Zero Mile Stone that will become the symbol of modern Nagpur

May 18, 2018

Zero Mile Stone that will become the symbol of modern Nagpur

While you drive past, it looks like just another roundabout in the city. But looking out of the car window, one wonders why they felt the need, at this particular intersection in Nagpur, to tell people that Varanasi is 729 km away and Jabalpur is 273 km away. There is no apparent connection between these cities and they are not even in the same state. But, as one stops by, the thick green foliage reveals a crumbling stone pillar, marked as “Zero Mile Stone”.

“It is the centrepoint of India,” quips the taxi driver. Adding, as an afterthought, “If four horses are set free from all four corners of the country, this is where they will meet.” That may just have been an urban legend to garner tourist footfall, but it was certainly worth exploring. After all, the Zero Mile has been designated as a monument by the Maharashtra Tourism.

The Zero Mile Stone was built by the British during the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India, in 1907. It comprises a sandstone pillar and four stucco horses, which were added later — corresponding to the anecdote the taxi driver had to share. The British considered Nagpur to be the centre of India from the time the country was divided into various provinces. The Survey, which began in 1802 and was completed in 1871, demarcated the boundaries of British India, and, measured the height of Himalayan peaks such as Mt Everest, K2 and Kanchenjunga.

But ever since the Partition, Nagpur is no longer the geographical centre of India anymore. That status has now shifted to Karaundi, a small village in Madhya Pradesh’s Katni district, approximately 343 km from the historical Zero Mile. However, for the city of Nagpur, Zero Mile remains the centre of attention in many ways. There is a Zero Mile Music Festival, besides many concerts and art shows that are held around the location. Now, though, there are plans to overhaul the monument and its surroundings. The Nagpur Metro will not only redefine the whole area around the heritage structure, it will also build a 20-storey metro station named after it.

The building has been designed by French architects and a museum dedicated to the science of surveying will also be built around it — to capture the importance of the original marker and the survey. It will be the only station in the country where the train will pass right through the building. From being the symbol of British India, Zero Mile will become the symbol of modern Nagpur.

Priyanka Chopra , Abhishek Bachchan and Zaira Wasim to play in Shonali Bose’s next?

May 18, 2018

Priyanka Chopra , Abhishek Bachchan and Zaira Wasim to play in Shonali Bose’s next?

Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra will be seen on screen yet again, after starring in hit movies like Dostana and Bluffmaster, in Shonali Bose’s next. Shonali had made her directorial debut with Margarita with a Straw which starred Kalki Koechlin.

The movie, for which Shonali has approached Priyanka and Abhishek is based on the real-life story of Aisha Chaudhary.

For the uninitiated, Aisha was a motivational speaker who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis at the ripe age of just 13. However, that did not dull the shine on the young one and she went on to release a book titled My Little Epiphanies. She also held several motivational talks and speeches at the of 15. Unfortunately, Aisha breathed her last on January 24, 2015, at the age of 18.

Priyanka and Abhishek will be playing Aisha’s parents. While the hunt for the casting of Aisha has been ongoing, according to Mumbai Mirror, Dangal and Secret Superstar actress Zaira Wasim will play the role of the brave young girl.

A source informed MM, “Zaira really liked the script and has given her nod to the project. Shonali is currently busy with the pre-production and is hoping to start shooting by the middle of this year in Mumbai. Priyanka and Abhishek will play parents to Zaira’s character.”

Meanwhile, Zaira’s movie Secret Superstar which also starred Aamir Khan did well at the box-office and won the young girl a ton of applause. Abhishek will next be seen alongside Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal in Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyan while Priyanka will be seen alongside Salman Khan and Disha Patani in Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bharat.

Work on Nagpur Metro’s iconic Zero Mile station aquires strength

May 18, 2018

Work on Nagpur Metro’s iconic Zero Mile station aquires strength

Work on the iconic Zero Mile station of Maha metro Nagpur is going on in rapid pace and a major section of the first Basement of the station is ready now. Zero Mile Station is located near the geographical centre of India – Zero Mile Stone.

Once completed, Zero Mile metro station would offer host of multi-disciplinary services including hotels, restaurants, commercial places, offices, banquet hall, etc.

The first Basement of the metro station measures 5300 sq. metre of which 4500 sq. metre has been constructed and works on the remaining part is going on in full steam.

Along with construction of Basement, work on other aspects like retaining walls, entry/exit structures is in progress simultaneously. Similarly, work on via duct which will connect either ends of the station is also going on. The overall progress of the Zero Mile station project can be termed as satisfactory.

In addition to its prime location and the host of services which the station would offer once completed, it would also provide connectivity to the heritage walk.

Zero Mile station is being constructed on a plot measuring 12,000 sq. metr. Once completed the majestic tower would incorporate two basements, ground floor along with 19 other floors. The Zero Mile tower would have a facility of 8 escalators and 10 lifts. Considering the scarcity of parking slots in Central Nagpur, ample space for vehicular parking has been provided.

As many as 244 cars can be parked at various levels of the metro station. Each station of the Maha Metro Nagpur project is based on certain theme. While Khapri Metro Station is based on Victorian Style of architecture, the 20 storey Zero Mile station with its unique structure and a host of facilities, would add to the city’s charm.

ALSO READ : MahaMetro to get full possession of krazy castle amusement park

Sony Pictures rights for a biopic on legendary cricketer Jhulan Goswami, partnership with Dunamis Entertainment

May 17, 2018

Sony Pictures International Productions, India has bought the rights for cricketer Jhulan Goswami ’s biopic. The studio will develop and produce the film in partnership with Dunamis Entertainment.

The film will explore the inner and outer world of Goswami- the story of a little girl from Nadia in West Bengal who went on to become the highest wicket-taker in international women’s cricket.

An inspiring story of the all-rounder and former skipper of the national team, the movie will highlight various spheres of her life – riddled with extreme hardships and massive achievements.

Fresh from the success of #PadMan and #102NotOut, Sony Pictures International Productions India acquires rights for a biopic on legendary cricketer Jhulan Goswami… Sony will develop and produce #JhulanBiopic in partnership with Dunamis Entertainment. pic.twitter.com/CwW0nqIetF

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 17, 2018

Jhulan Goswami :

Jhulan Nishit Goswami (born 25 November 1982 in Nadia, West Bengal, India) is an all round cricketer who plays for the India national women’s cricket team, Bengal Women, East Zone Women as well as the Asia Women XI women’s cricket. On 1 February 2009, she was appointed to lead the team for the upcoming world cup.

She won the ICC Women’s Player of the Year 2007 and the M.A. Chidambaram trophy for Best Women Cricketer in 2011. Recently she is no more the captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket team. She is succeeded by Mitali Raj. Jhulan is first in ICC Women’s ODI bowling rankings (January 2016). Jhulan is the leading wicket taker (200) in the history of women ODI cricket.

Also she was the fastest playing bowler in world women cricket after Cathryn Fitzpatrick retired.

Goswami is the highest wicket taker in Women’s One Day International cricket. In February 2018, against South Africa, she became the first bowler to take 200 wickets in WODIs. She achieved this by taking the wicket of South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt during the second one-day game of the three-match series at Kimberley. In April 2018, she had an Indian postage stamp issued in her honour.

OnePlus 6 launched in India today : Specification & features

May 17, 2018

Today, Chinese phone maker, One Plus, launches its next gen flagship, the OnePlus 6, in India at an event in Mumbai. Compared to the earlier OnePlus phones there are many things new in the OnePlus 6. In a way, it introduces a new design for the OnePlus phones, a design that the company may continue with for a while. It also comes with new hardware, including new camera hardware.

Specification :

- Processor: The OnePlus 6 uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. This is a top-end processor with 8 cores and built using 10nm process. This is also a processor that most of the high-end phones this year are going to use. The Snapdragon 845 in the OnePlus 6 runs at a speed of up to 2.8GHz.
- RAM: There are two variants as far as RAM is concerned. There is OnePlus 6 with 6GB RAM and there is OnePlus 6 with 8GB RAM.
- Internal storage: As far as storage is concerned, there are three variants. The base variant comes with 64GB storage, then there is the 128GB variant and finally the special edition phone with 256GB variant.
- Variants: As noted earlier, there are three variants. The base variant, the one with 128GB variant and then the special Avengers Infinity Edition of the OnePlus 6.
- Screen: The OnePlus 6 comes with the 6.28-inch screen with FullHD+ display. The screen is topped with Gorilla Glass 5 and it has a resolution of 2280 X 1080 pixels. This is an AMOLED panel, and it comes with support for DCI-P3 colours, which means rich and warm colours.
- Rear camera: 16-megapixel primary shooter. The camera uses F1.7 lens and the image sensor is IMX519 made by Sony. The sensor has 1.22um pixel. The primary camera comes with OIS and EIS. There is a secondary camera using 20-megapixel IMX376K image sensor. This one has 1.0um pixels and comes with a F1.7 lens.
- Front camera: 20-megapixel camera with F2 lens. Image sensor is Sony-made IMX371.
- Weight: 177 grams. The curved back ensures that the phone fits in hands very well.
- Software: Android 8.1 Oreo. Stock Android user interface but custom features through Oxygen OS 5 which is software from OnePlus.
- Battery: 3300 mAh with Dash charging.

Special Features :

The OnePlus 6 is full of special features. There are so many, so let’s quickly take a look at the important ones.

1.The OnePlus 6 sports a metal and glass design. It is arguably the best-looking — even if not distinctive looking — OnePlus phone so far. It looks really good.

2.The OnePlus 6 screen supports wide colour gamut like DCI-P3 colour space, which makes the colours look richer and warmer, the way they are in reality.

3.The OnePlus 6 sports a fingerprint sensor under the rear camera module. It also comes with Face Unlock feature, which is quite fast.

4.The Dash Charging, offered through the USB-C port by the bundled 5V 4A charger, is almost magical. Although OnePlus users who are already used to the feature in the existing OnePlus phones will be familiar with it.

5.The OnePlus 6 features number of customisation options. For example, users can switch the position back button to the left or right, depending on what makes them comfortable. Similarly there is support for dark themes as we all number of other customisations.

6.The OnePlus 6 camera supports 2X zoom, through a combination of software and hardware method.

7.The OnePlus 6 camera supports slow-mo video recording in up to 480FPS. It also supports 4K video recording.

8.The OnePlus 6, although not an IP-certified phone, is water resistant against wet hands, splashes, light rain etc.

9.Like other OnePlus phones, the OnePlus 6 comes with an alert slider through which you can toggle silent and ringer modes.

10.The OnePlus 6 supports app locker.

11.The OnePlus 6 supports dual-SIM feature. Although there is no support for microSD card, if that matters to you.

12.OnePlus 6 camera supports portrait mode. The company says that portrait mode on the front camera will come soon to the OnePlus 6 through a software update.

OnePlus 6 Unboxing :

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Nagpur : Telangkhedi Hanuman Temple, Chhota Tajbagh to be beautified to boost tourism

May 17, 2018

Nagpur : Telangkhedi Hanuman Temple and Chhota Tajbagh Dargah – Nagpur’s two famous places of faith, worship and tourist interest would soon get a face lift, thanks to Union ministry of tourism which has sanctioned Rs 54 crore for the beautification and development of these two places along with 5 other shrines in Nagpur and Wardha districts.

The project, a part of Swadesh Darshan scheme, will be executed by Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA).

Other shrines to be beautified include Waki Dargah, Adasa Ganesh Temple, Dhapewada Vitthal Rukmini Temple, Paradsinga Anusuya Mata Temple and Baba Farid Baithak at Girad (taluka Samudrapur, district Wardha).

highlights of the plan — Highlights of the plan

An officer of NMRDA informed, “Prasad, nirmalya, etc are sold to devotees in Telangkhedi Temple in open or from tin sheds. We will construct shops for the vendors. A dining shed will also be constructed. Amenities including public toilet and parking will be provided. We will do landscaping, build pathways and install signage and electric lights. An overhead water tank of 75,000 litre capacity and a ground storage tank of same capacity will be built. Solid waste management will also be done. Total cost of the project is Rs 3.30 crore.”

According to the official the cost of Chhota Tajbagh beautification project is Rs 5.50 crore. “A multipurpose hall, shops, kitchen-cum-food court, toilets and a gazebo will be constructed. Pathways will be constructed, signage and electric lights will be installed. We will also do landscaping. An overhead water tank and groundwater tank, each of 1 lakh litre capacity will be build. Here too funds have been sanctioned for solid waste management,” he said.

Similar facilities will be provided at the five other shrines. A sewage treatment plant (STP) will be constructed at Dhapewada. An approach road will be built for the temple.

ALSO READ : Maharashtra to give spinning mills subsidies to set up solar power plants

World Hypertension Day 2018 : 6 Ways to Prevent this lifestyle disease

May 17, 2018

World Hypertension Day (WHD), celebrated every May 17 since 2005, aims to create awareness on hypertension and encourage people to take preventive measures against the lifestyle disease.

Hypertension Prevention Factors You Can Control

Your age, along with a family history of hypertension and ethnicity are among the hypertension risk factors that are out of your control. When it comes to preventing high blood pressure, the idea is to focus on the risk factors that you can change.

To avoid a hypertension diagnosis, make these healthy lifestyle choices:

1. Maintain a healthy weight : When it comes to hypertension prevention, your weight is crucial, says Dr. Ogedegbe. People who are overweight should try to lose weight, and people of normal weight should avoid adding on any pounds. If you are carrying extra weight, losing as little as 10 pounds can help prevent high blood pressure. Talk with your doctor about the best weight for you.

2. Eat a balanced diet : Eating healthful foods can help keep your blood pressure under control. Get plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in potassium, and limit your intake of excess calories, fat, and sugar. Consider following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet, which has been shown to help manage blood pressure.
Cut back on salt. For many people, eating a low-sodium diet can help

3. keep blood pressure normal : “The higher the sodium intake, the higher the blood pressure,” says Ogedegbe. You can cut back on your total salt intake by avoiding high-sodium packaged and processed foods and not adding extra salt to your meals. “I tell people to stay away from salt shakers,” adds Ogedegbe

4. Exercise regularly : Get moving to prevent hypertension. “Physical activity is crucial,” says Ogedegbe. The more exercise you get, the better, but even a little bit can help control blood pressure. Moderate exercise for about 30 minutes three times a week is a good start.

5. Limit the alcohol : Drinking too much alcohol can lead to high blood pressure. For women, that means no more than one drink a day, and for men, no more than.

6. Monitor your blood pressure : Make sure that you have your blood pressure measured regularly, either at your doctor’s office or at home. High blood pressure often occurs with no symptoms, so only blood pressure readings will tell you if your blood pressure is on the rise. If your doctor determines that you have prehypertension — blood pressure in the range of 120-139/80-89 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) that puts you at increased risk of developing hypertension — your doctor may recommend extra steps as a safeguard.

Also Read : National Dengue Day 2018: 5 Effective Remedy For Dengue Fever

Salman Khan and Disha Patani to star together in Bharat

May 17, 2018

Bollywood actor Disha Patani, who was recently seen alongside Tiger Shroff in Baaghi 2, has bagged one of the biggest projects of her career – she has signed Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bharat where she will be working with Salman Khan and Priyanka Chopra.

A press statement from the production house claimed Disha will be essay the role of a trapeze artist in a circus set in the 1960s. With the circus segment, director Ali Abbas Zafar plans to pay an ode to Raj Kapoor. The showman’s Mera Naam Joker focussed on the life of circus artists.

“Raj Kapoor is a legend and Mera Naam Joker is one of his most memorable films. Since his younger days, Ali has been a huge fan of him and with Bharat, he wishes to pay an ode to the veteran actor and his fondest memory of Raj Kapoor,” a source close to the film’s unit told Hindustan Times.

Welcoming Disha Patani to the cast, director Ali said in a press statement, “The pairing of Salman khan and Disha in a circus set-up in the ’60s is unusual and exciting. She is a promising star and for this character, we needed a girl who looked vulnerable and beautiful yet had the physicality of an athlete. Disha fits the bill perfectly.”

Disha added, “I’m excited to be a part of Bharat, it’s like a dream come true to get an opportunity to work with Salman sir and I can’t wait for the journey to begin. I am a big fan of Ali Abbas sir’s work”.

She also took to her social media to make the announcement, “Looking forward to step into the shoes of a #TrapezeArtiste .. Thank you for this challenge @BeingSalmanKhan @aliabbaszafar @atulreellife @priyankachopra #Bharat it is!!”

Looking forward to step into the shoes of a #TrapezeArtiste ..
Thank you for this challenge @BeingSalmanKhan @aliabbaszafar @atulreellife @priyankachopra #Bharat it is!! pic.twitter.com/rW4TuIpvDe

— Disha Patani (@DishPatani) May 17, 2018

Bharat’s release also brings back Salman and director Ali together for an Eid release after the 2016 hit Sultan. The hit director-actor duo will be marking a hat-trick with Bharat after their last outing, Tiger Zinda Hai.

Bharat also stars Sunil Grover along with Salman, Priyanka and Disha. Produced by Atul Agnihotri’s Reel Life Production Pvt. Ltd and Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series, the film is slated to release on Eid, 2019.

Swachh Survekshan 2018 : Nagpur best in ‘innovation & best practices’

May 17, 2018

Swachh Survekshan 2018 : Nagpur best in ‘innovation & best practices’

While Nagpur has not made it to the top three clean cities, it has succeeded in getting the first position in India’s Best City in ‘Innovation & Best Practices’ category of Swachh Bharat Sarvekshan 2018.

The results of the survey, which aims to estimate levels of cleanliness across 4,203 cities in the country, were announced by minister of state for housing Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday.

In Swachh Sarvekshan-2017, Nagpur had ranked poorly at 137 place out of 434 cities. The then municipal commissioner Ashwin Mudgal had taken much interest to improve city’s rankings in the survey.

The Swachh Survekshan 2018, organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), under the aegis of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), assessed 4203 Urban Local Bodies. The exercise was undertaken between 4th January 2018 to 10th March, 2018. Compared to the previous surveys, this year’s exercise allocated substantial weightage to the feedback from citizens based on their daily experience.

The on-field survey for Swachh Survekshan was conducted by an independent agency and the data for ranking of the cities collected from 3 sources:

1. Service Level Progress
2. Direct Observation
3. Citizens Feedback

Cities having population of one lakh and more and capital cities were ranked at National Level and cities with population of less than one lakh were ranked at Zonal Level – North, south, East, West and North East. Based on the performance in Swacch Survekshan, 2018, it has been decided to confer awards 29 cities/ cantonment boards at National Level, 20 cities at Zonal Level and 3 states having the best performance in the urban areas.

Great news for Maharashtra again!
Maharashtra bags 10 awards in #SwachhSurvekshan2018 !
Total 4203 ULBs across the Nation got assessed and we bagged maximum awards!
Congratulations Maharashtra!
Maharashtra is also ranked 2nd in the country as best performing State! pic.twitter.com/buXpG0BX6D

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) May 16, 2018

ALSO READ : MahaMetro to get full possession of krazy castle amusement park

National Dengue Day 2018: 5 Effective Remedy For Dengue Fever

May 16, 2018

While there are no direct medical treatments available to cure dengue, there are effective remedies that relieve the symptoms of dengue fever. These include the use of barley grass, goldenseal, neem leaves, papaya, orange juice, and pomegranate juice.

Dengue fever is a viral infection spread by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquito, which affects millions of people every year. This disease is commonly found in the tropics where there are more mosquitos, but since the mid-20th century, it is endemic to more than 100 countries worldwide. The symptoms of dengue usually manifest in threes (fever, rash, and headache), and are called dengue triad.

Prevention Of Dengue Fever :

The most effective form of “treatment” is actually prevention, but fending off annoying mosquitoes can be very difficult. The most effective preventative strategies are:

Standing water: Avoiding or eliminating standing, stagnant water, as that is where mosquitoes reproduce.

Mosquito repellent: If you are in a heavily wooded or tropical area, apply mosquito repellent to any exposed skin and your clothes.

Enclose and cover: Cover all your skin and ensure that the place you sleep in is fully enclosed, including tears in any mosquito netting that you may put in place to protect yourself.

Remedies For Dengue Fever :

Papaya Leaves :

Papaya leaves are widely known as being a natural cure for dengue fever. The complex mix of nutrients and organic compounds in papayas can cause a rise in your platelet count, the high levels of vitamin C help to stimulate the immune system, and the antioxidants help to reduce oxidative stress and eliminate excess toxins in the blood. The leaves can be crushed and then strained with a cloth to drink the pure juice.

Neem Leaves :

Neem leaves are commonly prescribed for a variety of ailments, and dengue fever is no exception. Steeping neem leaves and then drinking the subsequent brew has been shown to increase both blood platelet count and white blood cell count, two of the most dangerous side effects of the virus. Properly brewed neem leaves can improve the immune system and return your strength much faster than many other home remedies.

Orange Juice :

The rich mixture of antioxidants and vitamins found in orange juice make it ideal for treating the secondary symptoms of dengue fever and eliminating the virus. Orange juice helps to promote antibodies of the immune system, increase urination and the release of toxins, and stimulates cellular repair due to vitamin C’s crucial role in the creation of collagen.

Goldenseal :

Although many herbal or natural remedies aren’t directly approved or proven through research, homeopathic physicians have praised goldenseal for its ability to clear up the symptoms of dengue fever very quickly and eliminate the virus from the body. Goldenseal not only helps to ease fevers, chills, headaches, nausea, and vomiting, but its natural antiviral capacity can essentially cure dengue fever in a matter of days.

Barley Grass :

Barley grass has the unique ability to significantly increase the body’s blood platelet count by stimulating the production of more blood cells. You can drink barley tea or eat barley grass directly and see a rapid increase in platelet count, which is one of the serious side effects of dengue fever that can prolong weakness and increase the susceptibility of the body to dengue hemorrhagic fever and more serious complications.

Also Read 24+ Simple Ways To Repel Mosquitoes
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Samsung Introduces Sunrise Gold and Burgundy Red Editions for Galaxy S9 and S9+

May 16, 2018

Samsung rolled out a gorgeous Burgundy Red color option for the Galaxy S9 and S9+ in China last week, and the company is now detailing global availability for the variant and introducing a new Sunrise Gold model.

The Burgundy Red variant offers a deep red finish with matching accents for the camera module, and the rich hue makes it one of the best color options yet for the Galaxy S9 and S9+. As for the Sunrise Gold edition, Samsung says that it is the first color option to offer a “satin gloss finish” that envelops the phone in a “tranquil glow and glimmer:”

The Burgundy Red Galaxy S9/S9+ will go on sale starting later this month in Korea and China, and the Sunrise Gold variant will be available from June in select markets including Australia, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

Samsung has also rolled out ARCore support for the Galaxy S9 and S9+, with Google’s ARCore devices page listing Samsung’s 2018 flagships. As noted by 9to5Google, Galaxy S9 and S9+ customers can download the ARCore app from the Play Store and get started with augmented reality applications.

The launch of the new variants means the Galaxy S9 and S9+ are now available in a total of six color options — Sunrise Gold, Burgundy Red, Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Coral Blue, and Lilac Purple.

For now, it doesn’t look like either variant will make its way Stateside, but Samsung is likely to bring the color options to additional markets at a later date. India isn’t mentioned in the list, but Samsung is gearing up to bring the Sunrise Gold color option to the country in the coming months, so there’s a possibility that it will do the same in the U.S.

IPL 2018 : Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab battle for survival today

May 16, 2018

Mumbai Indians will be desperate for a win against Kings XI Punjab to keep their play-off hopes alive when they square-off in a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) tie at the Wankhede stadium on Wednesday.

Just when Mumbai’s dream of making it to the final four was on the verge of getting shattered, the Rohit Sharma-led brigade came up with a spirited show to register a hat-trick of wins before faltering against Rajasthan Royals in their previous game.

Mumbai have to win both their remaining two matches to keep their chances alive for advancing to the play-offs. With 10 points, the three-time champions are placed at the sixth spot in the IPL points table while their opponents are a spot ahead with 12 points in their kitty.

Mumbai will once again rely on opener Suryakumar Yadav, who has been consistent with the bat, amassing 473 runs from 12 innings.

The other opener Evin Lewis also got back his touch in the last match, hitting a 42-ball 60. However, Mumbai’s middle order failed miserably including skipper Rohit. Barring his match-winning knock against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rohit has failed to live up to the expectations this season.

The Pandya brothers -Hardik and Krunal, will also need to dish out something special if they are to stand any chance of making it to the final four.

In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik and left-arm pacer Mitchell McClenaghan will have to bowl accurately to get rid of the likes of the in-form Lokesh Rahul and Chris Gayle. On the other hand, despite being a place ahead, Punjab lag behind Mumbai in net run-rate.

The Ravichandran Ashwin-led side, who started their IPL campaign on a rousing note, faltered in the business end of the league, losing five of their last six games.

Punjab suffered their worst defeat of the season in their last outing when Royal Challengers Bangalore hammered them by 10 wickets, a game where both the batsmen and bowlers succumbed before Kohli’s men.

Punjab’s batting mostly relies on openers Rahul and Gayle as the duo have accumulated 558 and 350 runs respectively.

The Punjab openers have been a major reason behind their success as the two have handed a perfect start to their side on several occasions in this year’s edition.

Karun Nair has been inconsistent with 247 runs so far, while veteran Yuvraj Singh and Mayank Agarwal are yet to make their presence felt in the middle-order.

Punjab will be relieved by the fact that Aaron Finch returned to form with a 34 & 26 during the loss to Kolkata Knight Riders and RCB, respectively.

MahaMetro to get full possession of krazy castle amusement park

May 16, 2018

The land of Krazy Castle amusement park will be handed over to MahaMetro on June 1 as Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) has decided to terminate the contract of Krazy Castle amusement park concessionaire Haldiram Foods on May 31.

The decision was taken at a board meeting of NIT held on Tuesday. MahaMetro had already started work on Krazy Castle as Haldiram has not raised any objection. The concessionaire had already itself dismantled a ride for allowing Metro contractor to dig the foundation of a viaduct pillar.

Ashwin Mudgal, acting chairman of NIT told “NIT is doing financial and legal vetting of the Haldiram’s contract. It will submit the report to divisional commissioner Anup Kumar. The three-member committee headed by Kumar will decide the compensation amount.”

Haldiram has demanded Rs162 crore from NIT. Its lease runs up to 2022 and hence it has sought compensation for loss of business for four years.
At present, it is not clear who will bear the burden of compensation decided by the Kumar committee. NIT wants MahaMetro to pay the sum while Metro officials want the state government to foot the bill.

In September 2017, MahaMetro had sought only half of the 6.4 acre Krazy Castle land. However, Haldiram objected to the proposal stating the park would lose its charm if its size was reduced by half. It demanded that MahaMetro realign its viaduct to prevent acquisition of the land. If this was not possible then the entire land should be acquired and Haldiram should be paid a compensation for loss of business.

MahaMetro rejected the demand to realign the viaduct. It pointed out that the alignment of corridor had been finalized through a gazette notification of central government. It would take another notification to get it changed, which was very difficult.

Metro officials then prepared a plan to shift the park rides in a way that they got their land and Krazy Castle also remained functional. However, Haldiram owners rejected the proposal.

In January this year, MahaMetro decided to seek the entire land from NIT. Gadkari held a meeting on this issue on February 27 and asked NIT to fulfil MahaMetro’s demand.

ALSO READ : NMRDA declared 1,328 buildings in Nagpur Metro Region as illegal

Road rage case : Navjot Singh Sidhu acquitted of homicide, convicted of causing hurt

May 15, 2018

Former India cricketer and Punjab Congress minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has been acquitted under section 304 (II) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and convicted under section 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) in 1988 road rage case by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The top court fined Sidhu without any jail term and acquitted the co-accused in the case of all charges.

A bench of Justices J Chelameswar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul pronounced the verdict on a cross-appeal filed by the victim’s family seeking enhancement of the jail term to them. “A1 (Sidhu) is guilty of Section 323 of IPC. Awarded no sentence but fine of Rs 1,000 for the offence. A2 (Rupinder Singh Sandhu) is acquitted,” the bench said.

The two accused in the case are Sidhu, who quit the BJP and joined Congress before the previous Punjab assembly elections and is currently the Tourism Minister of Punjab, and Rupinder Singh Sandhu – who was also convicted and sentenced to three years in jail.

On December 27, 1988, the duo, who were in a Gypsy, got into an argument with Gurnam Singh over parking space in Patiala. Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sandhu had allegedly dragged Gurnam out of his car and dealt him a series of blows, causing Gurnam’s death. When Jaswinder Singh, who was with Gurnam, tried to intervene, Sandhu had also assaulted him.

Sidhu and Sandhu were acquitted by the trial court in September 1999. However, the High Court reversed the decision in December 2006 and held them guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. They challenged this in the Supreme Court which stayed the conviction pending the appeal in 2007.

According to the prosecution, the duo had an altercation with Gurnam near the Sheranwala Gate Crossing when the latter asked them to give way to their car. Police claimed that Gurnam was beaten up by Sidhu, who later fled the crime scene. The victim was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.

Senior advocate RS Cheema represented Navjot Singh Sidhu and had questioned the evidence brought on record by the prosecution, saying “the most baffling and disturbing issue in the case is what we have on record with regard to the cause of death. The evidence brought on record was obscure, indefinite and also contradictory.” Cheema contended that the medical opinion was “vague.”

ALSO READ : BJP likely to form government in Karnataka

Oppo Realme 1 launched today on Amazon India : Price, Specifications & Features

May 15, 2018

Oppo Realme 1 launched today :

Realme is a new brand entering the Indian smartphone market, which is powered by China’s OPPO Mobiles. Realme 1 smartphone will launch today and it will be an Amazon exclusive smartphone. The e-commerce platform already has a dedicated page live for the same. Based on the information shared so far, the Oppo Realme 1 as it is being referred to, will be an affordable phone with a stylish design and likely compete against the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 5.

Oppo Realme 1 specifications :

The dual-SIM Realme 1 runs ColorOS 5.0 based on Android 8.1 Oreo, complete with an India-specific theme. It sports a 6-inch full-HD+ (1080×2160 pixels) display with an 84.75 percent screen-to-body ratio. It is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio P60 SoC that’s clocked up to 2GHz, coupled with 3GB, 4GB, or 6GB of RAM depending on the variant, as well as a dual-core AI-specific chip.

The Realme 1 bears a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and a 8-megapixel front camera. The company is touting use of the Oppo’s AI Beauty 2.0 feature that apart from beautification also offers 296-point facial recognition with . The smartphone also offers Face Unlock (said to unlock the smartphone in 0.1 seconds), but it doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor. The Realme 1 features AR stickers for both the front and rear cameras.

As for storage, the Realme 1 comes with 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB of inbuilt storage, depending on the variant, each of which is expandable via microSD card featuring its own dedicated card slot.

In terms of connectivity options, the company is touting the presence of dual 4G VoLTE support on the Realme 1. It is powered by a 3410mAh battery. Built out of a fibre-glass body, the Realme 1 measures 156×75.3×7.8mm and weighs 158 grams. The company is also touting an AI Board assistant on board.

Oppo Realme 1 price in India, launch offers :

The Realme 1 price in India starts at Rs. 8,990 for the 3GB RAM/ 32GB storage variant, and goes up to Rs. 10,990 for the 4GB RAM/ 64GB storage variant, and the top-model 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage variant has been priced at Rs. 13,990. It will be made available in Diamond Black, Moonlight Silver (coming in June), and Solar Red colour variants in the country. At this price range, the company is looking to take on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, which is available at Rs. 14,999 for its 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, and Rs. 16,999 for the 6GB RAM, 64GB storage variant.

The smartphone’s first sale will be held at 12pm IST on May 25 on Amazon India, with only the Realme 1’s 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage variant made available in this sale. The company says the 3GB RAM/ 32GB storage and 4GB RAM/ 64GB storage variants will come to India a month later.

As for Realme 1 launch offers, the smartphone is being offered with a 5 percent cashback on SBI cards, Jio benefits worth Rs. 4,850, a free case, and a free screen protector.

Unboxing Of OPPO Realme1 :

ALSO READ : WhatsApp now lets you open chat even without visiting app

BJP likely to form government in Karnataka

May 15, 2018

The BJP, whose election campaign in Karnataka was spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appears to be on course to form the government in Karnataka, with the Congress settling at a distant second after initial rounds of counting. However, no party was close to the halfway mark required for a simple majority in the 224-member assembly. In the event of a hung house, the JD(S) may well play king maker roll. BJP likely to form government in Karnataka.
In government in Karnataka election 2018 results: the latest Graph shows following Projections.

As per initial vote count, BJP was leading in 112 seats. The Congress, which is hoping for a second consecutive term in power, was ahead in 70 seats. The third key player, JD(S), was up in 39 seats. Other parties and independent candidates were leading in two constituencies. BJP need 2 more seats to for majority mark. BJP inches close to the majority mark of 113, is now leading on 112 seats.

The saffron party seemed to have retained its hold on the Lingayats despite populist measures by the Siddaramaiah government to gain the community’s favors. BJP was leading in 36 constituencies where the Lingayats are dominant, whereas the Congress was ahead in only 16.

The BJP’s chief ministerial candidate, B S Yeddyurappa, was ahead in Shikaripura by 3,420 votes over Congress candidate G B Malatesh.

Among the Lingayat dominant constituencies, BJP is leading on maximum seats: 29. Congress is quite far behind, with leads in 9 constituencies. JD(S)+ is, at the moment, leading in 6 constituencies

JD(S) party’s Karnataka unit president HD Kumaraswamy was leading over the Congress candidate Iqbal Husaain by over 7,000 votes in Ramanagara. He is also leading from the Channapatna seat.

Voting in Karnataka ended on Saturday. The Election Commission noted 72.13 percent voting in the state- the highest-ever since 1952. In 2013, 71.4 percent voting was recorded in the state.

In the tech hub of Greater Bengaluru, the BJP and Congress were neck-and-neck, with the former leading in 12 seats and the ruling party up in 11 seats.

Pro Kabaddi League 2018 : 422 players to be a part of the sixth edition

May 15, 2018

Pro Kabaddi League 2018 : Riding on the back of 5 phenomenal seasons, VIVO Pro Kabaddi announces the dates for the upcoming Season VI Player Auctions.

The auctions, scheduled to take place on the 30th and 31st of May 2018 in Mumbai, will witness teams strategizing to build their strongest teams.

4⃣2⃣2⃣ Players
1⃣2⃣ Teams
1⃣ ?? bidding war

? your ?, #VivoProKabaddi fans! The auction dates for Season 6 are out. Who are you looking forward to seeing in your team? pic.twitter.com/apm0ZYTtTQ

— ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) May 14, 2018

There are a total of 422 players drafted into the auction pool. This list includes 58 overseas players from 14 different countries like Iran, Bangladesh, Republic of Korea, Japan and Sri Lanka. There are 87 players from Pro Kabaddi League’s Future Kabaddi Heroes Programme (FKH), a nationwide talent scouting programme, who will also be a part of the auctions.

Even in the auctions for the fifth edition of Pro Kabaddi League, 55 new young players from FKH were absorbed into the 12 franchises.

Though the two-day auction begins on 30 May, acquisition of players has started already as nine of the 12 franchises have picked 21 players as ‘elite retained players’. Each franchise was allowed to retain upto four players.

With each franchise having a total salary purse of Rs 4 crore, the teams need to choose between 18-25 players to form a team, including 2-4 overseas players and upto three players from the FKH.

This year’s auction will also see the introduction of a ‘Final Bid Match’ option, whereby the franchises shall be entitled to match the final bid made by another franchise, for one or at most two players from its season five squad, in accordance with the guidelines set in the Player Policy.

Teams that have retained four players will be able to use the ‘Final Bid Match’ option just once, while the other teams get to use it twice during the open auctions.

With 422 players up for grabs and new concepts being introduced, the franchises will be raring to make the most of the two-day auctions that will mark the first event for the sixth edition of the caravan-style Pro Kabaddi League.

ALSO READ : Vidarbha pacer Rajneesh Gurbani selected in India ‘A’ team

NMRDA declared 1,328 buildings in Nagpur Metro Region as illegal

May 15, 2018

NAGPUR : 1,328 buildings in city’s outskirts coming under Metro Region have been declared ‘illegal’ by Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA). And many more on the list.

These buildings were found constructed without any necessary permission from concerned authorities in the past. These 1328 unauthorised buildings include 115 industrial units, 75 educational institutes, 65 multi-storied buildings, 52 restaurants and 884 residential as well as other buildings. Subsequently, the Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) has served notices to all these buildings under Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act (MRTP).

This number of unauthorised buildings is likely to mount as the drive to identify such structures is yet to cover many parts of the Metro Region. No permission was procured from NMC’s Fire and Emergency Services Department while constructing these buildings. The notices have asked the owners of the buildings to regularise the structures within a month. But many of the institutes and residential owners have not even replied to the notices.

Hence, the Fire Brigade has been sent letters to take action against the unauthorised constructions, NMRDA sources said.

NMRDA has received around 2,000 applications for regularization of buildings and plots following launch of a special scheme by the state government to regularize unauthorized structures and plots. These applications are said to be apart from the 1,328 structures that were declared unauthorized.

Majority of the structures are close to the city. All these hint at rampant unauthorized constructions around the city, ignored for years by the district administration, which was the authority before NMRDA was set up.

The NMRDA’s list of 1,328 unauthorized constructions includes 115 industrial structures, 75 educational institutions, 65 multi-storey commercial complexes, 52 restaurants, and 884 residential buildings. All have been issued notice under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act in last five months. These buildings do not have sanctioned building plans or NOC, nor have they complied with norms of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) Fire and Emergency Services Department.

Through the notice, NMRDA has directed owners of the structures to get regularized or demolish the unauthorized constructions within one month. Many of the owners have not even replied to the notices. Taking serious cognisance, NMRDA has sent a letter to the Fire Department asking it to initiate action against 22 educational institutions and 19 godowns under phase-I.

Ranbir Kapoor, Ajay Devgn to star in Luv Ranjan’s new film

May 15, 2018

Ranbir Kapoor is a on signing-spree. Apart from Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Sanju’ and Ayan Mukerji’s ‘Brahmastra’, the actor as also come on board for Yash Raj Films’ Shamshera with Sanjay Dutt and has Luv Ranjan’s two hero film with Ajay Devgn in the pipeline as well.

Filmmaker Luv Ranjan who has entertained audience with ‘Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety’ and ‘Pyar Ka Punchnama’ series has managed to bring the two talented actors together for this next film. His first big Bollywood film stars Ajay Devgn and Ranbir Kapoor, which is set to go on floors in 2019.

Indian film critic, journalist, editor and film trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared a picture of their meeting on his twitter account on Tuesday.

In the picture, the trio can be seen deep in discussion. Ranbir and Ajay are wearing sunglasses and are smiling at whatever Ranjan, who previously directed the two Pyaar Ka Punchnama movies, has to say.

It’s a casting coup… Ajay Devgn and Ranbir Kapoor… Luv Ranjan brings the two powerhouse actors in his next film, after the phenomenal success of #SonuKeTituKiSweety and #PKP series… Shooting starts in 2019. pic.twitter.com/Cb3f21CHA7

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 15, 2018

The trio spoke about the film. Ajay said, “Ranbir is an impeccable actor with a great ability to deliver nuanced performances. He is undeniably the most talented actor of his generation. I am looking forward to collaborating with him.”

Ranbir reciprocated the feelings and said, “I have immense respect for Ajay sir and I’m excited about sharing the screen with him again. His body of work is inspiring. Luv and I have wanted to work with each other for some time now. I am sure this film will be a perfect start to our association.”

Ranbir has two major projects on the docket after the release of Sanju. He will star opposite Alia Bhatt in Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra, and will play a dacoit in Yash Raj Films’ Shamshera, opposite Sanjay Dutt and Vaani Kapoor.

Instagrammer and Writer Rajyavardhan Singh Releases Debut Title MAP OF A LOST SOUL- Echoes Of Lost Rhymes

May 14, 2018

RAJYAVARDHAN SINGH has released his debut book, titled MAP OF A LOST SOUL- Echoes of Lost Rhymes. A twenty-year-old engineering student who chose writing as means to get out of depression says that it’s never too late to dream something new, to do something different. Already the co-author of three anthologies and an Instagrammer, Writer, Freelancer and a Musician, he says that there are many students like him around the country who just complain and do nothing, he wants to convey a message to them that there’s still hope, and if you can dream something and work towards it, you will achieve it.

MAP OF A LOST SOUL- Echoes Of Lost Rhymes a journey where Love makes the way for you “For those who are in Love, who will love and for those who have been broken by love.”

This book will take you on a journey of differen emotions related to love, loss, healing, and hope through a powerful poetry collection.

Love is an emotion which you cannot describe in one line or feel it all at once. It takes time to understand this love. This book introduces readers to an entirely different world where you’ll feel all the emotions of love at once. In this book, you’ll get to know that there’s more to this Love. Reading each poem, you’ll flow through the experience and will sit back and just think of it for a while.

The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Playstore.

Through this book he wants to donate the whole royalty amount to the National Defence Fund and Indian Army Welfare Fund for the families of those soldiers who are not with them due to some casualties. He thinks these are the strongest people and the one who needs our support the most.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rajyavardhan Singh is currently pursuing his undergraduate from VIT University. An Instagrammer, Poet, Writer and a budding Singer, he decided to do something different and thinks there’s still more to discover.

He’s co-author of three Anthologies. His first Anthology is published by Bookfever publication, his second Anthology will soon be coming out for the education of children at an orphanage and His third one is a project by It’s all about writing. He loves to express what he feels through words, he believes that words are strong enough to express one’s emotions. He writes to connect with his inner self that has a lot to speak. Poems are his heart throbs and Writing is his escape from reality. Writing is something he wants to continue further. He was recently interviewed by Chicago Tribune, Medium and also by BuzzFeed.

Please contact Rajyavardhan Singh at [email protected] or to request a copy of MAP OF A LOST SOUL. You can reach out the Author at www.instagram.com/rsrwritings for more information

Also Read : IIM Nagpur placements : This tailor’s son grabbed a Rs 19 lakh pay package

Maharashtra to give spinning mills subsidies to set up solar power plants

May 14, 2018

Maharashtra to give spinning mills subsidies to set up solar power plants

The Maharashtra government has set up a committee to help cooperative spinning mills and textile units set up solar power plants.

Officials from the Maharashtra Textile Department, which has set up the committee, said the panel has been tasked with finalising the details of the proposed subsidy, the criteria to declare units eligible for subsidy and chalking out a plan for implementation, among other things.

The committee will be headed by the Textile Director, and will comprise the Director General of the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) and an official from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd, said an official, adding that it has been asked to submit a report in two months.

“In the new Textile policy 2018-23, approved in February, the department has decided to give power subsidy of Rs 3 per unit to cooperative spinning mills for three years. We have also given subsidy to other textile projects. Within this period of three years, the cooperative spinning mills and textile projects are expected to set up non-conventional power projects in their premises to fulfil their power needs,” said the official.

Another official said the subsidy will be reviewed every year to reduce the overall burden. “One of the major reasons why spinning mills incur losses is the higher power tariffs in Maharashtra compared to other states. So we want to encourage spinning mills to set up solar power plants. It will reduce the power bills,” the official added.

ALSO READ : Nagpur Metro’s second phase DPR delayed by 2 months

Uber Eats plans to expand in Nagpur and more cities

May 14, 2018

Uber Eats, the online food delivery service owned by Uber Technologies Inc., is growing at 50% month-on-month in India, a top executive said, revealing plans to expand into nagpur & more tier II and non-metro cities.

“As urbanization picks up in India, we are going to see more cities like Vizag, Coimbatore, Surat, Nagpur and others offering a great business potential for us. While there might not be immediate demand…in the long run, these cities will grow significantly in terms of users and orders…it is really important for us to be the early entrants there, and tap into the growth potential,” he said.

Launched in India in May 2017, Uber Eats is now present in 13 cities—Mumbai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Bengaluru, Chennai, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Pune, Kochi, Jaipur, Kolkata, Coimbatore and Vizag.

Bhavik Rathod, head of Uber Eats in India, said in an interview that the delivery platform currently has more than 12,000 restaurants with at least 40 new restaurants being added daily. It recently launched in two new non-metro cities: Coimbatore and Vizag.

To be sure, in 2016, online food delivery firm Zomato had paused online ordering in four cities including Coimbatore due to a shortage of orders. However, Rathod said that tier II and non-metro cities have witnessed a growth in the number of new restaurants and hotel chains, opening up new business opportunities for online food delivery platforms.

Rathod refused to share figures on the number of orders and active user base the company has. He, however, said that Uber Eats charges up to 30% commission from its restaurant partners depending on factors such as menu rates, delivery costs and rental prices.

Additionally, Uber Eats will look at expanding deeper within its current cities. Citing an example of Bengaluru, Rathod said that the platform recently went live in Whitefield, a suburb, and that it plans to launch in areas like Yeshwantpur and others in the coming months.

Uber Eats is also leveraging data generated from its core ride-hailing platform to streamline its delivery service, and to decide on new markets and sub-markets. In India Uber’s cab business is present in more than 30 cities.

Rathod said that both Uber Eats and the cabs business utilize the same back-end and engineering team. Uber Eats uses data points such as cab rides and booking density in a certain geographic area and combines it with publicly available restaurant data to estimate potential demand in that area.

“It has taken us by surprise, what the potential the market shows. Since our rides business is already there in these markets, anyone who has a smartphone, and uses Uber for rides, is a potential Uber Eats customer…so we already have access to a consumer base to target,” he said.

The online food delivery segment in India turned fairly competitive after the entry of Uber Eats. Apart from homegrown companies like Zomato and Swiggy, Uber’s immediate rival Ola also signalled its entry into the food delivery segment with the acquisition of Foodpanda in December 2017.

Investors are also pouring funds into the segment as competition picks up. Swiggy raised $100 million from Naspers in February, which was its largest round. Less than two months later, Mint reported that Swiggy is looking to raise as much as $200 million, as the company plans expansion into the grocery delivery segment.

Also Read : Uber to work with NASA on manned urban flying cars

Maharashtra government plans higher investment in micro-irrigation project

May 14, 2018

Maharashtra authorities is planning to pump extra money into micro-irrigation tasks to double agricultural revenue by 2022.

The federal government’s ‘Extra Crop Per Drop’ programme goals to extend effectivity of water use by way of numerous measures, like diversification of crops and a phased shift in agricultural practices. In 2018-19, the state plans to optimise water effectivity by 20 per cent.

The Nationwide Financial institution of Agriculture and Rural Improvement (NABARD), in its annual report 2018-19, states, “Presently, gross space beneath mirco-irrigation is round a million hectares with common space expansed by about 100,000 hectares in 5 years.”

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Finance to revise the schemes to give more priority to micro-irrigation projects to achieve More Crop Per Drop. The state’s budget for irrigation projects and water conservation schemes is Rs 12,000 crore. According to estimates, the state’s overall expenditure after accounting for micro-irrigation will be Rs 15,000 crore to Rs 20,000 crore.

According to the Ministry of Water Resources, “The irrigation potential in Maharashtra is 49.4 lakh hectares, whereas irrigated area was 24.47 lakh hectares. The irrigation potential created by local sectors (minor projects) is 17.32 lakh hectares and utilisation was only 2.07 lakh hectares.”

In the last three-and-a-half years, the state’s priority was to make 25,000 villages drought-free. The state has made 11,247 villages drought-free (water neutral) and plans to make the rest drought-free by 2019 through “jalyukt shivar projects”. Micro-irrigation is a step initiated to bridge the gap between irrigation potential created and utilised.

The state has also decided to bring all the land under sugar cultivation under drip irrigation. The kharif production for 2017 showed an increase in sugarcane crop from 6.33 lakh hectares in 2016 to 9.43 lakh hectares.

ALSO READ : Nagpur Metro’s second phase DPR delayed by 2 months

Vaani Kapoor to star opposite Ranbir in Shamshera

May 14, 2018

Vaani Kapoor, who debuted in the 2013 romcom Shuddh Desi Romance alongside Sushant Singh Rajput and Parineeti Chopra, was last seen opposite Ranveer Singh in Befikre. The movie tanked at the box office and her performance also failed to impress both the audience and the critics. However, she now has two big-ticket projects in the pipeline.

Apart from Shamshera, she will also be seen in another YRF film, alongside Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff. The yet-to-be-titled film will be directed by Siddharth Anand who is best known for films like like Bang Bang!, Bachna Ae Haseeno and Salaam Namaste.

Shamshera is touted to be an action-packed masala movie, making it the first of its kind for both the stars. YRF has also cast the original bad boy of Bollywood, Sanjay Dutt, as the villain and have got the fans charged up with a tweet.

We’ve got an ultimate casting coup! Our upcoming action adventure #Shamshera has a roaring villain against #RanbirKapoor. It’s the one & only #SanjayDutt | @duttsanjay | @karanmalhotra21 | @ShamsheraMovie

— Yash Raj Films (@yrf) May 10, 2018

ITS OFFICIAL… Vaani Kapoor in #Shamshera… Stars Ranbir Kapoor in the title role… Sanjay Dutt to play the merciless villain in the film… Produced by Aditya Chopra… Directed by Karan Malhotra… Starts 2018-end… Shooting will wrap by mid-2019.

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 14, 2018

“Vaani plays Ranbir’s love interest in the film and is a very important collaborator in his character’s journey. Her character graph is interlinked to the plot of the film making her a crucial catalyst in our hero’s rebellious mission. Vaani is a perfect fit for the role. She is a fine actor, a fabulous dancer and a gorgeous Hindi film heroine. We wanted someone absolutely fresh to wow audiences on the big screen and she beautifully fits that brief,” Karan Malhotra said in a statement.

A Karan Malhota directorial, Shamshera is all set for a late 2019 release.

Petrol, diesel prices hiked after Karnataka elections

May 14, 2018

नागपुरात पेट्रोलपंप सकाळी ७ ते सायंकाळी ७ वाजेपर्यंतच सुरू

Petrol, diesel prices hiked after Karnataka elections

Prices of petrol and diesel have gone up just a day after the completion of Karnataka assembly elections, confirming the suspicion that the Centre’s decision to freeze the prices were to extract the electoral advantage.

This comes in the backdrop of voting for Karnataka assembly elections getting over on Saturday. Indian Oil Corporation chairman Sanjiv Singh had earlier said that his firm had decided to “temporarily moderate” prices.

The Centre’s Narendra Modi government had announced it was freezing the prices of petrol and diesel on 1 May even though benchmark international rates have gone up by almost $2 per barrel. This had given rise to suspicion that the move was intended to derive electoral mileage in Karnataka.

On Monday, the petrol price in Delhi went up by 17 paise taking the price to 56-month high, while the diesel price crossed Rs 66 per litre. An update by Indian Oil Corporation said that the price of petrol went up by 18 paise in Kolkata and Chennai, while diesel prices have been raised by 21 paise a litre in Delhi, 5 paise in Kolkata, and 23 paise in Mumbai and Chennai.

Terming the development as deception, the Congress party’s chief spokesperson, Randeep Singh Surjewala, said, “Post deception of people of Karnataka and the country by not raising Petrol-Diesel prices for 19 continuous days to garner votes; First salvo of Petrol/Diesel enhancement is fired ! How many more to be fired to fleece the pockets of ordinary people?”

Post deception of people of Karnataka and the country by not raising Petrol-Diesel prices for 19 continuous days to garner votes;

First salvo of Petrol/Diesel enhancement is fired !

How many more to be fired to fleece the pockets of ordinary people? https://t.co/8YvV4oCfpm

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 14, 2018

Also read : Maha Metro Nagpur started implementation of Heat Action Plan.

Nagpur Metro’s second phase DPR delayed by 2 months

May 14, 2018

Majhi Metro to run additional trains for Ind-Aus T20I match for Nagpur fans

Nagpur Metro Rail project may appear to be speeding on the right track but there are rough patches ahead RITES, the agency associated with MahaMetro has not yet prepared the detailed project report (DPR) for phase II of Nagpur Metro. The report which was supposed to be readly by April-end will now be ready by June-end.

A source in MahaMetro said RITES would submit the draft this month. “We will suggest some modifications, if any, and then our consultant will submit the final report in June end,” he added.

MahaMetro will send the DPR to state urban development ministry for approval. The ministry will go through it and send it to the state cabinet. After the cabinet approves it, the report will be forwarded to Niti Ayog. After Ayog members are satisfied with the report, it will be sent to the Union cabinet. Phase II will be considered approved only after the Union cabinet clears it.

It is imperative that the DPR is put up before the Union cabinet before 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Phase II stands a good chance of getting cleared as long as Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari is a part of the central government. If BJP does not come to power in 2019, then Gadkari or his successor will find it difficult to get special status for Nagpur.

The second phase will cover a stretch of 48 kilometres, which will cost Rs10,860 crore at today’s prices. It will have five routes, with a total of 34 stations. Most of it will be elevated.

The first corridor will be from Automotive Square to Kanhan. It will be 13km stretch with 13 stations. The corridor will cater to Khasara village, Lekha Nagar (Kamptee), Kamptee Town and Dragon Palace Temple.

The second corridor will connect Khapri to Butibori MIDC. It will be 19km long and will have 9 stations. The catchment area is Jamtha, Dongargaon, Mohgaon, Butibori village, MHADA Colony and Indorama Colony.

The third one is extension of route from Lokmanya Nagar to Hingna Tehsil Office. It is 6km long with six stations and will pass through Nildoh, Gajanan Nagar, Rajiv Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar, Raipur and Hingna village. The fourth is extension from Prajapati Nagar to Transport Nagar. It is 4km long and has 4 stations.

The fifth is a spur from Vasudeo Nagar to Dattawadi. It will be about 5km long with two stations. Its catchment area is Raisoni College, Hingna MIDC, and Dattawadi.

ALSO READ : Krazy Castle removes rides for Metro rail project

At 47.3 degrees Celsius, Maharashtra’s Chandrapur 4th hottest in the world on Friday

May 12, 2018

Chandrapur in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region recorded the highest maximum temperature in the country on Friday at 47.3 degrees Celsius, 4.4 degrees above normal.

Amravati at 44 degrees Celsius, Buldhana at 42.2 degrees Celsius, Nagpur at 44.5 degrees Celsius, and Wardha 45.5 degrees Celsius, all in Vidarbha, recorded their respective highest maximum temperature for the season on the day, the weather bureau said.

Officials from the Nagpur division of India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that hot weather conditions were expected to continue for north central Maharashtra and Vidarbha over the weekend. “From Monday onwards the western part of Vidarbha is expected to get some relief as the weather factors leading to high temperatures are expected to die down marginally. The continuous hot air advection [transfer of heat horizontally through the atmosphere] from northwest parts of the country and lack of moisture in these areas has allowed temperatures to escalate this high,” said AD Tathe, director, Regional Meteorological Centre, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Nagpur.

He said that locations in Rajasthan such as Bundi, Phalodi, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Barmer and Sawai Madhopur, all recorded average maximum temperatures at 44 degrees Celsius. “Chandrapur has recorded abnormally high temperatures this season, and Friday’s maximum temperature has been the highest for the location and the country. Citizens need to ensure they are hydrated, and avoid prolonged outdoor activity,” said Tathe.

Meanwhile, the day temperature in Mumbai was a degree Celsius above normal. While Santacruz recorded 34.6 degrees Celsius, 1.2 degree Celsius above normal, 34.2 degrees Celsius was recorded at Colaba, 0.7 degree Celsius above normal. The minimum temperature was almost a degree Celsius above normal at Colaba at 27.7 degrees Celsius but close to the normal mark at the suburbs at 27 degrees Celsius.

The pollutant-measuring indicator – air quality index (AQI) has been in the ‘satisfactory’ category for almost a fortnight. Mumbai recorded an AQI of 72 on Friday, which is expected to increase to 93 on Saturday.

The weather bureau predicted a partly cloudy sky in Mumbai for Saturday due to the presence of a cyclonic circulation over southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Lakshadweep area, which is pulling moisture along the Konkan coastline.

ALSO READ : Krazy Castle removes rides for Metro rail project

Krazy Castle removes rides for Metro rail project

May 11, 2018

Krazy Castle amusement park owner Haldiram Foods has started dismantling some of its rides so that Metro can dig the foundation of its pillars of Sitabuldi to Subhash Nagar stretch viaduct.

One ride has been removed and more will follow suit. Work on construction of three pillars in the designated parking area has already begun. The park has, however, not been closed down and will remain open till school summer holidays end.

Sources in MahaMetro said that as Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), owner of the land, was delaying officially handing over the land, the Metro officials had directly held talks with the concessionaire Haldiram Foods. “Haldiram owners were very cooperative and agreed to remove their rides so that our work does not get delayed. We have started work on the basis of minutes of the meeting held by Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on this issue,” said a source.

Kamal Agrawal of Haldiram said that they had agreed to remove the rides in public interest. “We don’t want to delay the project, which is vital for the city. However, we are firm on our demand for compensation. We must either get money or alternate land,” he added.

Initially, MahaMetro had sought only one-fourth of Krazy Castle land. It had offered to relocate the park rides at its own cost. However, Haldiram turned down the offer. According to the concessionaire if the rides were relocated and pillars came up within the park, it would lose its charm and he would suffer a loss. Haldiram, therefore, proposed that either the viaduct be shifted outside the park or NIT take back the entire land and pay compensation to it.

Left with no option, MahaMetro asked the NIT to hand over the entire land in January this year. In February, Gadkari directed the NIT to hand over the entire land to MahaMetro. The Metro agency would construct a new amusement park and Haldiram would be handed over the food court in this park as compensation.

ALSO READ : Bogibeel – India’s Longest Road-Rail Bridge To Be Inaugurated By Year-End

Bogibeel – India’s Longest Road-Rail Bridge To Be Inaugurated By Year-End

May 10, 2018

India : Bogibeel bridge in the Dibrugarh district of Assam. — Bogibeel bridge in the Dibrugarh district of Assam.

Bogibeel – India’s Longest Road-Rail Bridge o Be Inaugurated By Year-End

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the country’s longest road and rail bridge connecting Dibrugarh in Assam to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh by the end of the year.

While the construction-related work will be completed by the end of July, electrical and signalling work on the bridge will require two more months. The bridge is 4.94 km long and 32 metres above the water level of the Brahmaputra river.

The bridge, which is the second longest in Asia, has three lane roads on top and double line rail below.

India and China share a nearly 4,000 km border, with almost 75 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh. As of now, the rail and road link to Arunachal is through three Assam bridges — Jogighopa in Bongaigaon district, Saraighat near Guwahati, and Kolia-Bhomora between Sonitpur and Nagaon.

This means that a cargo from Dibrugarh in the north-eastern corner of Assam takes over a 600 km detour merely to cross the Brahmaputra.

The other alternative is crossing by ferry, but it is not suitable for heavy cargo and due to monsoons for six months between May-October, ferry services often remain disrupted.

“Now, to go from Dibrugarh to Arunachal Pradesh by train, one has to go via Guwahati with more than 500 km detour. With this bridge, the journey will be less than 100 km,” said Singh.

Approval for the bridge was granted in 1996 and construction was initiated in 2002 by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance government. Apart from bringing economic benefits for the region, the bridge will serve an important purpose for the armed forces. It will enable troops stationed at the China border to get supplies from Tezpur.

ALSO READ : Uber to work with NASA on manned urban flying cars

Maha Metro Nagpur started implementation of Heat Action Plan

May 10, 2018

Maha Metro Nagpur has started implementation of Heat Action Plan.

As per the plan, the labourers engaged in Metro Rail works will not work from 12 noon to 4 pm. Due to prevailing heat wave conditions in the region, it has become very unbearable for the labourers to work in afternoon hours.

The new working hours will continue till the end of June. The other organisations have already implemented the Heat Action Plan but Maha Metro implemented the same from May 8.

The rising temperature had adverse impact on human body and could cause sunstroke. Under this plan, all contractors who are part of Maha Metro project have been instructed to give a break to the workers in the afternoon.

A special emphasis will be given to employees’ safety under the heat action plan. Mercury soars in the month of May and continues to remain around 45 degree Celsius. The work timings have hence been revised and the contractors have been advised to stop work from 12 noon to 4 pm, especially where workers have to work in the open.

This has been done as temperature is at its peak from 12 noon to 4 pm. Considering the increasing temperature and to maintain a balance between working and non-working hour, the contractors have also been asked to fix working hours from 7 am to 12 noon in the first half and from 4 pm to 9 pm in the second half. The speed of project work would remain unchanged, workers would get respite from the scorching Sun.

The action plan includes installing shades at the workplace to protect workers from heat; similarly drinking water facility has also been provided. While workers are being trained to overcome heat-related issues, mock drill is also being conducted to make them aware of the steps being taken in case of sunstroke.

The implementation of Heat Action Plan – which involves changing working hours, while simultaneously providing facilities at work sites – has been widely hailed by workers, who are working with contractors for Maha Metro at different sites across the city.

ALSO READ : Health Department of NMC develops Smart Health Centres in city

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