Swapnil Rawal
Swapnil Rawal is Principal Correspondent with the Hindustan Times. He covers urban development and infrastructure. He had long stints with leading national dailies and has experience of over a decade in journalism.
Articles by Swapnil Rawal
Senior Shiv Sena leaders, ministers didn’t attend farmers’ protest in Mumbai
PUBLISHED ON JAN 26, 2021 12:48 AM IST
While Sena said it didn’t want to break Covid-19 rules, its senior leaders were at an inauguration in Kalyan where scores had gathered
Maharashtra crosses 100,000 Covid vaccinations
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
UPDATED ON JAN 26, 2021 12:31 AM IST
Maharashtra added 1,842 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking its tally to 2,010,948. Mumbai, meanwhile, added 348 new cases to take its tally to 306,398
No senior Shiv Sena leader at farmers’ rally in Mumbai
UPDATED ON JAN 25, 2021 06:54 PM IST
- The Shiv Sena sent a youth wing functionary as the party's representative at the farmers' rally where senior leaders of the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Agahdi (MVA) including Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Congress president Balasaheb Thorat were present
BJP indulging in religious polarisation in West Bengal, says Shiv Sena’s Saamana
UPDATED ON JAN 25, 2021 01:20 PM IST
The editorial comes at a time Sena is expected to contest around 100 seats in the assembly elections in Bengal. Senior party leaders will visit Kolkata early next month to chalk out the party’s strategy for the polls
Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s statue unveiled in Mumbai
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
PUBLISHED ON JAN 24, 2021 01:48 AM IST
The nine-feet bronze statue is the first of the Sena supremo in the city, where he established his political party and shaped his political life
Maharashtra government to open Pune’s Yerawada prison for jail tourism
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
UPDATED ON JAN 24, 2021 12:38 AM IST
School students will be charged Rs5, while college students will have to pay Rs10. For the general public, the fare will be Rs50
At 76%, Maharashtra sees its highest turnout for Covid vaccine so far
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
PUBLISHED ON JAN 23, 2021 12:42 AM IST
Maharashtra on Friday inoculated 21,610 healthcare workers (HCWs) across 282 centres in the state’s fourth vaccination drive so far. The state achieved its highest percentage of turnout on Friday at 76%, owing to the decision to allow walk-ins for HCWs at the centres to get the vaccine.
Go beyond party lines, meet PM on Maratha quota, Belgaum issue and GST dues: Maharashtra CM to state MPs
UPDATED ON JAN 22, 2021 01:53 AM IST
Thackeray said that he has plans to form committees of MPs for better coordination between the state and the Centre
Uddhav, Raj expected to share stage at Bal Thackeray’s birth anniversary event
PUBLISHED ON JAN 21, 2021 05:20 PM IST
The estranged cousins earlier attended a virtual all-party meeting called to discuss the Covid-19 situation in May
Expedite CZMP for Mumbai and coastal districts in Maharashtra, Aaditya Thackeray writes to Union minister
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
PUBLISHED ON JAN 21, 2021 12:28 AM IST
State environment minister Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday wrote to Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar seeking inclusion of Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMP) under the Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) Notification, 2019 for the districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg
Sena questions Centre over reports of China building village in Arunachal
PUBLISHED ON JAN 20, 2021 01:37 PM IST
n an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena said that the country awaits a similar cross-border action against China as was ordered after Uri and Pulwama attacks originated from the Pakistani soil
Maharashtra resumes Covid-19 vaccination drive after delay over CoWin
UPDATED ON JAN 19, 2021 01:43 PM IST
The state intends to inoculate 28,500 people in a day through sessions at 285 centres across the state
Not keen on fines for traffic violations: Maharashtra transport minister
By Swapnil Rawal and Aroosa Ahmed
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 01:31 AM IST
Parab’s statement came during the 32nd National Road Safety Week on Monday, which was inaugurated by chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray at the Sahyadri guest house at Malabar Hill
Shiv Sena seeks action against Arnab over leaked WhatsApp chat
PUBLISHED ON JAN 18, 2021 12:46 PM IST
Senior leader Sanjay Raut said that the Republic TV editor-in-chief having prior information about the Balakot air strikes hints at a breach in national security
Maharashtra to inoculate its citizens four days a week
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
UPDATED ON JAN 18, 2021 01:01 AM IST
A day after the vaccination drive kicked off in the state and the country , the Maharashtra government on Sunday sought resolution of the technical glitches in the CoWIN app, while saying its next vaccination session will start from Tuesday
No major side effects after Covid-19 vaccine says Maharashtra health minister
By Swapnil Rawal and Mehul Thakkar, Mumbai
UPDATED ON JAN 17, 2021 11:47 PM IST
No major adverse effects have been reported from Maharashtra following the vaccination of 18,562 healthcare workers on Sunday, state health minister Rajesh Tope said
Shiv Sena and Congress in war of words over renaming of Aurangabad
By Swapnil Rawal | Edited by Sabir Hussain
PUBLISHED ON JAN 17, 2021 05:13 PM IST
- The two allies have been at loggerhead over the issue for the last two weeks after the Sena raised thedecade-old issue to rename Aurangabad city as Sambhaji Nagar.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya involved in planning strategy for the 2022 Mumbai civic elections
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
UPDATED ON JAN 16, 2021 01:26 AM IST
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing for a high-decibel campaign for the February 2022 Mumbai civic polls, on the lines of the recent Hyderabad civic elections, the ruling Shiv Sena has quietly begun work on ground
Maharashtra government to redo Mahabaleshwar market, beautify Venna lake
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
UPDATED ON JAN 16, 2021 12:10 AM IST
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday approved the masterplan of the tourism development in Mahabaleshwar, the state’s popular tourist destination in Satara district
Active Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra surge to 52,558
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 01:38 AM IST
The number of active cases had slipped below 50,000 on January 4, but later rose to 54,179 on January 10
Maharashtra past grim mark of 50K Covid-19 deaths
UPDATED ON JAN 10, 2021 06:28 PM IST
Covid-19 fatalities witnessing massive dip since October, say officials; city’s case tally at 298,235, while toll surges to 11,181
Vaccine dry run in 30 Maharashtra districts today
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
UPDATED ON JAN 08, 2021 01:54 AM IST
Maharashtra will take nearly three months to complete the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination for 800,000 people, state health minister Rajesh Tope said on Thursday.
Saamana editorial praises Rahul Gandhi; calls him a ‘warrior’ for standing up against Centre
By Swapnil Rawal | Hindustan Times, Mumbai
UPDATED ON JAN 07, 2021 01:00 PM IST
It says those in power are afraid of Gandhi or ‘government campaigns to discredit the Gandhi family would not have been carried out’
Mumbai civic body polls: Snack in Sena’s tagline to woo city Gujaratis
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
UPDATED ON JAN 06, 2021 12:30 AM IST
Eight cases of new Covid-19 strain detected in Maharashtra, five in Mumbai
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
PUBLISHED ON JAN 05, 2021 12:52 AM IST
Maharashtra on Monday found eight United Kingdom (UK) returnees, who had tested positive for coronavirus, to be infected by the new variant of Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
Ask Congress why it is against renaming Aurangabad, instead of questioning us: Sanjay Raut to BJP
By Swapnil Rawal | Hindustan Times, Mumbai
PUBLISHED ON JAN 04, 2021 11:39 AM IST
Congress is opposed to the move to rechristen the city saying that instead of emotional issues, the party should focus on matters concerned with people’s livelihood and development during elections
Shiv Sena-BJP fight to delay Mumbai’s Metro, transport infra upgrade?
UPDATED ON DEC 22, 2020 01:12 AM IST
The fight between Sena and BJP over car shed plot will impact the much-needed transport upgrade, say experts; development agenda likely to come up in 2022 BMC polls
Mumbai Congress chief Bhai Jagtap wants Congress to go solo for 2022 BMC polls
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
PUBLISHED ON DEC 21, 2020 12:36 AM IST
he top leaders in the MVA government have been advocating that all three parties should fight the elections for all local bodies together to defeat the BJP
Sonia’s letter to Uddhav result of lack of communication within Cong: NCP
By Swapnil Rawal | Hindustan Times, Mumbai
UPDATED ON DEC 20, 2020 11:32 AM IST
Maharashtra Congress president Balasaheb Thorat said Gandhi’s letter was not out of resentment, but as part of a dialogue process. “Congress’s stand has always been in favour of uplift of poor and deprived sections of the society and Gandhi’s letter was part of dialogue on how welfare measures can be taken. There is no resentment,” he said.
Sonia Gandhi’s letter to Uddhav Thackeray brings unease between Congress-NCP to the fore
By Swapnil Rawal, Mumbai
UPDATED ON DEC 20, 2020 05:25 AM IST
A day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi wrote to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray asking him to fulfil promises made to socially backward classes, the unease between Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was visible even as the Congress insisted that Gandhi’s letter should be seen as dialogue and not confrontation