TWO PROMISED BIZMAN A SHOP, CHEATED HIM OF ₹5 LAKH

NAVI MUMBAI : Two people who allegedly cheated a businessman of ₹5 lakh by promising him a shop at Kamothe, were booked by the police. They are yet to be arrested.

According to the police, S Sutar, 45, was looking for a shop at Kamothe.

He met two agents in May, who assured him that he would get a shop at a cheaper rate.

In August, the agents told him that a shop was available at a market place and the cost would be ₹45 lakh.

“The accused also told the businessman that the shop owner was in urgent need of money and hence he wanted ₹10 lakh as early as possible,” said a police officer from Kamothe police station.

“Sutar said he won’t be able pay such a huge amount. After a few days, he was asked to at least pay ₹5 lakh. The agents also handed him some bogus documents while taking cash,” he said.

Just after receiving the cash, the agents went into hiding. Even after repeated attempts, when Sutar could not contact them, he realised he had been cheated.

He approached the police and registered a complaint.

“We have booked them under Sections 420 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),” the officer said. NAVIMUMBAI: The bus depot outside Belapur railway station is crumbling and dilapidated for years.

The depot is next to the underconstruction Belapur Metro station, which is the starting point of the Navi Mumbai metro line.

Once the Metro line starts, the bus depot is likely to be the busiest bus depot in the satellite city. The local residents of Belapur saidifrequisitemeasuresarenot taken before the inauguration of the Metro line, it may lead to congestion in the area.

More than 500 NMMT, BEST and KDMT buses travel to different places of Navi Mumbai, Thane and Raigad from the depot.

Manish Shinde, 38, an activist from Belapur, said, “The bus stops do not serve any purpose during heavy rain. Passengers have to wait holding umbrellas.”

Passengers have complained about seating arrangements.

“There are only six metal benches at the depot. But, the number of passengers travelling from here is more than 20,000 a day. The existing benches are not in good condition. The authorities concerned should take these issues into consideration and do the needful as early as possible,” he said.

Devika Pandey, 41, a resident of Belapur, said, “The biggest problem for women passengers is that there is no washroom at thedepot.Weusethewashrooms at the railway station while waiting for bus. The number of passengers will increase manifold after Metro starts and then it will become a major issue. The authorities should build at least two washrooms at the depot.”

TheCityandIndustrialDevelopment Corporation (Cidco) is likely to complete the first Metro line in August next year.

Shirish Aradwad, general manager of Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport, said, “We are aware of the issues at the depot. Butthedepotlandbelongs toCidco.Wearejustrunningour buses from there for the convenienceof commuters.We cannot upgrade the depot. Only Cidco can take measures to do so.”

According to an estimate, around 25,000 commuters will travel to Belapur from Taloja and Kharghar once it is inaugurated. Many of the commuters will come to the bus depot to boardbusandtraveltootherplaces.

“Hawkers are another issue. Vegetable sellers have occupied both sides of the depot and do business till late evening. All of them should be evicted to free up space,” said SubhashPatil, 56, an activist.

A senior Cidco official said, “We have taken the matter into consideration. We will take the final decision soon and renovate the bus depot before the Metro line is inaugurated.”

› We are aware of the issues at the depot. But the depot land belongs to Cidco. We are just running our buses from there for the convenience of commuters. Only Cidco can take measures to do so SHIRISH ARADWAD, general manager of Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport