Latest news with #Fadnavis'


Indian Express
10-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Coffee table book captures impact of infra projects in Maharashtra under Fadnavis
The Indian Express Group unveiled a special coffee table book capturing the scale, vision and impact of various mega infrastructure projects initiated or completed under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during his tenure as CM and Deputy CM (since 2014). Titled Mumbai Rising, the book outlines developments that have transformed connectivity, urban transport, public infrastructure and urban housing projects in Mumbai over the past decade. The 88-page book provides a look into transformative years of the state's infrastructure development — when the state received unprecedented investment after by implementation in sectors such as transport, highway, housing, urban transit and logistics. The projects cut across Fadnavis' stints as Chief Minister between 2014 and 2019, as Dy Chief Minister between June 2022 and November 2024 and then as Chief Minister from December 2024. From the recently fully-opened 701-km Samruddhi Mahamarg, which brings Nagpur and Mumbai closer by around 9 hours (from travel time of 17 hours), to the expanding Mumbai Metro network, the book documents projects undertaken by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) and others. Some key projects featured include the coastal road, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) also known as Atal Setu, the completed and future corridors of Mumbai Metro, the Thane Creek Bridge 3 and one of the the most-awaited Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA); each signifying a direction towards integrated, sustainable and future-ready urban growth. It also includes a section on urban infrastructure in the metropolitan region and road connectivity, covering the improvement of internal roads, expressway extensions, rural bridges and access corridors in Marathwada, Vidarbha and Konkan region. The book traces how infrastructure has been used as a tool of equitable development, bringing connectivity to regions that had long remained on the drawing board. The book is a visual documentation and a narrative of policy decisions and administrative reforms too. It also highlights how these infrastructure efforts were possible due to the synergy between Centre and the state. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre, Maharashtra under Fadnavis' leadership was able to pursue its infrastructure ambitions aggressively. 'Mumbai Rising is a tribute to this undying spirit-a curated chronicle of how a city, always in motion, is reimagining itself for the future. In recent years, Mumbai has witnessed a transformative leap across the pillars that define a modern metropolis. The sweeping advances in urban infrastructure, transport, mobility and housing, and the thoughtful establishment of monuments and cultural symbols, convey an overwhelming message-one of vision, growth, and outstanding implementation,' an excerpt from the book's foreword states. With the coffee table book, The Indian Express aims to inform, inspire and preserve the state infrastructure achievement of over a decade — a resource for both today's and future readers to look back at one of Maharashtra's most transformative phases in urban development.


Deccan Herald
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Pakistan known to conduct proxy wars as it cannot win wars against India: Fadnavis
Fadnavis' statement came in the wake of the India-Pakistan tensions amid Operation Sindoor launched after the Pahalgam terrorist attack on tourists and the subsequent ceasefire.


The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
BEST announces fare hike to boost revenue amid financial struggles
Days after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) to explore alternative revenue sources, the city's second lifeline, BEST buses, will see a sharp rise in fares, effective from May 9. In a move that will impact millions of Mumbai residents, the fare hike will see a doubling of prices for both non-AC and AC bus services. The minimum fare for non-AC buses will increase from ₹5 to ₹10 for trips covering up to five km. Similarly, the fare for AC buses will rise from ₹6 to ₹12 for the same distance. For longer journeys, the fares will continue to escalate, with non-AC fares for a 50 km ride set at ₹60, and AC fares at ₹65. Additionally, passengers will be charged an extra ₹5 for every subsequent five km beyond 50 km. This is the first fare revision since 2018, a period during which BEST has faced mounting challenges, including a shortage of buses and ongoing financial difficulties. The hike comes on the back of Chief Minister Fadnavis' recent directive for BEST to generate its own revenue streams in order to address these challenges. With a current fleet of 2,186 buses, BEST is also looking to add 3,000 more buses to meet the growing demand of Mumbai's commuters. In addition to the fare hike, BEST has also revised its daily and monthly unlimited bus pass prices. The new daily pass will cost ₹75, while the monthly pass will be priced at ₹1,800, allowing unlimited travel across the city and its suburbs. However, there will be no change in the bus pass charges for students. To mitigate the impact on certain sections of society, municipal school uniform students and people with disabilities can continue to travel for free using the CHALO smart card. Senior citizens using monthly passes for 60, 90, and 120 trips will also benefit from a ₹50 discount. A new toll tax of ₹2 will also be levied on passengers crossing the boundaries of the Brihanmumbai region. Additionally, commuters opting for electronic transactions will be rewarded with 5% extra trips on their 60, 90, and 120-trip passes. For instance, those purchasing a 60-trip pass will receive three additional trips. The fare increase is a part of BEST's ongoing efforts to overcome its financial crisis, with ridership currently at 31 lakh passengers daily. The transport body hopes these measures will stabilize its operations and improve service delivery for Mumbai residents.


The Hindu
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Fadnavis moves into official CM residence 5 months after taking oath for 3rd time
Nearly five months after taking oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday (April 30, 2025) moved into 'Varsha', his official residence in south Mumbai. This is after a gap of nearly five-and-a-half years that Mr. Fadnavis will be residing at the same place, which was his official home during his first stint as the CM from 2014 to 2019. He had vacated the bungalow in November 2019 after his second tenure as the Chief Minister lasted only 80 hours. After becoming the Leader of Opposition during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Uddhav Thackeray, Mr. Fadnavis moved to 'Sagar' where he continued to reside as the Deputy CM. Despite taking oath as the CM on December 5, 2024, Mr. Fadnavis stayed at 'Sagar' till now. In a post on X, Mr. Fadnavis' wife Amruta on Wednesday said a small puja was performed on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya, an auspicious day. Following the puja "griha pravesh" was done at Varsha. In February, Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut had claimed that horns of buffaloes sacrificed in Guwahati during Deputy CM Eknath Shinde's visit to the Kamakhya temple were buried on the premises of 'Varsha' so that the CM's post should not go to anybody else other than Ekanth Shinde. Dismissing Mr. Raut's claims, Mr. Fadnavis had said at that time, "I will move into 'Varsha' bungalow once Eknath Shinde vacates it. Some minor repairs are also being carried out. In the meantime, my daughter, who is in Class 10, requested that we shift only after her exams. That is the reason I have not moved in yet." Mr. Fadnavis' daughter Divija passed her class X exams with 92.60% results which were declared on Wednesday.


The Hindu
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Seek clarifications after understanding NEP, Fadnavis tells Stalin
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday countered his Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin's criticism, saying he needed a deep understanding of the National Education Policy (NEP) before seeking clarifications from the Prime Minister and asked why he was not open to multilingualism. Mr. Fadnavis' response comes a day after Mr. Stalin sought a clarification from the Prime Minister and the Union Education Minister whether the Centre officially endorsed Mr. Fadnavis' position that 'no language other than Marathi is compulsory in Maharashtra as the third language under the NEP'. Responding to Mr. Stalin's post on X, Mr. Fadnavis asked him to first study what NEP was, providing a link to a website. He added that the NEP never insisted or made compulsory a language choice but only asked students to study any two Indian languages other than English. 'As far as Maharashtra is concerned, we are open to Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit, or any language the students wish to learn as a third language,' he said. He questioned Mr. Stalin why he was not open to multilingualism and why he had a problem if someone wanted to learn Hindi.