebrations, parties in any closed or open space including restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, resorts, and clubs from December 30 to January 7.
“The order shall come into force in the areas under the control of Commissioner of Police, Greater Mumbai from 00:00 Hrs of 30th December 2021 and will remain in force till 24:00 Hrs of 7th January 2022, unless withdrawn earlier,” the order reads.
“Any person contravening this order shall be punishable under section 188 of Indian Penal Code 1860 in addition to the penal provision under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and National Disaster Management Act 2005 and other legal provisions as applicable,” said Chaitanya S, Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Source: The Times of India, NDTV
BMC completes 2 km of tunnel boring for the coastal road project
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday said that it has completed 2km of tunnel boring for the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP) on December 29.
The 10.58 km long coastal road starts near the Princess Street flyover on Marine Drive and will connect to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) at Worli. As part of this project, the BMC is constructing two 2.7 km long underground tunnels that will run parallel between Priyadarshini Park (PDP) and Girgaon Chowpatty.
BMC’s tunnel boring machine – ‘Mavala’ has a diameter of 12.2 metre and is said to be the largest in the country. The boring for the first tunnel began on January 11th, 2021; on December 29th, the BMC completed boring of 2 km of the first tunnel. Vijay Nighot, chief engineer of the project told Hindustan Times, “It took us nearly eight months to bore the first 1km while the remaining 1km was completed within just four months.”
Source: Hindustan Times
Read more: The case against Mumbai’s Coastal Road project
Demolished illegal buildings rise again in Nerul, Belapur wards
City activists complained to Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) that two illegal buildings in Nerul and Belapur wards have been reconstructed despite being earlier demolished by the civic body.
One of the buildings was demolished in 2016 and the other last year. Civic officials had also displayed notices at these sites that the illegal structures had been demolished.
Source: The Times of India
BMC to take up construction of Dahisar-Bhayander Link road after a 5-year delay
BMC is all set to take up the construction of the Dahisar-Bhayander Link Road in the coming year, five years after the project was first mooted.
The project was originally proposed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) in 2016 and the Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) had also urged in 2018 that the construction work be initiated soon. The responsibility of this project was finally given to the BMC this year. The 45 metre wide and 4.5 km long road stretches across BMC and MBMC areas.
At present, there is no direct motorable road between Dahisar and Mira Road and Bhayander; so commuters traveling in this route are forced to take a 10-km long detour through the Western Express Highway (WEH).
Source: Hindustan Times
Compiled by Radha Puranik