18th century Ghodbunder fort in Mumbai set to get facelift

Ghodbunder Fort, originally named Cacabe de Tanna, which was built by the Portuguese in 1730, is set to be restored at an estimated cost of ₹50 crore. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Ratnagiri and Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Mumbai gave the official nod for the same to the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) after years of delay.
Both the agencies gave their no objection certificates (NOC) for the restoration and beautification of the 9-acre fort under the Shiv Srushti project of MLA Pratap Sarnaik who had taken up the matter of the delay with the agencies.
Ghodbunder Fort located in Ghodbunder village in Bhayandar also houses a church. It is currently in ruins and was adopted by MBMC under the government’s Maharashtra Vaibhav Protected Monuments Adoption Scheme to restore historical monuments. “The department of cultural affairs had granted heritage structure status to eight monuments in the state including Ghodbunder Fort thus paving the way for their adoptions by the respective local civic bodies,” said Sarnaik.
MBMC has planned conservation, restoration and beautification of the fort and its surroundings, said Sarnaik.
The fort was built in 1730 by the Portuguese who had settled in Bhayandar in 1530. It was under Portuguese rule till 1737 till Marathas captured the fort and overthrew the Portuguese rule.
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Agra: Woman thrown off 4th-floor balcony by husband, dies
A 30-year-old woman died after Ritika Singh, the deceased was allegedly thrown off the fourth floor balcony of her house by her husband and four other people, police here said on Saturday. Police have arrested three people, including the woman's husband, Akash Gautam, and booked them in sections 302 (murder) and 34 (act done by several persons with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, they said.
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Colleges seek ways to accommodate non-state board students
Mumbai Admissions to minority quota across colleges affiliated with the University of Mumbai had to be completed by Saturday, June 25 this year. However, taking into consideration that non-state board students are still awaiting results in order to be able to apply, city colleges are finding ways to ensure that no student with merit goes without a seat in a college or course of his/her choice.
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India has always been open to science-based knowledge: Yogi
Lucknow Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said here on Saturday that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh always had a scientific approach and outlook because its RSS founder, Dr KB Hedgewar was a medical practitioner and had a science background. “Krishna's teaching to Arjun in Bhagwad Gita which is now 5000- years-old, still has meaning in modern times,” Yogi said. University professors were always on the look-out for promotions but hardly made effort for scientific publications.
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Court acquits two arrested for circulating counterfeit currency
Mumbai: Accused of circulating counterfeit Indian currency notes in the city, two men, residents of Malda district in West Bengal were acquitted of the charges by a sessions court on Thursday. Suleman Razzak Shaikh, 53, and Sanaul Julum Insarali Shaikh, 29, were arrested with 60 counterfeit notes of ₹2000 denomination, on November 8, 2017. The anti-extortion cell of the Mumbai police crime branch had received a specific tip-off.
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In Patna, over ₹3 crore in cash seized from drug inspector’s house
A separate team raided a drug inspector Jitendra Kumar's native place at Ghonsi in Jehanabad, flats in Civil Lines of Gaya district, Pharmacy College, Gola Road (Danapur) and a newly-built house at Khan-Mirza locality falling under Sultanganj police station in Patna City. Currently, he is posted in Patna and runs a Pharmacy College. It is believed that Jitendra's entire tenure in Patna with the drug control administration has been controversial.