Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train works: Survey starts after residents complain of cracks to structures
Palghar (PTI): The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited executing the multi-billion dollar Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project on Friday said a survey has begun after cracks were reported in certain structures along the construction route in Maharashtra's Palghar district.
The NHSRCL said "controlled blasting" was underway in the area under the supervision of district authorities and in the presence of local villagers to ensure transparency and safety.
In a release, the NHSRCL said a technical team has been mobilised to assess the situation and determine the cause of the damage.
"To ensure an independent evaluation, NHSRCL has also engaged a third-party technical expert agency to carry out a detailed survey. The survey of the affected structures has already commenced in the village and so far more than 290 structures have been surveyed," it said.
The findings from this expert agency will determine the further course of action, including any remedial measures that may be required, the NHSRCL said in the statement.
The statement comes amid concerns raised by local residents regarding structural cracks that appeared during the ongoing construction works for the high speed rail corridor.
The 508-kilometre Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project involves extensive tunnelling, blasting, and advanced civil engineering works, officials said, adding safety of people and structures along the route were the top priority.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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