CM Siddaramaiah issues stern warning to government officials, says no work-from-home
Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has issued a directive to officials in district and taluk centers, emphasizing the importance of working from their respective offices rather than remotely from home. During a meeting with District Commissioners and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officers at the Vidhana Soudha conference hall, the Chief Minister conveyed his message sternly.
Siddaramaiah stressed the need for officials to be physically present in their offices to better serve the public. He voiced his concerns over complaints from citizens, MLAs, and ministers about officials' unavailability via phone calls. The Chief Minister emphasized that it is essential for officials to be accessible and responsive, regardless of the caller, whether it's from his office, ministers, MLAs, or the general public.
Furthermore, Siddaramaiah urged that those in public service must possess a compassionate and humane disposition. He cautioned officials against negligence and impertinence, emphasizing that the government's reputation should not be tarnished due to their actions or inaction.
The Chief Minister addressed the issue of farmer suicides in the state, revealing that 251 cases had been reported, with 174 of them already resolved. He expressed his desire for resolutions and the timely distribution of compensation for the remaining cases.
Regarding private moneylenders, Siddaramaiah called for vigilant monitoring, especially in drought-affected areas, to ensure farmers are not harassed. He also urged banks to play a proactive role in this regard.
In the health department, the Chief Minister expressed concerns about the unavailability of doctors and the practice of para-medical personnel prescribing medications in lieu of qualified doctors. Siddaramaiah directed doctors to be stationed in their respective centers and address the healthcare needs of the people effectively.
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Mumbai Metro lines 9 and 2B open for commuters
Mumbai (PTI): Commercial operations on the first phases of Mumbai Metro corridors 9 and 2B began on Wednesday morning, a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the mass-transit routes, officials said.
While the Metro 9 marks the first direct connectivity between a suburb in Mumbai and a part of Thane city in the metropolitan region, the Line 2B will provide the first metro connectivity on the Harbour Line in Mumbai.
The 5.6-km elevated Phase 1 stretch of Metro Line 9 comprises four stations -- Dahisar East, Pandurangwadi, Miragaon and Kashigaon. The 5.53-km Phase 1 of Metro Line 2B has five stations, including Deshbhakt N G Acharya Udyan (Diamond Garden), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, Deonar, Mankhurd and Maharashtra Nagar–Mandale.
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According to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Line 9 is expected to cut travel time between Mira-Bhayandar in Thane district and Mumbai to around 30 minutes from the current one to two hours. Built at Rs 6,607 crore, it will eventually provide seamless connectivity to south Mumbai through interlinking with other lines.
With the addition of the two new lines, Mumbai’s operational Metro network has expanded to six corridors, including Line 1 (Ghatkopar-Andheri-Versova), Line 2A (Andheri West-Dahisar East), Line 7 (Dahisar East-Andheri East) and the underground Line 3 (Colaba-Bandra Kurla Complex-SEEPZ).
As per MMRDA, the revised timetable for Line 2A and Line 7 came into effect on Wednesday, aimed at improving frequency, predictability and overall commuter experience.
It said that with the inauguration of Line 9, Metro Line 2A will now operate as a standalone corridor between Andheri West and Dahisar East, with services from 5.50 am till around 11 pm and a peak frequency of about six minutes.
The integrated Line 7-9 corridor (Gundavali to Kashigaon), spanning 19.79 km, will operate from 5.50 am to 11 pm, with a peak frequency of under six minutes and 276 services on weekdays.
Metro Line 2B (Phase 1) services commenced at 6 am and will run till around 10.30 pm at intervals of approximately nine-and-a-half minutes, operating 209 services daily, according to officials.
MMRDA said the integration of Line 7 with Line 9 enables direct connectivity from Andheri East to Mira-Bhayandar, while Lines 2A and 7 will function as separate corridors.
A seamless interchange facility at Dahisar station will allow passengers to switch between Lines 2A and 7 without exiting the “paid” (ticketed) area.
