Articles by Shashank Rao
Rs 185-crore flyover to cut your travel time at Panvel bottleneck
Driving towards Alibaug or the Konkan, you zip past the city’s heavy traffic using Mumbai’s network of flyovers. On the cusp of the city’s outskirts, you hit a traffic jam at Panvel city, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Oct 23, 2009 01:34 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Know tariff in advance
If things go according to plan, Mumbaiites will get fewer shocks from their electricity bills over the next five years.
Updated on Oct 21, 2009 12:59 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Matheran might make it to Unesco’s heritage list
Matheran would no longer be just a red-soil mountain with toy trains taken by people to get away from the summer heat of Mumbai, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Oct 20, 2009 12:59 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Harbour line fast train proposal on track
Navi Mumbaiities, there is a Diwali gift waiting from the railways. The planning agency of Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has proposed a fast corridor between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and Panvel on the Harbour route.
Updated on Oct 15, 2009 12:42 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Tenders for 3 new Metro routes after polls
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will float tenders for three new metro rail routes after the Assembly polls.
Updated on Oct 13, 2009 12:44 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Look who’s rallying for Raj’s party
In an unexpected turn of events, a foe turned into a friend for Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
Updated on Oct 12, 2009 01:22 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
From 2011, costlier train tickets
Your local suburban train ticket will be more expensive from 2011, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Oct 10, 2009 01:30 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Goregaon: Road to chaos
Anand Ghurye (46) has a problem that afflicts all of Goregaon: there is so much traffic, it’s virtually impossible to cross the roads, Shashank Rao.
Updated on Oct 10, 2009 01:15 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Rallies set to hit traffic today
From noon till late evening, the city’s three arterial roads will be choked, with major political parties scheduling rallies in their final campaign push for the impending Assembly polls, reports Sujit Mahamulkar & Shashank Rao
Updated on Oct 10, 2009 01:04 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Sujit Mahamulkar & Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Wanted: a green cover
Mangroves in Malad and a car shed in Charkop. That, in a nutshell, is what this election is all about in these two constituencies, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Oct 08, 2009 02:03 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
This time, stars shine for Independents too
In a close battle, you pull out the big guns. And candidates across the state — Independents too — are roping in the biggest celebrities they can find as campaigners.
Updated on Oct 07, 2009 12:57 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Problems of plenty
It boasts an eight-lane highway. Its busy market place is located close to the railway station and getting an auto rickshaw here is rarely a problem, reports Shashank Rao.See Graphics
Updated on Oct 03, 2009 01:57 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
No money, but that’s no worry
The worth of Morya’s assets stands out in the list of crorepati candidates contesting in the Assembly polls. But the lack of money to spend on elections has not deterred this 39-year-old autorickshaw driver from deciding to contest the polls, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Sep 29, 2009 01:12 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
No voter’s ID yet? Go to Itz cash world
If you are tired of waiting for the much-required electoral photo identity card (EPIC) before October 13, you can go to a franchisee of Itz cash world.
Updated on Sep 25, 2009 02:05 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
RSS chief slams govt
The Rashtriya Swayamseva Sangh (RSS) took out its Dussehra rally at the start of Navratri and blamed the Congress-led government for not managing to contain issues like price hike and terrorism, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Sep 21, 2009 01:40 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Railways count heads to fix size of trains
Starting Monday, till Wednesday, an outsourced agency will post people at the doors of the city’s suburban trains to count how many commuters typically cram into one coach on any given day, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Sep 15, 2009 01:04 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
You could take local to Dahanu
Mumbai’s rail development agency expects to complete work between Virar and Dahanu Road by December – a crucial connection that could fuel growth in a string of townships dotting the city’s northern suburbs, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Sep 13, 2009 01:07 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Emergency doors on 2 BEST buses
The city’s new violet coloured air-conditioned buses will soon have emergency doors in addition to the regular doors towards the front. Shashank Rao reports.
Updated on Sep 12, 2009 01:31 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
No train announcements, but TV show promos on platforms
The public announcement system of both Central and Western Railways is now being used as a platform for playing advertisements and promoting brands.
Updated on Sep 09, 2009 02:38 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
China-make buses ready, but not plying on city roads
The 70 violet-coloured air-conditioned King Long buses manufactured by China for the city’s roads are ready to ply. But they’re not, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Sep 08, 2009 02:41 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Bus fare hike on hold, for now
Thank the state Assembly elections scheduled for October, for keeping your bus pass prices from jumping nearly 40 per cent, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Sep 07, 2009 03:26 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
When faith played saviour
Many escaped mudslide havoc at Sakinaka on Thursday night because they were out for Ganpati visarjan or for Ramzan prayers.
Updated on Sep 05, 2009 01:22 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shahkar Abidi & Shashank Rao, Mumbai
WR services down, commuters run riot
Police opened fire in the air and lobbed six tear-gas shells at Nallasopara to disperse the mob of commuters protesting against the collapse of suburban services on Western Railway for two consecutive days.
Updated on Sep 02, 2009 01:14 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
AC, King Long buses to get bulletproof windows
Now travelling in King Long and air-conditioned public buses will not just be a comfortable, but also safer — thanks to bulletproof windows.
Updated on Sep 01, 2009 01:20 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Traffic police go digital to catch repeat offenders
Traffic policemen are now equipped with smart card readers and digital printers to keep track of repeat offenders.
Updated on Aug 25, 2009 01:34 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
14-yr-old bus fire victim dies
Ronit Gore, who suffered 70 per cent burns when a private bus ferrying schoolchildren caught fire on the Sion-Panvel Highway in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, died on Saturday. Shashank Rao reports.
Updated on Aug 23, 2009 01:53 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
‘Things are moving at a fast pace now’
Hindustan Times spoke to Milind Mhaiskar, additional metropolitan commissioner and project director, about the delays in road projects.
Updated on Aug 19, 2009 12:55 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Roads to nowhere
The expansive elevated stretch of the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) near Kurla station dwarfs the Sable Nagar slum cluster below.
Updated on Aug 19, 2009 12:25 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rajendra Aklekar & Shashank Rao, Mumbai
Learner’s licence in 10 min
Want a learner’s driving licence? All you have to do is answer 10 questions to clear the test. An in a jiffy — 10 minutes actually, walk away with your licence.
Updated on Aug 18, 2009 01:08 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai
CST train services restored
It took 200 people working in each of the six shifts to cut through the mammoth 141-year-old steel foot over-bridge at Masjid Bunder station in 48 hours, reports Shashank Rao.
Updated on Aug 17, 2009 01:27 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Shashank Rao, Mumbai