CGHS of East Delhi oppose EDMC’s decision of levying taxes on common areas

Ever since the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) issued notices to the Co-operative Group Housing Societies (CGHS) about levying taxes on office spaces (within society premises), common areas and recreation halls, CGHS federations are making a beeline outside the offices of local politicians.

In some areas like Mayur Vihar Phase 1 Extension where 22 CGHS are located, local politicians have assured that no such tax would be levied.

Addressing around 30 representatives of housing societies in Mayur Vihar Extension, Vipin Bihar Singh, deputy mayor of EDMC said that he would support the residents of housing societies and raise their concern in a meeting of the corporation that is scheduled for January 25. He also added that he was not aware of this notice. Delhi News

Sources have informed City Spidey that EDMC had been preparing for this decision (of levying taxes on common areas) from the past year. Officials from the EDMC had been inspecting houses, societies and shops for a year now.

“This process actually started in February 2016 when the sanitation staff and employees of other EDMC departments had gone on strike due to the non-payment of monthly wages. Penalizing defaulters and collecting tax is EDMC’s duty. However, since taxes were never ever levied in common areas this decision has triggered a lot of resistance,” a senior official of EDMC stated on condition of anonymity.

M M Khattri, general secretary of I P Extension CGHS federation said, “At the time of Inspector Raj, municipal officials used to determine property taxes often after random inspections. There was much corruption in the process. In 2003, Inspector Raj was abolished and a system of self assessment was introduced. However, it seems that EDMC is still working on the principles of Inspector Raj.”

UP chief of Karni Sena arrested from Greater Noida

In what could be seen as a major crackdown by police to put a lid on the vandalism unleashed by Karni workers against the release of the controversial Padmaavat, the UP chief of the outfit, Thakur Karan Singh, was arrested today from Kasna area of Greater Noida following a tip off.

"Singh was named in one of the FIRs for vandalising the toll plaza at the DND Flyway on January 21. Today, we got a tip off that he is trying to escape the city. We laid out a trap for him and he was subsequently arrested," confirmed Suniti Singh, superintendent of police (rural), GB Nagar.

The SP added, “Singh played an active role in mobilising people during protests in the region on Sunday when the protesters vandalised the DND toll plaza. Singh was wanted under several Sections of the IPC, especially for rioting and stirring mischief with the intent to cause damage.”

“We are trying our best to keep a check on the entire district, as Republic Day is also nearing. The administration has already enforced Section 144," she continued. Greater Noida News

In fact, various theatres requested for beefed-up security, with the release of the movie today. To avoid unnecessary attention, no theatre has put up posters of the movie — not even within the multiplexes.   

Adequate arrangements for security have been put in place, and special attention is being paid to DLF Mall and Great India Palace (GIP), assured AK Singh, SP (city).

According to AK Tyagi, in-charge of security at GIP in Sector 38A, “Security measures have been heightened on GIP premises. Police in large numbers has been deployed outside the mall.”

Around 60 police officers are present outside the GIP mall and 70 near DLF mall in Sector 18 — both biggest entertainment hubs around the city.

Prashant Pathak, cinema manager in GIP, said, “As it is a working day today, bookings for the movie is down by 30 percent. We are holding 20 shows every day.”

East Delhi abduction: No arrests so far; bus caretaker interrogated

Nearly 10 hours have lapsed since six-year-old Rehan Gupta was kidnapped by two bike-borne assailants during early morning hours today near Dilshad Garden in East Delhi. But the police is yet to trace the kidnappers.

The assailants allegedly stopped the bus near Vivekanand School close to GTB Enclave and shot at the bus driver before fleeing with the boy.

The incident took place opposite to IBHAS Hospital in Shahadara. The bus was heading from Shahadara to Anand Vihar to drop the children at Vivekanand School.

The road where the baffling abduction happened is a busy one and 400 m from GTB Enclave police station, close to Sai Mandir. Delhi News

Sudhir Kumar, who sells flower outside Sai Mandir, provided an eyewitness account of the events as they unfolded.

“I noticed two people driving a black-coloured bike. They stopped their bike in front of the bus and one of them went to the driver’s side, while the other one knocked at the door of the bus. Suddenly, there was a gunshot and the driver took a hit in his leg. Before anyone could even comprehend what was happening, they fled with a child,” he recounted.

Lalit Singh, a senior police official at GTB Enclave police station, told City Spidey that three special teams have been formed to speed up investigation. However, the investigative officer on the case, Narender Singh, confirmed to City Spidey, “Till now, we have made no arrests.”

The caretaker who travels with the bus, Roopa, was taken to the police station for interrogation. According to her father, Roopa was an employee of bus contractor and has been working with the bus from the last three years.

Police also called in Rupa’s husband, Sanju, for interrogation.

NCR wakes up to a foggy Republic Day

An almost blinding expanse of fog had shrouded the National Capital Region today in the morning hours. The headlights and taillights of vehicles plying on the main and arterial roads could only partially mitigate the fog. Hence drivers had to drive very carefully, particularly while negotiating unannounced turns and bends. Pedestrians and morning joggers too had to exercise their share of caution.

The community flavour of Republic Day celebrations

Republic Day was celebrated with much fervour and fanfare in the residential societies of Indirapuram.  Here are some glimpses of Ashiana Upavan Society and Jaipuria Sunrise Greens Society.

Dwarka: ACP inspires children to raise the glory of the nation

On the eve of Republic Day, Rajendra Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dwarka delivered an inspiring talk on how children can contribute towards building a glorious India. Addressing over a hundred children who had gathered for a function organised by Choti Si Khushi (a volunteer organisation) at Sector 3 DDA Park, Singh also spoke about the hallmarks of an efficient police force. He even answered queries on how one can become an exemplary police officer.

The talk was followed by cultural dance performances and renditions of patriotic songs. There were also some skit performances. In one of the skits the importance of a girl child’s well being and education (Beti Padhao Beti Bachao)was reiterated.

All the participants were given prizes as a mark of appreciation. Volunteers of Choti Si Khushi were also given appreciation certificates and mementoes.

Apart from educating the poor children of Dwarka, Choti Si Khushi has been instrumental in imparting literacy to adult women.

Padmaavat gets a Thumbs Up from Gurgaon audiences

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s historical thriller Padmaavat, that had generated unprecedented controversy and violence before its release (yesterday) has been received very well by audiences in Gurgaon.

People are all praises for the intense performances of the lead cast. “The movie is fabulous. Ranveer Singh has played his negative character to the hilt. I found nothing objectionable or controversial in this movie. The scale and nature of violence that we witnessed before its release is completely uncalled for,” said Rajshri Ranganathan, a resident of Sector 45.

Adding to this, Arjun Shokeen said. “The historical aspects of the movie are very convincing and captivating. Like always, Bhansali has made yet another masterpiece.”

Although the management of cinema halls refused to comment on the controversies that have surrounded this movie they do say that the night shows have been houseful. The footfall during the day is relatively scanty.

Given the positive reviews from the first set of audiences, it definitely seems that for now people are going to turn a deaf ear to the protestors and throng to the movie halls.

Children immerse in joy to dissipate exam stress!

Students of a school for underprivileged children, The NeoFusion Creative Foundation, discovered a new way to rejoice and mitigate the stresses and tensions that are associated with examinations.  

These children, who hail from families that struggle on a regular basis to secure the basic necessities of life, often face distress and tension in their home environment.

In order to face the pressures of school examinations in a cheerful manner, the children therefore decided to change their surroundings and create a feel-good factor. They displayed a lot of zeal and exuberance as they undertook various activities such as cleaning their school and decorating it. This novel idea was the brainchild of Pompy, a student of class VIII.

“We decided to have a ‘Happy Party Celebration’ month and approach our exams with a cheerful spirit. Instead of just  immersing ourselves in textbooks,we decided to incorporate positivity and optimism as  part of our preparations, ” shared Laxman, a senior student.  

While the students had a fun time decorating their school with ribbons, balloons and posters, the teachers too contributed to the initiative. As part of this de-stressing initiative a mega celebration was organised  on Thursday. The students ordered food, played games and welcomed the school’s founder, Anubhooti Bhatnagar, (popularly known as Aubhooti madam). "She has always extended her help and encouragement to us," shared a student. 

Were funds for your Greater Noida flat misused by the builder?

The Greater Noida Authority has asked Currie & Brown, an international auditing agency, to audit the accounts of 25 builders in the first phase. According to an official of the Authority, owing to the financial crunch in these projects around 50,000 homebuyers are suffering.

"The audit of the builders is being conducted on 11 points. Some of these points include builders' current financial capacity, funds collected from buyers, land bank and money spent on construction and other purposes," the official informed. Greater Noida News

"Last week, the agency had given a presentation of the audit report of eight builders to the chief executive officer of Greater Noida Authority, Debasish Panda. And the final report will be submitted by the agency by next week," the official said.

In November 2017, the authority had hired Currie & Brown to audit accounts of errant builders in a bid  to ascertain if they had diverted the funds collected from homebuyers.

On September 12, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed the chief executive officer of Greater Noida Authority to audit builders who have failed to deliver flats to homebuyers.

The directive came after homebuyers' demanded an audit of all the builders who had sold flats to them. Many of these flats could not be handed over because the funds collected against them were allegedly diverted to other projects.

There are a total of 203 realty projects in Greater Noida and among these nearly 80 are in a critical state. This has affected thousands of homebuyers who have not got their flats on time.

Clean, green and beautiful Dwarka: Residents on a mission

The community of Dwarka is on a mission to make their chowks clean and green. Under the aegis of Federation of Cooperative Group Housing Societies, members of two social organisations, Green Circle and Parmarthi, are carrying out a campaign to clean the major chowks of the area. Today they cleaned Janki Chowk at Sector 22.

Members of other organisations like Dwarka Hello Moms were also present and participated in the work. General Secretary of Federation, Sudha Sinha, said, “We have started this campaign to send a message that we should be keeping the subcity clean. Today we cleaned Janki Chowk and a few days later we shall be cleaning another chowk. We clean, we paint and we plant saplings. So the concept essentially is clean, green and beautiful Dwarka.”

According to the people involved in the campaign, prior to Janki Chowk they had cleaned Ashirvad Chowk. The people have planted saplings in the vacant areas around the chowks, installed fences and even painted them.

A member of the Federation and resident of Sri Agrasen Apartments, Sector 7, Anil Kumar Parashar, was involved in the cleaning campaign at Ashirvad Chowk. In a chat with City Spidey, he shared, “We are making a collective effort to change the landscape around the chowks. You can see the change by just looking at Ashirvad Chowk. Till now we have planted about 100 trees in association with DDA.”

ACP of Dwarka, Rajendra Singh, also participated in the campaign and said that this community participation will definitely usher a very positive difference. 

The volunteers of this campaign are not only engaging in activities like cleaning and plantation. They are also raising awareness on civic hygiene among the shopkeepers and vendors by distributing pamphlets. 

Government schools of Gautam Budh Nagar adopt parent-teacher meetings

To ensure the growth of students, the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration has decided to adopt the concept of parent-teacher meetings (PTM) in government schools. All government schools will now have to organise parent-teacher meeting as a quarterly exercise.

According to the administration, this step has been taken to enhance the quality of education. The first parent-teacher meeting happened today across all the 675 government schools of the district.

“It was great to see parents flocking to the school in large numbers to discuss the educational growth of their wards. We are sure that these regular PTMs will enhance the quality of education in our government schools,” said BN Singh, District Magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar.

According to the district officials, the government schools will maintain the data of these meetings, which will be checked by the administration officials.

“In order to ensure that the process is followed properly, we will conduct random checks at schools. We shall attend these meetings and verify the records. We want students of government schools to get the same attention that students of private schools enjoy,” Singh added.

Parents on their part are welcoming this initiative.

“These periodic interactions with teachers will help us to monitor the growth of our children and will be really beneficial for their studies. We will get to know exactly how our children are faring at school,” said Vishnu Singh, a parent.

Today Noida MLA, Pankaj Singh, visited the primary school at Sector 12 to take stock of the ongoing PTM. He interacted with parents, students and teachers to get their feedback on the concept.

“Both teachers and parents have welcomed the concept and said that this initiative will ensure a two-way communication between schools and parents,” said Singh.

According to Basic Education Officer, Bal Krishna Mukund, many students in government schools are from poor backgrounds and their parents are not bothered about their studies. "Through this meeting, they will come to know the importance of education and the performance of their children," stated Mukund. 

Over 78,000 students (from class I to class VIII) studying in the government schools of the district will be covered under this initiative.

Noida: Gardenia Glory buyers stage protest against builder for delay of flats

Hundreds of homebuyers of Gardenia Glory, a housing project in Sector 46, Noida, protested against the builder for inordinate delays in handover of flats. Buyers gathered around noon outside the Gardenia Glory office in Sector 46 today to meet the builder, but he fled without meeting them, they said.

Protesters said that all flatbuyers had paid around 80 to 90 per cent of the amount to the four builders — Malook Nagar, Sanjiv Kumar, Ajay Sharma and Manoj Rai. Buyers had booked the flats in 2009-10 and the builders were supposed to hand them over in 2012-13, but till date there had been no possession given to most of them. Of the 1,600 flats the builders were supposed to hand over, only 300 were occupied at present. And even those 300 were not being able to get their flats registered.

“We visited three of the builder’s offices — one in Sector 46 and two in Sector 75 — but the builders and their top management executive fled, instead of meeting us. It’s amazing how insensitive the builders are to our frustration. Where do we go to get our issues addressed?” said AK Aggarwal, a homebuyer.

Buyers hoped that the central and state governments would do something about their problem. But so far all promises to address builder-buyer issues had turned out fake. They added that they would support only that party in the 2019 elections that promised to solve their problem.

“We had wanted to meet the four builders and request them to start clearing land dues, so we can get our flats registered. Maintenance services in the housing project are also in pathetic shape. We demand that the authority take effective steps against the four of them,” said a buyer.

Aims Max Gardenia Developers Private Limited had started the Gardenia Glory housing project on 14 acres of land in Sector 46, and the builders had proposed to build 1,600 flats in 20 towers.

I’puram’s Ashiana Upvan on its way to becoming ‘zero-waste zone’

Taking initiative to reduce environmental stress and the impact of urban waste on environment, Ashiana Upvan, a high-rise in Indirapuram, has started work with the aim of making the society a "zero-waste zone". According to members of the society AOA, the plan is to reduce both bio-degradable and non-biodegradable waste output of the society to zero.

“There are two major garbage dumps coming up near our society. When we approached authorities, we were told that the garbage dumped at both these sites is generated from the very societies of Indirapuram — and hence, this initiative,” said Anil Sharma, AOA president.

According to Sharma, his society alone generates around 700 kg of mixed waste every day. “We, with help from the Green Team members of our society, have tied up with Auctus E Recycling Solutions, a Greater Noida-based agency. It will collect the society’s waste daily. The waste will be segregated at the source — the households, and then be picked up by the agency,” he explained.

The basic idea of the initiative is to ensure that the society’s waste does not end up at landfill sites. “According to our discussion with the agency, the biodegradable waste will be turned into compost, and the other waste, including plastic and electronic, will be recycled in other ways,” he added.

The initiative is the brainchild of the local Green Team formed by residents and AOA members of Ahinsa Khand 2 societies. IndirapuramNews

Speaking to City Spidey, Abhinav Agarwal, a resident of Ahinsa Khand 2, and a member of Green Team, said, “Apart from approaching the authorities regarding the garbage dumps, residents have been looking for ways to deal with the problem on their own.”

Agarwal himself undertakes home composting, and has thus successfully reduced a significant portion of his daily household waste. “We have our hopes pinned on the Ashiana Upvan project. If it works out successfully, it can be implemented in all other societies of the area,” he stressed.

According to AOA members of the society, the major challenge in the programme is to habituate residents with the process of segregating household waste. Till now, residents have been inadvertently mixing wet and dry waste. “We have one month to start the project, but have a plan of six months to change the habit of residents. Apart from sending notices and circulars from the AOA, we’ll also conduct a door-to-door campaign to make residents aware. I know it is tedious, but it has to be done,” the AOA president said. Noida News

A representative of Auctus, the waste-recycling agency, told City Spidey that the agency itself is into recycling e-waste, but the bio-degradable wet waste of the society will be handed over to another sister concern of the agency, which will then convert it to compost. “We have started the initiative a few days back and are working on this single society,” he added.

Noida: Hurry, get the crash guard on your car off before Monday

Officials and staff of the Noida Transport Department will be on the roads to act on the directive of ministry of road transport and highways to remove crash guards from four-wheelers in the city. Not only that, a fine of Rs 1,000 will also be imposed on drivers. Residents have been alerted and they have till Saturday to remove the guards from their vehicles. Action will be initiated against drivers who refuse to follow the order after Monday.

SK Singh, ARTO enforcement of Noida said, “Crash guards have been banned by the ministry of road transport and highways. Vehicle dealers have also been instructed not to sell or instal crash guards on vehicles. Fitness certificate will not be issued to vehicles with crash guards. First-time violation of this order will draw a fine of Rs 1,000, while second-time offenders will be penalised with Rs 2,000." Noida News

A drive to cut off crash guards with gas cutters will be started from Monday. The expenses incurred in the process will also be recovered from the vehicle owner. People have been urged to remove the crash guard themselves from their vehicles to avoid trouble.

The act of fitting crash guards and bull bars is in contravention of Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, and attracts penalty under Sections 190 and 191 of the Act.

Arunendra Pandey, GB Nagar ARTO, said, “If a vehicle is fitted with crash guards, in the event of massive collision the impact is bound to be disproportionately distributed. As a result, the airbags may not open to save the occupants of the car. The pedestrians, too, suffer greater injuries."

Three mega infrastructure projects inaugurated on UP Divas

Dr Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture, inaugurated three mega infrastructure projects in Noida today (January 24), commemorated as Uttar Pradesh Day, or UP Divas. Noida MLA Pankaj Singh and Jai Pratap Singh, UP Excise Minister and Minister in-charge of GB Nagar, were also present at the event.

The three mega projects include the Sector 94 underpass, Sector 18 multi-level car-parking lot and the Sector 60-61 underpass. “These three projects will provide much-needed relief to the public. The Sector 18 parking facility that can accommodate 3,000 vehicles will ease parking woes in the city’s biggest commercial hub. The Sector 94 underpass will help to address the traffic congestion faced by motorists near Kalindi Kunj bridge, which connects South Delhi with Noida. The underpass near Mamura will ensure a signal-free ride to motorists in that area,” said Mahesh Sharma.

RK Mishra, project engineer of Noida Authority, said, “The 2.5-acre multi-level parking has been built at the cost of Rs 243.32 crore. People parking cars in this area will be charged Rs 20, and those parking motorbikes will be charged Rs 10 on an hourly basis. We have set higher rates for parking outside the facility to discourage parking on the roads of Sector 18,” he said

He also said that DLF will manage and maintain the city’s first multi-level parking, and DLF will be paying Rs 75 lakh every month to the Authority for this arrangement.

Besides opening three infrastructure projects, Noida Authority also laid the foundation for three more projects in the city. The new projects include an underpass between Sectors 96 and 126, under the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, and two new industrial sectors along the e-way in Sectors 155 and 156.

An official of Noida Authority said the upcoming underpass will be 2.36-km-long and will be built at the cost of Rs 97.66 crore. "There is already a minor underpass located at this point. This facility will be enhanced to a major underpass. It will provide connectivity to sectors on both sides of the e-way as well as for commuters travelling between Noida and Delhi," he said.

He added, “Residents of sectors 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 96, 97, 98, 99 and occupants of IT and institutional sectors in 124, 125, 126, 127, 128 and others will majorly benefit from the underpass.”

Noida’s first multi-level parking has been inaugurated minus lifts

Today on the occasion of Uttar Pradesh Divas, the city’s first multi-level parking was inaugurated by Mahesh Sharma, union minister of state for tourism and culture. However, the lifts have not been installed and toilets are still under construction.

Noida Breaking News

Situated in Sector 18, this facility with two basements and a total of eight floors will aid traffic decongestion in and around the market area. Incidentally Sector 18 is the city’s biggest commercial hub.

When our City Spidey reporter took a round of the facility, he found that the washrooms/toilets were still under construction. In some washrooms, taps were missing and in others the basic sanitary equipment too had not been fitted. He also discovered that the lifts have not been installed.

The eight-level parking facility is expected to accommodate over 3,000 cars. Construction work on the facility had started in July 22, 2013 and the deadline for completion was July 2015. This deadline could not be adhered to as the contractor had stopped work midway.

In May 2015, the Noida Authority had partially opened paid parking on two levels while the building was still under construction. However, KR Chitra, a resident of Noida had moved the Allahabad High Court in September 2015 against this decision. Chitra obtained a stay order on the ground that it is unsafe to use a building for parking while construction is still in progress.

On February 4, 2017, the High Court had directed the Noida Authority to complete the project fast and not allow parking until the work is finished. Thereafter, the authority had set a deadline for October 2, 2017. However, it could not honour this deadline as well. Finally after missing seven deadlines, the authority has opened this facility today but with incomplete infrastructure.

RK Mishra, project engineer of Noida Authority told City Spidey that the multi-level parking facility will commence operations only on the first floor and two basements. “The other floors shall be opened only after the elevators are installed. We are aiming to open the entire facility within a month,” Mishra stated.

Incidentally, Alok Tandon, chief executive officer of Noida Authority had urged the officials to complete all the work before January 15.

Padmaavat protests: Few Gurgaon schools declare the day off

In response to the violent attack by miscreants protesting against Padmaavat release on a bus carrying schoolchildren and teachers, a few schools in the city have called the day off today. They include GD Goenka Public School, Pathways World School, Rose Land Public School, Lotus Valley International School and Amity International School.

Schools that have remained open are not expecting high attendance, as parents are shocked after what happened yesterday. Gurgaon News

“My child studies in St Xavier’s High School in Sector 50. After the scary incident with the school bus, I have decided not to send him to school till this unrest settles,” said Anup Singh, parent of a 5-year-old boy.

Another resident of Sispal Vihar, Meghna Yadav, said, “My son’s school has not declared a holiday. But I will not send him. The movie is screening, and definitely, the protests will escalate. And clearly, these fringe elements are sparing anyone — not even schoolchildren!”

The district administration until Wednesday night had not taken the decision to close down schools. However, looking at the situation more schools are expected to shut down.

“When the administration can close the schools because of cold weather, why not now? In the face of what’s happening, the decision to keep schools open is absurd!” complained Paramjeet Singh, a resident of South City II.

Padmaavat protests: Haryana Roadways bus torched; school bus attacked

After vandalising a high-end mall in Gurgaon to the protest against the release of Padmaavat, the miscreants have now started causing damaging public property and private vehicles on the outskirts of the city. The masked miscreants, in the early hours of evening today, burnt a Haryana Roadways bus at Panwal depot and caused damage to private vehicles in the area around Bhondsi.

They also engaged in extensive stone pelting on the Sohna road stretch.

In another violent episode in Bhondsi, the protestors attacked a school bus carrying schoolchildren. The miscreants attacked the bus with stones and rods. Fortunately, the children and staff escaped unhurt as the driver sped through the melee.

Gurgaon News

Talking to City Spidey, police commissioner Sandeep Khirwar said, “The police has already arrested 24 people in this regard. While 13 were from Bhondsi, 2 were arrested from DT City Centre mall. The rest were nabbed from various parts of the city.”

He further added, “We will get to the people behind these incidents and serious action will be taken against them. We will control the situation, and adequate deployment of force will happen in different parts of the city. ”

Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said to City Spidey, “The attack on the school bus was very unfortunate. However, we are not declaring a holiday for schools as of now. We will keep strict vigilance and additional police force will be deployed for keeping children safe.”

He further added, “To get a handle on the situation, we have deputed 25 magistrates, besides deploying additional police force. Hopefully, the situation will now be under control.”

The film is currently running at 10 places in Gurgaon

Filmi-style kidnapping of Class I student sends shock waves across the Capital

In what could be a straight lift from some Bollywood crime thriller, a school bus was stopped on a busy road by bike-borne assailants in broad daylight, the bus driver was shot at and a child abducted at gunpoint. The kidnapping of the child has left everyone including the police baffled, that too when the city is on high alert ahead of Republic Day! Delhi Breaking News

The incident happened near Dilshad Garden in East Delhi at around 7.30 am. The abducted boy, a Class I student, has been identified as the Rehan Gupta of Vivekanand Public School in Anand Vihar.

Around 25 children were on the bus when the incident happened.

The assailants allegedly stopped the bus near Vivekanand School close to GTB Enclave and shot at the bus driver before fleeing with the boy. The driver has been rushed to the hospital, with a gunshot injury on his right foot. An FIR has been registered at GTB Enclave Police Station.

Delhi police have not ruled out the role of professional criminals. But they are also investigating other angles — could this have been the work of a close acquaintance who was not on good terms with the family ? But police sources added that the criminals had done a thorough reccee of the movement of the child and the abduction was well-planned.

According to Narender Pal Singh, the investigating officer in the case, "So far, no arrests have been made. But we are interrogating our suspects."

Currently, the police is interrogating a woman named Roopa, who worked as a caretaker in the bus. Her father, Deepak Kumar, said, "My daughter only works as caretaker in the bus, operated by a private contractor Mukesh Kumar. They have my daughter in the police station since morning."  

GTB Enclave police is also speaking to the bus conductor, the bus operator and school staff. 

The incident has left the parents aghast — is the capital no longer safe for children? 

Padmaavat protests: Few Noida schools shut classes; Gzb schools to remain open

Late at night yesterday, Noida parents received messages from school managements of several schools, declaring the schools shut for the safety of children. It further said that the step was a precautionary measure in view of the attack on GD Goenka School bus in Guragaon.

This decision has been taken by private schools, and the district administration has passed no such order. Noida News

Some schools in Noida such as Step by Step in Sector 132, Lotus Valley International School in Sector 126 and Pathways School in Sector 100 are completely closed.

A few other schools have declared classes shut for the junior sections. They include Kothari International School in Sector 50 (KG to third class), Delhi Public School in Sector 30 (Nursery to Class VIII), The Khaitan School in Sector 40 (Nursery to Class V), Father Angel School in Sector 62 (Nursery to Class II) and DPS in Greater Noida (Nursery to Class VIII).

Sumit Singh, a parent of Pathways School in Sector 100, said, “We received a message at around 10.30 pm from the school management saying that tomorrow school will be closed in view of what happened to the bus in Gurgaon.” 

Parents, too, are happy with the decision. “We decided that we will not send our children to school till the situation normalises. We will start sending them by next week," said by Nisha Gaur, a resident of Sector 26.

In Ghaziabad, however, all schools have remained open, triggering a panic among parents who are concerned about the safety of their children. Many parents chose not to send their wards to schools.

Managements of several private schools in Ghaziabad confirmed to City Spidey that schools were open and going about their usual business.

Subhash Jain, president of Independent Schools Federation of Ghaziabad, too confirmed the same. He said, “All schools associated with the federation are open. We decided to keep the schools open after we received assurance from the authorities regarding safety and security.”

But such assurance did little to assuage the fears of worried parents. They felt the tension would escalate as Padmaavat protestors could continue with their agenda against the screening of the film.

“After we learnt about the Gurgaon incident, we decided not to send our children to school as a precautionary measure. Most of the members of the parents’ association also decided the same,” said Shivani Jain, president of All Schools Parents’ Association.

State transport bus vandalised in Barola village

Last night, a state transport corporation bus was vandalised by a group of eight to 10 men in Barola village amid tension of Padmaavat’s release.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made, especially around malls, multiplexes and cinemas to prevent violence in GB Nagar.

“An Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) bus going towards Sector 37 with dozens of passengers was attacked by miscreants at the traffic signal adjacent to Radha Swami Park in Barola village. They broke the windows and glasses of the bus with sticks and stones. Nobody was reported injured and the perpetrators fled the scene quickly. A case has been booked under relevant sections of the IPC against unknown men,” said Pankaj Pant, station house officer, Sector 49 police station.

Noida News

The police, however, are yet to ascertain whether or not the men were associated with the Karni Sena. “Prima facie, it appears to be an attack by fringe elements. We are probing all angles,” said AK Singh, superintendent of police (city).

In the wake of widespread protests by Karni Sena against the release of Padmaavat, security has been beefed up in the GB Nagar district, especially around entertainment hubs.

"We have made enough arrangements for security across the district, especially in the areas around the theatres. Security around DLF Mall and GIP has been strengthened. We have chalked out the places where law and order can be interrupted,” said Suniti Singh, superintendent of police (rural), GB Nagar.

“Members of this outfit have been flaring tension across the nation, but it is our duty to maintain peace. We will book anyone we find disturbing the peace. We will ensure the movie's screening is held peacefully across the district,” Singh added.

“We are increasing patrolling in the city and have asked for additional police deployment at various public places, not only in malls. District administration officials and police personnel are visiting trouble spots. We are on the lookout for the group involved and will keep a check on all vulnerable spots in the city,” said another senior police official.

The Karni Sena, which has vowed to stop the film's release alleging that it has distorted history and showed legendary Rajput Queen Rani Padmini in poor light, also approached the court.

The Central Board of Film Certification and the Supreme Court, however, have cleared the movie's screening and requested the state government to look after the law and order in the state.

Karni Sena members have issued open threats to cinema hall owners.

“We have received letters from various theaters requesting security so that no violence occurs inside the theaters. We are trying our best to keep a check on the entire district, as Republic Day is also nearing. The administration has already enforced Section 144," Singh assured.

A Greater Noida mall has cancelled Padmaavat screening, fearing repercussions.

In Dwarka it is easy to fake your identity in visitor information registers

Every year, with Republic Day around the corner, security systems of the National Capital undergo a thorough scrutiny. Even vendors of residential areas are not spared. Further the records of the city residents (including tenants) are meticulously verified by the local police.

However, it is surprising that even during these times; the security guards manning the entrance of residential societies in Dwarka do not get their act together.   Dwarka Breaking News

If you happen to visit any of the Cooperative Group Housing societies or DDA pockets in Dwarka you would automatically notice the casual approach of the guards in terms of entering details in the visitor register. “Most guards are untrained. They do not even bother to cross check the information that is being entered in the visitor log books. Most of the addresses and phone numbers are not even legible,” said Vineeta Sharma a resident of Sector 12.

Residents say that some of the security guards are not even literate and completely unaware about the nuances of residential security. “Such untrained guards are particularly present in the residential societies across DDA pockets. This is because DDA societies usually do not have very empowered RWAs or sufficient funds for monthly maintenance services,” said RN Singh a senior citizen of Sector 7.

 According to RWAs and the managements of societies, the slack in terms of crosschecking visitor details cannot be attributed to the guards alone. They say that visitors feel offended if the guards ask them too many questions. “I do not understand why they feel offended as a stringent security system is in everyone’s interest,” said Vishal Gupta treasurer of Lovely Home Apartments.

Gupta further suggested, “The security system of residential societies should now become digital. This would aid incisive verification and maintaining records.” 

With the arrival of an expert, Gurgaon is witnessing serious monkey business

Recently about 20,000 monkeys had unleashed a spate of chaos in Gurgaon. To mitigate the situation, the MCG (Municipal Corporations Gurgaon) had to acquire the services of a Mathura based monkey expert. This expert has already started his operations in the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road and Golf Course roads that are frequented by monkeys. On Wednesday, he managed to capture 50 monkeys.

The monkey menace has been steadily increasing in Gurgaon in recent years. Last year alone, there were almost 500 cases of monkey bites. The MCG and other agencies have been unsuccessful in containing the menace. The monkeys captured by the team of this expert will be relocated to areas that are far away from residential complexes. Essentially these are jungles in the outskirts of Gurgaon. Gurgaon News

Talking about the menace, Ranjana Lal, a resident of Sector 56 says, “The monkeys attack without the slightest provocation especially if one is carrying eatables. We have an independent house where monkeys come and create chaos. If you resist they attack. It is hence the duty of the corporation to secure the safety of people.”

Animal lovers too need not worry about this operation. “The process of trapping them is being recorded on camera. Moreover officials from the wildlife department have been present on ground to ensure that the process does not inflict any physical injury to the monkeys. Before re-location every monkey is being subjected to a health check-up and given food,” said SS Rohilla, MCG public relation officer.

The MCG will pay upto 1,500 for every monkey that has been captured. It is also proactively inviting resident feedback on the subject.

“Closing shops is no way to protest the sealing drive,” say East Delhi traders

With the city’s market association declaring a bandh today, shopkeepers and other small traders of East Delhi were unsure about opening their shops and establishments in the morning.

Trader associations are essentially protesting against the sealing drive that has been undertaken by all three Delhi Municipal Corporations (MCDs) across markets of Delhi including Khan Market, Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk and Gandhi Nagar Market. Delhi Breaking News

In East Delhi, shops in the markets of Laxmi Nagar and Preet Vihar were open. However, shopkeepers were found discussing the protest.

When asked about the bandh, Rishabh Singh, a trader in Preet Vihar said, “We are against MCD’s sealing drive but protesting against it by closing shops is not the right strategy as it ultimately translates to our loss. However, if other shopkeepers shut their shops, then I too will join them.”

Dalveer Singh who owns three shops in Laxminagar Market said, “The sealing drive against illegal shops and illegal encroachment has mostly been conducted in North and South Delhi. Therefore markets are open in East Delhi. Sometimes people connected with political parties announce these bandh without consulting the genuine trader associations.”

If you live in Noida your vehicle better be without crash guards or bull bars

The District Transport Department of Gautam Budh Nagar will take strict action against vehicles who have unauthorised crash guards or bull bars as these fittings jeopardise the safety of pedestrians. According to the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 if you are caught driving a car with these accessories you shall be fined a sum of Rs 1,000. However, if you are caught again (repeating the same offence) a fine of Rs 2,000 shall be levied. A person who trades in these accessories could be fined upto Rs 5,000.  Noida Breaking News

Bull bars and crash-guards are fitted in front of the vehicles to prevent damage from collisions. The Act specifically prohibits people from altering their motor vehicle in a manner whereby particulars contained in the certificate of registration are at variance with those originally specified by the manufacturer. The act of fitting crash guards and bull bars is in contravention of Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 and attracts penalty under Section 190 and 191 of the Act.

Arunendra Pandey, the ARTO of Gautam Budh Nagar informed City Spidey that the guidelines on this subject were sent to them by the UP Government on January 13. “Notices have also been issued to dealers of these accessories,” he added.

According to Pandey, if a vehicle with these fittings encounters a massive collision then the impact is bound to be disproportionately distributed. Consequently the airbags may not open to save the occupants. “By next week the transport department will start a drive to identify the cars that have these crash guards and bull bars. We shall also get cracking on the vendors,” Pandey stated.

Dhiraj Kumar, a resident of Divine Meadows in Sector 108 said that many government vehicles too are equipped with crash guards and bull bars. “The cops should fine the  politicians and government officers too,” Kumar observed.

GreNo: UP RERA comes down heavily on erring builder

Builders in Greater Noida who have been harassing their buyers over possession issues should learn their lesson from the recent case of Buland Builders. RERA has levied a considerable fine on this construction group for delaying possession. Counting from October 2017, the builder has to pay Rs 50, 000 (for every single month of delay) to a buyer. The payment process has to be started within the next 45 days. Greater Noida News

RERA’s stand on the erring builder is an outcome of a complaint filed by Lakshmi Devi, a resident of Delhi who had booked two flats (worth Rs 25 lakhs) in Buland Elevates, an under-construction project of the builder in Sector 16C of Greater Noida West.

Devi along with the other buyers had paid the entire amount to the builder who had promised to deliver the flats by October 31, 2015. It was also declared in her builder-buyer agreement letter that if the flats were not delivered within the stipulated deadlines, the builder would have to start paying fines from September 30, 2016. Incidentally, when the deadline expired the builder had not even started construction. Understandably irked, Lakshmi Devi, had filed a lawsuit against the builder. The matter is now pending in court. Meanwhile, about four months ago Devi also filed a complaint with RERA.

“We had to visit the RERA office in Lucknow for hearings and finally got justice on the third hearing,” said Devendra, Devi’s relative. The penalty order was issued on January 17 by Abrar Ahmed, secretary of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority.

RERA has come into force in UP from July 2017. Builders of the state can now launch projects only after completing the formalities prescribed by RERA.

Abhishek Kumar, president of Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association (NEFOWA) told City Spidey that the order issued by RERA against Buland Builders will definitely increase the faith of the buyer fraternity and caution other erring builders.

Rain brings down pollution levels in Gurgaon

Today after the unexpected spell of rain, pollution levels in Gurgaon had dipped along with the temperature. The rainfall had dispersed the pollutants in the air, leaving people to breathe some fresh air for a change. Gurgaon News

The morning showers did not disrupt traffic as no major jams were reported. The temperature on Tuesday recorded a maximum of 17.0 degree and a minimum of 9.4 degree celsius. It translated to the perfect excuse for people to sip tea at joints or simply stay at home.

According to the weather department, more changes are expected. “The cold windy waves from the Himalayas will further bring the temperature down and it is expected to fall by another 4 degrees,” said an official from the meteorological department.

Given the current weather scenario, residents of Gurgaon have already started taking precautions to ward illnesses. They are particulary being cautious around small children.

“I dissuaded my son who studies in class I from going to school today,” said Niharika Rawat, a resident of Vipul Greens.

 

Gurgaon: Police presence beefed up to tighten security

The agitation over the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film Padmaavat, which reached Gurgaon on Sunday, turned uglier as a cinema hall in one of the high-end malls in the city were vandalised by a group of men.

Taking charge of the situation, the police has increased its presence in various parts of the city, not only in cinema halls and malls but also in bus stands, railway stations an marketplaces, said Ravinder Yadav, public relations officer, Gurgaon Police.

"We have deployed an extra force of 300 in the east, 150 in the west and 50 in the south areas for safety against antisocial elements," he added. Talking to City Spidey, police commissioner Sandeep Khirwar said, “We are increasing patrolling in the city and have asked for additional police deployment at various public places, not only in malls.” Gurgaon News

He added, “We are on the lookout for the group involved and will keep a check on all vulnerable spots in the city."There are about 65 patrolling vehicles in the city and about  60 bikes on duty at present.While the police are on a hunt for the miscreants, the government has assured action against anyone who engages in antisocial activities or breaks law and order in the city

Adding to the incidents of kidnappings and rapes taking place in Gurgaon, a 6-year-old girl was kidnapped from outside her house in Block K, Ashok Vihar. Gurgaon Breaking News

As per sources, the incident took place around 6.30 pm today, when the girl was playing outside her house. The kidnappers came in a white car and pulled her in.  After an hour, she was dropped at Pataudi Chowk, from where a stranger helped her call her mother on her mobile phone.

The victim hails from a middle-class family; her father works in a marketing company and her mother is a housewife. The incident has left the parents in shock.

While the police are investigating the matter, the family is thankful that the girl could escape unharmed.

Gurgaon police busts call centre racket duping foreign citizens

Owners of call centres operating separately from different buildings in Udyog Vihar Phase 5 were arrested on Monday night by Gurgaon police. Operating a scam, these call centres would dupe American and other foreign citizens by offering them loans, lotteries and tax benefits.

The victims would pay the money through iTunes card, from where the sum would be further transferred into other accounts.

The police revealed details about the raid at a press conference on Tuesday evening.

The police managed to get a tip off while investigating a fraud concerning foreign clients of an MNC based in Gurgaon. Gurgaon News

As many as 33 arrests have been made in the case. While the call centre owners hailed from Dwarka, Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon, the brain behind the racket, or the kingpin, is yet to be nabbed.

The call centres had a number of employees, who will now face investigation under the charges filed. The police also seized a large number of laptops, computers and other IT equipment used in the operation.

Speaking to City Spidey, Sumit Kuhar, DCP Crime, said, “We have registered cases under Sections 406, 419 and 66 of the IT Act, as these call centres do not possess the lease or the licence to operate.”

People can use the underpasses at Rajeev Chowk and Signature Towers from today

The underpasses of Rajeev Chowk and Signature Towers that were slated for inauguration on January 10 will finally be inaugurated today. The construction of these two underpasses by NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) had caused major traffic hurdles in the last six months.

While the Signature Tower underpass entailed a budget of Rs 215 crores the one at Rajeev Chowk cost Rs 235 crores. According to sources, foot over bridges are also going to be constructed in these areas for the convenience of pedestrians.

The Signature Tower underpass will facilitate smooth access from Sector 14 and Sector 17 to the Huda City Metro Station. On the other hand, with this underpass in place residents of South City 1 will also have an easier access to Sector 14. As people from Sohna Road and Old Gurgaon start using this underpass to commute to Central Delhi, a major traffic congestion at Rajeev Chowk shall be averted.

Another major underpass will be constructed at the IFFCO Chowk. Once it comes into place, traffic will be regulated for condominiums on MG Road.

Noida residents oppose proposed hike in water tariff

The Federation of Noida RWAs (FONRWA) and Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Association (NOFAA) are opposing Noida Authority’s recent proposal to hike water tariffs in the city. FONRWA has also appealed to residents to stop paying water bills if a hike does take place.

Noida Authority recently announced that it planned to hike water tariffs from the next financial year. It also announced that it would collect sewage charges from residents on the lines of what the Delhi government does.

The minimum charge of water in residential areas is Rs 6 per kilolitre and the maximum Rs 7.5 per kilolitre.

NP Singh, president of FONRWA, told City Spidey that Noida Authority could not compare itself to Delhi as a justification to hike its water tariffs. “In Delhi, the first 20,000 kilolitres of water is supplied free to residents, after which the tariffs are applicable. Also, Delhi is supplied treated water, whereas in Noida the water supplied to residents is untreated and inferior in quality. Delhi water is potable, but Noida water is unfit even for washing and bathing. SO on what basis can they equate the water tariffs of the two cities?” Singh said.

 Noida News

Singh also said that on September 9, 2000, the Supreme Court and the chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh had directed Noida Authority to construct a water treatment plant in Gautam Budh Nagar within two years. But even after 17 years, there has been no action on the order. “Noida Authority must also instal a water meter in every house and then fix the charge of water as per the size of the house,” Singh said.

Rajiva Singh, president of NOFAA, said that the Authority should first concentrate on improving the quality of water supplied to high-rises and also ensure it is enough to meet the demand of residents. Right now, he said, both quality and quantity of water were woefully low. “We will not have to instal RO systems in the house and not buy water bottles for daily use,” he said. “We have even written to Noida Authority CEO Alok Tandon about this,” Singh said.

 

Indirapuram AOAs to meet deputy registrar over renewal of their registrations

Miffed over the repeated delay in renewal of Apartment Owner Association (AOA) registrations, heads of several AOAs from Indirapuram and Ghaziabad have now decided to meet the Deputy Registrar of Societies and Chit Funds at Meerut over the issue.

Speaking to City Spidey, heads of several high rise societies alleged the presence of touts and middlemen between officials and AOA members. These touts demand a certain sum for speeding up the process and getting the work done. The AOA members also said that the process is being delayed on the pretext of submitting old documents (related to the AOA body). They also say that sometimes the documents requested for date back to the time when the builder managed the society.

Speaking to City Spidey, Jigyasu Pant, a former AOA member from Gaur Green City Society said that this meeting is aimed at bringing the AOAs and officials on one common platform of understanding. “We had applied for the renewal of our AOA registration in 2011 and we ultimately received the certificate in 2013. During the course of our follow-ups, the officials kept demanding for old documents. Many of these documents were not readily available,” said Pant.

Similar views were shared by Mohit Mishra, AOA member from HRC Professional Hub, another residential society. The AOA members also said that the process is being delayed on the pretext of submitting old documents (related to the AOA body). In his words, “The officials often ask for documents from the time when the society was being managed by the builder. Providing these documents is not always possible. Therefore we have to bribe the middlemen who unnecessarily complicate the process.” Indirapuram News

Sanjeev Singh, president of Lotus Pond Society too echoed similar sentiments like Pant and Mishra. AOA representatives from twelve residential societies in the Vaibhav Khand area of Indirapuram are going to approach the deputy registrar’s office in the first week of February.