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IndianExpress: The Centre today approved Rs 476 crore for the first phase of developing the Bus Rapid Transit System on 12 Pune roads under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The Pune Municipal Corporation has been asked to submit a fresh proposal for getting Rs 24 crore more to prepare a Detailed Project Report for the BRTS.

The approval for the project was given at a meeting of the steering committee of JNNURM held in Delhi on Wednesday. Municipal Commissioner Nitin Kareer, who attended the meeting, told Pune Newsline from Delhi that PMC has been asked to submit a fresh proposal for funds to prepare the DPR. Earlier, the Centre had approved Rs 65 crore for implementing the pilot project of the BRTS. Kareer said the PMC is yet to receive the money approved for the pilot project.

IndianExpress: Having attracted everyone from venture capitalists to multinationals, Pune is now grabbing attention from a rather unusual source. The Port of Le Havre — the largest port in France that handled 75.2 million tonnes of global traffic last year— is now looking at Pune’s thriving industry as a major source of exports.

“Pune is one of the foremost industrial and automotive hubs in the country with a very strong metal and forging industry that exports a large quantity of its produce to European nations. So far, the quantum of cargo at our port originating from India and Pune has been minimal. Through our interaction with industry heads here, we hope to become a preferred destination that can deal in inbound cargo to the European Union,” Port of Le Havre commercial director Pierre-Yves Collardey said.

IndianExpress: Ten members of a local gang have been arrested by the Crime Branch personnel for their suspected involvement in the sensational murder of goon-turned-Nationalist Congress Party leader Sandip Mohol. With these arrests, the total number of people arrested in Mohol murder case has reached 16.

The arrested people include gang member Ganesh Nivrutti Marne, a resident of Gurunath Society in Kothrud, who has been a suspect in three previous cases including two attempted murders and an assault. Police commissioner D N Jadhav said the police were contemplating the possibility of slapping Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the gang. He also announced that investigations into the case have been transferred to Crime Branch from the Kothrud police station.

IndianExpress: After threatening to launch an indefinite hunger strike from November 14, social worker and founder of Vanrai, Mohan Dharia announced that a state level discussion analysing the grass root problems of the debt-ridden famers would be held on November 6. The discussion will be attended by around 3,000 representatives of farmers from the State. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Dharia said that the meet has been scheduled to take place at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch.
 

IndianExpress: At least 2,000 volunteers from around the world will soon join former President of the US Jimmy Carter to construct 100 houses within a week at Patan village near Lonavla. The 23rd Annual Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP), being organised by Habitat for Humanity, has been held in Asia twice before. In 2005, the JCWP was held in Michigan.

“The programme is to create an awareness about the fact that 315 million Indians live in inadequate shelters and how people can unite to solve this problem,” Habitat for Humanity India chief executive officer Peter Selvarajan said in Mumbai.

IndianExpress: For the 86 Kashmiri children studying at the Sarhad school in Katraj, Eid this year was a memorable experience, with their caretakers ensuring they did not get homesick by celebrating the festival just as if it were at home.

From the traditional Ramzan feast to receiving gifts from elders as part of Eidi, the children were given a real treat, with firecrackers, games and cultural programmes galore.