Reliance Infra inks deal with Canada's PSP Investment

EFT Report, Mumbai: Reliance Infrastructure on Monday said it has signed a non-binding Term Sheet with Canadian pension fund management major Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments).

With this, the Canadian firm will acquire 49 percent equity stake in Reliance Infrastructure's integrated power generation, transmission and distribution business in Mumbai and adjoining areas.

The specified business is to be carved out on a going concern basis into a separate Special Purpose Vehicle, in which Reliance Infrastructure will own the controlling 51 percent stake and PSP Investments will own the rest 49 percent, the company said in a statement.

Reliance Infrastructure's Mumbai power business (known as Reliance Energy) distributes power to nearly three million residential, industrial and commercial consumers in the suburbs of Mumbai, covering an area of 400 square km and catering to a peak demand of over 1,800 MW, with revenues of Rs.7,700 crore in the 2014-15.

"The parties have entered into an Exclusivity Agreement valid till March 31, 2016. The proposed transaction is subject to due diligence, definitive documentation, applicable regulatory and other approvals and certain other conditions. 

"Accordingly, there can be no certainty that a transaction will result. Further announcements will be made at an appropriate stage," the statement said. As on March 31 this year, PSP Investments has Canadian $112.0 billion of net assets under management. 

"Reliance Infrastructure has recently entered into the defence sector. It has also announced the proposed acquisition of Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering Co. Ltd. (PDOC), which houses India's largest dry dock facility to build warships and other naval vessels.

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Mumbai police launches traffic helpline for citizens

EFT Report, Mumbai, Nov 10 (PTI) In a first, the Mumbai Police have launched a dedicated helpline for citizens wherein they can obtain information about real-time movement of vehicular traffic and can also lodge a complaint, police commissioner Ahmed Javed said here today.

"To modernise the function of the traffic police in Mumbai and giving better services to the citizens a helpline has been started," Javed said, adding that the initiative is first of its kind in history of city police commissionerate.

He said citizens can obtain information about traffic and also lodge complaint through the helpline.

"The complaints can be lodged through voice call, WhatsApp, SMS, email and through a traffic app," the police commissioner told reporters at the traffic police headquarters at suburban Worli after launching the helpline.

Javed said that a specific complaint number will be generated which will help the citizens concerned to keep its track and action taken.

"There will be one main number and several hunting numbers (it refers to the process or algorithm used to select which line will receive the call) on the traffic helpline.

Points like lodging complaints, notification of incidents, towing of vehicles, verification of officers and public information will be there in the helpline.

"In public information section, the helpline will inform about various things like pay and park, about (schedule and movement of) BEST (buses), railways, metro, taxis, auto rickshaws, besides other matters including working of traffic control branch and formats for obtaining permits," Javed added.

Besides, information about working of roads under construction, diversion routes, distances, additional time required for travel due to processions, events and rallies will also be available on the helpline.

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Chhota Rajan to return to India on Friday

EFT Report, Mumbai: Long-absconding mafia don Rajendra Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan will be brought to India from Indonesia early on Friday and all cases against him shall now be investigated by the CBI, officials said on Thursday.

Maharashtra's Additional Chief Secretary K.P. Bakshi told media persons in Mumbai that Rajan, who was arrested by Indonesian police on October 26, was escorted amidst tight security to the Bali airport for a flight to India, which is scheduled to land in New Delhi around 4 a.m. on Friday.

In a surprise development, he said all cases pending against the mafia don will be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which will now probe them.

"The CBI is the nodal agency and many cases have all-India ramifications. Maharashtra will transfer all cases to the CBI and we shall offer them all help," Bakshi said.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Ahmad Javed has said Chhota Rajan is wanted in 70-75 cases of murder, kidnappings, extortion, arms running.

At an event at the Mumbai Press Club, Javed said police would prioritise the case of the killing of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey on June 11, 2011, among others.

However, Rajan himself informed TV channel Times Now prior to his departure from Bali that he had no hand in Dey's killing.

A special aircraft carrying Rajan, a team of CBI officials and others departed around 8 p.m. local time from Bali, Indonesia and is expected to reach New Delhi around 4 a.m. on Friday.

Earlier, he was scheduled to be brought to India on Tuesday, but the plan was delayed on account of a volcanic eruption which led to closure of the Bali airport and cancellation of all flights.

Rajan, 55, also said he was "happy to return to India, which is his motherland", and denied he ever demanded not to be taken to Mumbai.

The mafia don declined to comment on how he would "help" the Indian government, but reiterated that he would oppose his erstwhile partner in crime, absconder don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, presently believed to be hiding in Pakistan.

Three days ago, Rajan had alleged that Mumbai Police committed atrocities on him and that some officials were linked to Dawood Ibrahim - a charge which was promptly denied by Javed.

Rajan and Dawood were close until differences cropped up after the March 12, 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

Rajan slipped out of the country in 1996 and has been on India's most-wanted list for the past nearly 20 years till his arrest last month.

While absconding, he was targeted in a murderous attack in Bangkok, Thailand by Dawood's henchmen in September 2000, but he managed to escape.

Rajan's arrest is billed as the biggest victory for Indian law enforcers after the nabbing of another mafia don, Abu Salem Ansari, in Portugal in September 2002 and later his deportation in November 2005.

Meanwhile in Delhi, sources told IANS that Rajan was on Thursday evening deported from Bali in a special aircraft carrying a team of six Indian officials, including two officials of Delhi Police and officials of CBI and Mumbai Police.

Rajan was escorted to Bali airport from Denpasar police station in a bullet-proof vehicle.

"Considering Chhota Rajan's earlier demand of deporting him to Delhi instead of Mumbai, and due to some other reasons, the Indian government took the decision on Wednesday at a high-level meeting to bring him to Delhi first," an official in the CBI told IANS on condition of anonymity.

The official said Rajan would be kept under CBI custody for the first two days and later would either be handed over to Delhi or Mumbai Police on the directions of the central government.

Delhi Police has six cases against Rajan's alleged associates, registered at the Rajouri Garden and C.R. Park police stations, sources said.

"The Special Cell of Delhi Police has already sought permission from the home ministry to question Rajan," said a Delhi Police official on condition of anonymity.

"The gangster is wanted in the capital in cases registered between 1999 and 2011.

"Most of them are related to extortion from Delhi businessmen, directly or indirectly on the alleged instructions of the underworld don. Now the cases are being handled by the Special Cell," the official said.

Five alleged shooters of Rajan's gang were arrested in a raid at a flat in Subhash Nagar near Rajouri Garden in 1999.

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Mumbai to host 19th 'Golden Elephant' Children's Film Fest

EFT Report, Mumbai: The 19th International Children's Film Festival (ICFFI), slated to begin from November 14, would have many firsts to its credit, including a special section on Asian films.

Titled "Golden Elephant" the festival will be jointly hosted by Children's Film Society of India and Telengana Government in Hyderabad.

This was jointly announced by Mukesh Khanna and Shravan Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of Children's Film Society of India respectively at a press conference here today.

Kumar, who is also Festival Director, said they had received a record 1204 entries from 80 countries across the world, highest ever by any ICFFI so far.

"In this festival, there are some unique digital experiences for the children... we will be launching a Mobile App of CFSI and will be showcasing a number of Asian films under our newly curated section called Asian Panorama," said Kumar.

Khanna, Chairman of CFSI, said, "I think it's a great opportunity for the children of our country to watch the films made by the different countries' film makers exclusively for the kids." 

In the 19th edition of the festival, many International award winning entries will be showcased, said Khanna, popularly known for his role as "Shaktiman".

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National Bank of Abu Dhabi opens first Indian branch in Mumbai

EFT Report, Abu Dhabi: The National Bank of Abu Dhabi on Tuesday launched banking operations in India to enhance the bank’s ability to service corporate and financial clients across the country and provide more capital to businesses in the growing Indian market.

The India branch, located in Mumbai, will provide wholesale banking services covering areas of debt origination and distribution, project finance, trade finance and asset finance. 

The branch will offer expert advice in each of NBAD’s five key industrial sectors: energy, real estate, financial, transport and aviation, and retail.

"Setting up in India is an important milestone in NBAD’s expansion across the West-East Corridor, and demonstrates the UAE’s strengthening ties with its second largest trading partner," Alex Thursby, Group CEO, NBAD, said. 

"The size of the economy, along with its rapidly growing consumer class, make India a vitally important market to our clients and to NBAD. The Indian government and businesses recognise that growth will come from further investment in infrastructure where the level of investment required over the next three years is over $1 trillion. NBAD is committed to facilitating the flow of capital into and from India through its network across the West-East Corridor."

NBAD has been granted a full banking licence by the Reserve Bank of India. The opening of the branch comes as NBAD completed the migration of an Indian corporate loan portfolio worth around $900 million from Royal Bank of Scotland.

Rajeev Pant, Regional CEO for South Asia, NBAD, said: "Local and international banks have an important role to play alongside the Indian government in setting in motion public-private partnerships and reviving stalled projects to meet India’s infrastructure development needs. NBAD is well positioned to facilitate investment towards infrastructure projects and contribute to India’s future growth potential."

Following this launch, NBAD plans to develop its relationship with key Indian corporates, expand its value offering to include, not least, treasury services, and grow the portfolio significantly.

NBAD now has a presence in 18 countries around the world.

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Etihad to operate Airbus A380 services to Mumbai in 2016

EFT Report, Abu Dhabi: United Arab Emirates (UAE) flag carrier Etihad Airways will operate an Airbus A380 service between Abu Dhabi and Mumbai from May 1, 2016, with India’s commercial capital joining the carrier’s other A380 destinations of London, New York and Sydney.

The airline’s 496-seat A380 features the only three-room suite in commercial aviation, The Residence by Etihad, as well as nine First Apartments, 70 Business Studios, and 415 Economy Smart Seats.

The aircraft will operate daily on flight EY204 from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai, and EY203 from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi, both of which carry the 9W code of Jet Airways, Etihad Airways’ strategic partner. The flights connect seamlessly with Etihad Airways’ A380-operated services to New York, allowing guests to experience the double-decker aircraft throughout their journey.

"The Etihad Airways A380 has set a new benchmark for luxury and innovation and we are delighted to announce that this world-class service will soon be available to guests flying to and from Mumbai," James Hogan, Etihad Airways' President and Chief Executive Officer, said on Tuesday.

"The A380 out of Mumbai will connect seamlessly at our Abu Dhabi hub to the A380 service to New York, offering our New York-bound guests the comfort, convenience and superior inflight service of A380 flights all the way."

Etihad Airways’ thrice-daily service to Mumbai offers guests access to more than 2,000 weekly connections in 57 markets across the Gulf region, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.

With a total capacity of 496 seats, the A380 has 50 percent more seats than the Boeing B777-300ER it replaces, offering more options for tourism growth into India, the US and Abu Dhabi.

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AR Rahman to perform at Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival

EFT Report, Mumbai: With a dash of glamour courtesy Bollywood and an eclectic line-up of close to 200 films from across the globe, 17th edition of Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, which begins here on Thursday, promises to offer art and glamour in right proportion.

Critically-acclaimed Indian drama "Aligarh" by Hansal Mehta will open the eight-day fest, which is being organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI). Legendary French filmmaker Claude Lelouch’s “Un Plus Une” will bring the curtains down on the fest on November 5.

For festival director Anupama Chopra and her team, it’s a “proud” moment as the fest gets ready to roll. 

“It’s not just films that we’re offering. There’s Film Market, Movie Mela, Masterclasses with some legends and active participation from Bollywood fraternity. It’s the perfect cocktail of art and glamour. We hope people find reasons to celebrate. We’re creating the kind of atmosphere they won’t find anywhere in the country,” Anupama told IANS.

The opening ceremony will be hosted by Kalki Koechlin and will have the who’s who of Bollywood in attendance. Double Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman will perform the signature tune he has created for the festival. 

As many as 13 films are competing for the Best Film Award in the India gold section. The winning film will get an investment of Rs.50 lakh from Drishyam Films to support its distribution, sales and festival management.

There are 15 fiction features and five documentaries in the India story category.

There will be six movies in the After Dark section, and Qaushiq Mukherjee's "Ludo" will be the opening feature, while others include "Tag", "Turbo Kid" and "Deathgasam”.

In a new section called Half Ticket, exclusively for children, the most outstanding and imaginative live action, animation and documentary features and shorts from across the world will compete for children's jury awards.

Children will also learn filmmaking from renowned directors and writers at a special interactive session. Some of the films in this section include "Dhanak", "Song of the Sea", "Lamb", "Paper Plane" and "About a Mother". 

In the international competition section, critically-acclaimed films such as “Mina Walking”, “Sleeping Giant” and “Songs My Brother Taught Me” are competing. Filmmaker Raam Reddy’s “Thithi” is the only Indian film in this category.

Ava DuVernay, Academy Award nominated director for "Selma", will serve as the head of the international jury.

The fest will present two Excellence in Cinema awards - one to an international personality and the other to an Indian. While the international award will be presented to iconic Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai, the Indian award will be handed over to legendary screenwriters Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar.

This year's international tribute is to French director Agnes Varda, who was given the honorary Palme d'Or this year at the Cannes International Film Festival. The Indian tribute will be to Indian filmmaker Chetan Anand, whose 100th birth anniversary falls this year.

An additional highlight of the event will be an activity called Young Critics Lab, in which 20 handpicked students will be mentored by renowned film critic Peter Bradshaw.

The festival will also host Mumbai Mart, a unique initiative to bridge the gap between content creators and content platforms. In this one-day market, the festival programmers will curate 25 complete Indian projects.

On October 31, Jio MAMI will celebrate cinema at the Movie Mela in Mehboob Studio where leading actors and directors will talk about their work and life. There will be a masterclass by actor Rishi Kapoor, while Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi will talk about creating blockbusters.

Filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali, Zoya Akhtar and Avinash Arun will join hands for the Young Adult Workshop, which is aimed at imparting knowledge in the nuances of direction, editing and production of films for young children.

Popular films from across the globe such as "Taxi", "The Visit", "The Assassin", "The Lobster", "Mistress America", "My Mother" and "Youth" will be screened.

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YAI Senior National C'ship 2015 in Mumbai from Oct. 19

EFT Report, New Delhi: The Indian Navy will host the Yachting Association of India (YAI) Senior National Championship 2015 at the Indian Navy Watermanship Training Centre (INWTC) Mumbai from October 19 to October 23.

Vice Admiral S P S Cheema, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, which is organising the regatta, said on Saturday, "We're no strangers to hosting championships and are very excited to host the prestigious Senior National Championship at Mumbai."

This year's event will see the participation of over 125 competitors in the Laser (Standard), Laser (Radial), 470 (Men), RS:X (Men), Enterprise and Hobie 16 from all over the country vying for the title in the respective classes.

The races are scheduled over five days off Mumbai's Sunk Rock Lighthouse. The Lasers, 470, RSX and Hobie racing will have significant emphasis on athleticism and makes sailing one of the most competitive sport.

Army Yachting Node sailor B Mohapatra, the nationally-ranked #1 Laser (Standard) sailor and 17-year-old Nethra Kumanan from Tamil Nadu will be the cynosure of all during the event.

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Mumbai to host Lakme Fashion Week summer-resort 2016 in March

EFT Report, Mumbai: The summer-resort 2016 edition of Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) will be held at the St. Regis hotel here starting March 30.

The five-day gala promises to bring talent from across the globe, and celebrate fashion in its best form. 

The winter-festive edition was held in August here, that saw participation of designers like Namrata Joshipura and Narendra Kumar. It also marked the debut of actor-comedian Vir Das as a designer. 

After the success of Lakme Fashion Week winter/festive 2015, LFW is thrilled to announce the dates for the summer-resort 2016. This season will pave the way for new trendsetters to showcase their creativity and talent, read a statement. 

Planned bi-annually, LFW is jointly organised by cosmetic brand Lakmé and IMG Reliance.

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Rs 8,500 crore tax: Bombay HC grants relief to Vodafone

EFT Report, Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday quashed an order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), which had ruled that the IT Department had powers to raise a tax demand on telecom giant Vodafone India in a Rs.8,500 crore transfer pricing case.

In a terse statement, Vodafone India "welcomed" the high court ruling.

The transfer pricing case dates to 2008 pertaining to the sale of one of its call centre units in Ahmedabad in 2007.

Vodafone had challenged the ITAT order in Bombay High Court, which was admitted by a division bench comprising Justice S. C. Dharmadhikari and Justice A. Menon.

In Dec. 2014, the ITAT had held that the company had structured the deal with another Indian company, Hutchison Whampoa Properties, to circumvent the transfer pricing norms, and though it was an international transaction, there was no arm's length dealing between the two related entities.

The ITAT referred the matter back to the IT Department asking it to revise the amount of tax to be recovered from Vodafone.

Ruling that the deal was structured with the intention "to circumvent" the transfer pricing provisions of the IT Act, ITAT said it was essentially an international transaction between the two related parties and hence would be subject to the transfer pricing provisions.

In its plea before the Bombay High Court, Vodafone contended that the IT Department had no jurisdiction in the transfer pricing case because the transaction was not international and thus did not attract tax.

Vodafone India Services was originally incorporation in March 1999 as 3 Global Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hutchison Teleservices India Holdings, a company incorporated in Mauritius.

In turn, the Hutchison Teleservices India Holdings was a wholly-owned subsidiary of CGP Investment Holdings, Cayman Islands.

After the sale of the Ahmedabad-based call centre business, the IT Department made a tax demand on Vodafone of Rs.8,500 crore.

Vodafone India challenged the IT demand before the ITAT in Feb 2012 and later in the Bombay High Court.

In 2013, the IT Department made a tax demand of Rs.3,700 crore on Vodafone India which was stayed by the ITAT, but directed the company to deposit Rs.200 crore by Feb 15, 2014, which it complied with.

Last year, in another case pertaining to a tax demand of Rs.3,000 crore in underpricing of shares, the Bombay High Court had ruled in favour of Vodafone India.

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Ghulam Ali invited to perform in Delhi

EFT Report, New Delhi: Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra on Thursday invited renowned Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali to perform in Delhi after he cancelled his Mumbai concert following threats from the Shiv Sena.

"Sad that Ghulam Ali is not being allowed in Mumbai. I invite him to come to Delhi and do the concert. Music has no boundaries," Mishra tweeted.

The 75-year-old singer was scheduled to perform in Mumbai and Pune this week as part of the death anniversary tribute to late singer Jagjit Singh. But the show in Mumbai was called off on Wednesday after Shiv Sena threatened to disrupt his live concert.

Ali told a news channel that he was "disappointed as people who were interested in the concert were disappointed" and also because it was was a tribute to Jagjit Singh, who was like a brother to him.

"This should not be seen as India-Pakistan issue. Rather it is a symbol of love and affection," he said.

Maharastra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also expressed his disappointment over the cancellation. He said his government was ready to provide proper security to Ali for the concert.

However, the Shiv Sena defended its stand on the issue and said that people can't have fun specially when innocents are being killed on border on the India-Pakistan border.

"We have encounters going on everywhere, so many ceasefire violations. When this is happening we can't be having fun here...," Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thakre told reporters in Mumbai.

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Ghulam Ali shows in Maharashtra cancelled after Shiv Sena threat

EFT Report, Mumbai: Pakistan's renowned ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali will not perform in Maharashtra this week, as his shows were cancelled after a meeting between the organisers and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, a party leader said on Wednesday.

"The programmes would be held as per schedule, but Ghulam Ali will not participate in it. This decision was taken at a meeting between the event organisers and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray here this evening (Wednesday)," the Shiv Sena's film wing Chitrapat Sena general secretary Akshay Bardapurkar said.

The Shiv Sena earlier on Wednesday threatened to disrupt Ghulam Ali's proposed live concerts in Mumbai and Pune this week.

Chitrapat Sena president Aadesh Bandekar told IANS: "We have met and asked the authorities at Shanmukhananda Hall in Matunga to cancel the show proposed to be held on October 9, failing which we shall protest in our own style."

Officials said Ghulam Ali's participation in the events in Mumbai and Pune could raise security concerns and it was the duty of the government to ensure the safety of the internationally-acclaimed artiste.

Bandekar said the party would also protest and stop a similar concert scheduled in Pune on October 10 as part of the fourth death anniversary tribute to late singer Jagjit Singh.

Interestingly, both the concerts have reported a near-total sell-out and have been the topic of discussion on social media since the past few days.

"We respect the art and artistes of Pakistan. However, we are strongly against any form of cultural association with that country since it regularly kills our soldiers and civilians in attacks around the borders," Bandekar said.

He warned of protests not only in Mumbai and Pune but wherever the 75-year-old Ghulam Ali performs in India.

In the past, the Shiv Sena had protested against Pakistani singer Atif Aslam's concert and against the Pakistan cricket team playing in India.

On Tuesday, the party, through its mouthpiece Saamana, had urged the Centre to display guts and attack Pakistan in retaliation for the cross-border attacks on Indian solders and civilians.

The concert in Mumbai was scheduled to be held at the iconic Shanmukhananda Hall, a favourite venue for Shiv Sena functions since several decades.

The tribute to Jagjit Singh was specially brought to India through 'Ek Ehsaas' concerts, which provides a platform to connect people through music.

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Elijah Wood relishes Hyderabadi biryani

EFT Report, Hyderabad: Hollywood actor Elijah Wood, who is on his debut India music tour, ate delicious biryani during his visit here, with its aroma and taste finding a way into his heart.

Elijah, best known as Frodo Baggins of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, was here on Saturday for his performance. He reached Mumbai on Sunday and plans to rest before an event later in the night. 

“He relished a lot of mutton biryani yesterday. It was cooked for two days on a special stone. Though Elijah loves Indian food and likes to have spicy food, the spice level of the dish was altered to suit him," a source said.

The international star is on his debut India visit with Zach Cowie, with whom he makes the Wooden Wisdom DJ duo. He performed in Mumbai first, followed by Delhi.

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Uber rolls out cash payments in Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru

EFT Report, New Delhi: Cab aggregator services Uber on Tuesday included three more cities—Kolkata, Bengaluru and Delhi NCR—under its cash payment model of operation.

Uber, which operates on a cashless model in several parts of the world, had started announcing cash payments mode during the beginning of the month. The new mode of payment will allow users to pay the cab fare in cash.

"With cash as another payment option, riders have more choice in terms of payment, in order to help them move easier from point A to point B," said Uber Bengaluru general manager Bhavik Rathod.

Users need to simply choose the cash payment option, take a ride and pay the driver directly in cash at the end of the trip. "If riders do not see the cash option right away, don't worry, we will be rolling this out gradually, over the next few weeks," the company said in a release.

With the inclusion of the three cities, users can now pay in cash in 21 cities. The one where the option was present are Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kochi, Mysore, Nagpur, Nashik, Pune, Surat, Thiruvananthapuram, Vadodara, and Visakhapatnam.

"We are deeply committed to keep cities moving and we're working tirelessly with our driver partners to ensure that there are enough Ubers available at the push of a button and no commuter is stranded," said Uber Delhi general manager Gagan Bhatia.

According to the company, cash rollout in Mumbai will follow soon thus making cash available in all Uber-served cities across India.

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Mumbai Metro Rail Services to Begin From June 7

EFT Report, Mumbai: Maharashtra's first Metro Rail is scheduled to be inaugurated on Sunday, June 7 with its developer, Reliance Infra (RInfra) announcing a one-way promotional fare of Rs 10 for a month. The state government insisted that the company stick to the original fares of Rs 9, Rs 11 and Rs 13 and not raise this to Rs 10-Rs 40 as it intended to.

This is totally unacceptable to us," Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan told reporters.

Rinfra has built the 11.40 km Metro Rail running east-west between Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar, at a cost of Rs.4,300 crore.

Chavan hinted that in case RInfra went ahead with the "arbitrary fare hike", he would not attend the inauguration function Sunday.

In fact, he said the inauguration's go-ahead was given subject to not hiking the fares and it must stick to the agreement.

Referring to the efforts by some Bharatiya Janata Party MPs of Mumbai like Kirit Somaiya and Gopal Shetty, Chavan alleged that "the BJP is helping RInfra in the fare hike".

"The BJP must make its stand clear on the issue of fares and take responsibility for any hike in the ticket rates," Chavan said.

He made it clear that any fare hike would only be after the opinion of the expert committee on fares and the state government was opposed to any arbitrary increase in the passenger ticket rates.

Earlier Saturday, Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL) - the Metro Railways Administration (MRA) for the Mumbai Metro Line-1 project - said in a statement that "the commercial operation of the metro service will start on June 8 at 12 noon. The company has now received all requisite government approvals for commercial operations".

"To provide the benefits of a new and world class experience to lakhs of valued citizens of Mumbai, a concessional and promotional fare of Rs. 10 only will be charged for the first 30 days, irrespective of the distance traveled on the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) corridor for a single one way trip between any stations. This promotional fare is notwithstanding the initial fare fixed and notified separately on initial opening of the metro railway under Central Metro Act," the statement said.

MMOPL CEO Abhay Mishra said: "The beginning of commercial operation of Mumbai Metro is a historical moment for the city of Mumbai. With this first rail connectivity between east and west, Mumbaikars can avoid as many as 45 traffic signals and reduce travelling time from 90-120 minutes. These air conditioned services are safe, convenient and cost effective. This service will change the life of Mumbaikasrs and the way they commute every day."

The services will start 5.30 a.m. and continue till midnight with a total of 16 rakes deployed on the sector, serving the glamour and IT centers of Versova and the business and manufacturing areas of Ghatkopar at an 80 kmph speed.

Each of the colorful rakes with four coaches will have a capacity of around 375 commuters or around 1,500 commuters per service, zooming above the city between the two points - Versova-Ghatkopar - with a total of 12 elevated stations en route.

Meanwhile, intense competition started among activists of the Nationalist Congress Party and Bharatiya Janata Party over claiming credit for the Mumai Metro.

NCP activists carried out a symbolic inauguration with a small pooja near Ghatkopar marking the start of Mumbai Metro while Somaiya and Shetty staged a road block agitation near Ghatkopar protesting the delays in starting the Metro Rail services.

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Anup Soni, Smita Bansal's Come Together for a New Play - HUM DO HAMARE WOH‏

Report by Santanu Ganguly: The play 'HUM DO HAMARE WOH' which will premiere on 27th April has a unique pairing of Anup Soni and Smita Bansal who are a couple in the hit TV Serial Balika Vadhu. 

The makers have done a casting coup by bringing the hit pair of TV on stage. Smita Bansal says, "I love doing theater. It’s a very comical role and after a long time I am playing a comedy character. The scripting is done very nicely. Anup Soni is a very spontaneous actor and the audience will enjoy watching us together."

Anup Soni adds, "This is the first commercial play I am doing. The humour is very good and audiences will surely like to see me in the play. The perception of people that I do only serious plays will change after this. Working with Smita is a pleasure."

Writer and Producer Sanjay Jha says, "It's a unique play with lot of humour. Anup Soni and Smita are known TV stars and very good actors. People will be surprised to see them doing comedy and that is the novelty. The re-marriage and divorce situation would generate comic situations."

The Play Story

The subject throws light on the blind belief which most of the people have in their individual lives on elements which do not have any base or constructive reasons. A couple (Samir and Saloni), who lived almost one and half decade together, suddenly reach a point of a divorce. Samir who is going to die after a few days announces Saloni’s re-marriage plans. His drunkard friend (Dheeraj) supports him in his decision and calls for various candidates for Saloni. Unknowingly a friend (Vineet) of Saloni enters the house as a guest and comes to know about the declaration made by Samir. Samir is under a great influence of one famous baba called ‘Komal Baba’ who has announced Samir’s death after 15 days. Samir and Dheeraj both decide to select Vineet, Saloni’s friend, to be her life partner for the rest of her life. Saloni doesn’t have any grief after hearing her husband’s death news! And therefore she starts preparing for her re-marriage with Vineet very happily. Here the black humour starts on stage especially when a salesman called ‘Divangat Atma’ enters. He is a salesman of nothing but a death celebration and event management company. He tries his best to sell his products and services after hearing Samir’s death news till the audience is revealed the fact by way of Komal Baba’s entry that Samir is not going to die. In these various confusions and roller coaster what will be Saloni’s decision? What will happen to Samir? And what will be the state of mind of Vineet? All such various questions unfold the mystery of the entire story.

And to conclude "HUM DO HAMARE WOH" throws a wonderful social message to the audience in a hilarious way.

Cast : Anup Soni, Smita Bansal, Prasad Khandekar, Sachin Parikh, Jay Chaubey, Durgesh Dwivedi

Director - Prasad Khandekar
Producers - Theater people Pvt. Ltd.
Asst. Dir. - Jay Chaubey
Music - Sushil Kamble
Light - Pratik Redij
Set - Jaysukh Ravrani

Play Venue- Rangsharda, Bandra, Mumbai 7.45 on Sunday 27th April 2014

If you wish to review the play or cover the premiere show, please contact Sanjay Jha on 9192274752

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'Water, Peace, and War: Confronting Global Water Crisis' Seminar

Report by Santanu Ganguly: With diplomatic, political and economic exchanges over water creating friction among neighboring nations, the global crisis over access to this precious resource is considered to be one of the most contentious issues of our generation. What are the geopolitical implications of water shortage, and how are they connected to equally pressing food and energy challenges in developing economies? Regional and international cooperation is needed to better understand the challenges as well as provide a holistic approach to shaping global water policy. Join our distinguished speakers for a broad-ranging discussion on how we can confront this global challenge. 

This pioneering and authoritative study considers the profound impact of the growing global water crunch on international peace and security as well as possible ways to mitigate the crisis. Water is essential to sustaining life and livelihoods, yet it remains the world's most underappreciated and undervalued resource. One sobering fact is that the retail price of bottled water is already higher than the international spot price of crude oil. But unlike oil, water has no substitute, raising the specter of water becoming the next flashpoint for conflict. The danger is that these water wars could escalate to armed conflict or further limit already stretched food and energy production.

Speakers: 

Brahma Chellaney, Professor of Strategic Studies, Centre for Policy Research

Kanwal Sibal, Former Foreign Secretary of India

Brahma Chellaney is presently a professor of strategic studies at the Center for Policy Research in New Delhi. Chellaney is also a trustee of the National Book Trust and an affiliate with the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization, at King’s College London. He has served as a member of the Policy Advisory Group headed by the foreign minister of India. Before that, he was an adviser to India’s National Security Council. As a specialist on international strategic issues, he has held appointments at Harvard University, the Brookings Institution, the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and the Australian National University. 

Kanwal Sibal joined the Indian Foreign Service in July 1966, eventually serving as India's Foreign Secretary. He was Deputy Chief of Mission in the US, and India's ambassador to Turkey, Egypt, France and Russia. He has been a member of India’s National Security Advisory Board and served as President of the Association of Indian Diplomats. He is Dean, Centre for International Relations and Diplomacy of the Vivekanand Foundation and Editorial Consultant to The Indian Defence Review. He has received the high distinction of Grand Officier of the Ordre du Merite from France.
 

Date: Friday, 25th April, 2014

Time: 6:30 pm
Registration begins at 6:00 pm

Venue: CSMVS Visitor’s Centre Annex Auditorium, CSMVS Museum, 159-161, M.G Road, Fort, Mumbai

RSVP required:
asiasociety@asiasociety.org.in
Priority for Asia Society Members

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The Diplomatic Briefing Series by Asia Society

Report by Santanu Ganguly: The Diplomatic Briefing Series is designed to engage diplomatic missions and to provide them a platform to inform the public about relevant issues facing their countries vis-à-vis Asia. The diplomats we have hosted in the past include US Ambassador Nancy Powell,Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese, Singapore Consul General Chin Hock Seng, USAID Administrator, Rajiv Shah, Afghan Parliamentarian Farkhunda Naderi and most recently US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. Join us for a conversation on the future of South Asian diplomacy, as we discuss historical ties within the subcontinent and the rising new generation.

High Commissioner Abdul Basit joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1982. Born in 1958, he holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations. Basit has held various diplomatic assignments at Pakistan's missions abroad including Moscow, New York, Geneva, and London. He has served at the Headquarters as Section Officer, Director, Director General, Spokesman, and Additional Secretary Europe. Before being posted in New Delhi, High Commissioner Basit was Pakistan's Ambassador to Germany

Shekhar Gupta is Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express, and the host of an interview-based programme Walk the Talk on NDTV 24x7. Mr. Gupta has authored Assam: A Valley Divided and India Redefines Its Role. He is the recipient of several awards and honours, including the 1985 Inlaks award for young journalist of the year, G K Reddy Award for Journalism, and the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Memorial Award for National Integration. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2009, and he is also a member of Asia Society’s Global Council. Under his leadership, The Indian Express has won the Vienna-based International Press Institute’s Award for Outstanding Journalism in the Public Interest thrice, a record unmatched in the media.

Speakers: Abdul Basit, Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Shekhar Gupta, Editor-in-Chief, The Indian Express.

Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Time: 6:30pm, registration begins at 6:00pm 

Venue: Hall of Culture, Nehru Centre, Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai

RSVP required: asiasociety@asiasociety.org.in

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Earth Day Painting Competition in Mumbai on April 22

Report by Santanu Ganguly: Every year April 22 is celebrated as Earth Day all over the world. Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. 

This year, BNHS is celebrating by holding a painting competition for underprivileged children at its Conservation Education Centre in Mumbai. The theme is “Sparrow my Friend” “Chidiya Meri Dost”. Sparrow was one of most common birds in Mumbai, but now we are ignoring its decline in numbers. This Earth day demonstrate your concern towards this humble bird which has been everybody’s childhood friend. BNHS wants to invite 50 underprivileged children from various organizations in Mumbai for this event. The children will be divided into groups according to their age and judged accordingly

The details of painting competition are given below:

Venue: Conservation Education Centre, Near Film City, Goregaon (E), Mumbai.

Date and Time: April 22, 2014, 8.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

For any further queries contact,

Isha Pradhan-Sawant, Education Officer, BNHS Tel.: 9594929107 (office hours 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)   

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