The under-construction Lord Venkateswara temple in Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, is nearing completion but now faces a new debate over a proposed temporary helipad within its 10-acre premises.

Raymond Consumer Care Limited, the temple’s principal donor, has requested the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to consider building the helipad on Plot No. 3, Sector 12, allotted by the Maharashtra government through CIDCO. However, site engineers informed Raymond that no such provision exists in the commencement certificate issued by CIDCO.

Raymond has asked TTD to escalate the proposal for management consideration. TTD’s Chief Engineer acknowledged that a helipad could serve as an emergency facility and a secure access point for VVIPs, given Navi Mumbai’s severe traffic congestion. TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao clarified that the helipad is not part of the core temple construction and that no permissions have been granted yet. “We are still evaluating the proposal in line with Agama Shastras and regulatory guidelines,” Rao said.

Local devotees support the helipad, highlighting its potential to significantly cut travel time for pilgrims. The Chief Engineer also noted that nearby Sector 12 already hosts several helipads, making the proposal regionally viable.

The temple project has previously navigated major hurdles, including a legal challenge over CRZ norms and the complex rerouting of a Reliance Industries gas pipeline passing through the site.

If approved, the Navi Mumbai temple would become the first TTD temple globally to feature a helipad, potentially setting a precedent for future temples across India and abroad.

Nerul Police have arrested Ranjit Bhalchandra Naik, a former BJP Yuva Morcha office-bearer and real estate agent, for allegedly cheating a woman of Rs 3.5 lakh by falsely promising to sell her a flat and a shop in Sector 23, Nerul. Naik, who runs Samarth Krupa Developers, has been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) due to multiple similar fraud cases linked to him.

The complainant, 51-year-old Ahmadi Abdurrah Mulla from Tala, Raigad, approached police after Naik failed to deliver the promised properties. Naik had offered her a 950 sq. ft. flat and a 450 sq. ft. shop in the Shivam Classic building at a discounted price of ₹45 lakh. Between May 2023 and mid-2025, Mulla paid Rs 3.5 lakh through cheque, online transfer, and cash. When she repeatedly asked for possession or a refund, Naik allegedly threatened her, prompting her to file a complaint on June 9.

Police investigations revealed Naik was already facing four similar cheating cases, registered in 2023 and 2024, at Nerul Police Station. Despite multiple summonses, he failed to appear for questioning.

“Recognizing a consistent pattern of fraud, we proposed applying MCOCA against Naik,” said Senior Police Inspector Brahmananda Naikwadi. The proposal, cleared by senior officers, led to Naik’s arrest on June 19. He was produced in court on June 20 and remanded to four days of police custody. Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh Phule is leading the ongoing investigation to identify more potential victims.

CIDCO Union President Caught Accepting Rs 1.5 Lakh Bribe

The Bribe

Narendra Murlidhar Hire (57), recently appointed president of the CIDCO Employees’ Union and serving as a Grade-2 Stenographer in the Telecom Mobile Department at CIDCO Bhavan, CBD Belapur, was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh on June 20.

The Thane unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) conducted the operation based on a complaint from a retired CIDCO employee. The complainant had sought Hire’s assistance in securing pending retirement dues, including interest and gratuity, which were withheld due to an ongoing departmental inquiry. Hire allegedly demanded a total bribe of Rs 4.5 lakh to resolve the issue and promised to influence the outcome of the inquiry.

According to the ACB, Hire explained that the bribe amount would be distributed among key officials: Rs 3 lakh for CIDCO HR Manager Pramda Bidve, Rs 1 lakh for inquiry officer Chandlal Meshram, and Rs 50,000 for himself. After verifying the complaint, the ACB set a trap to catch Hire in the act.

Hire was apprehended while accepting Rs 1.5 lakh in cash at the CIDCO Employees’ Union office around 12:05 p.m. on June 20.

A case has been registered against him at the CBD Belapur Police Station under Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). Authorities are likely to probe the involvement of other officials named in the case.