Author: The Metrognome

Categories
Trends

Dadar’s Kohinoor Square is India’s tallest building

Report certifies the under-construction building as tallest commercial structure at 203 metres; 12 other Mumbai buildings figure on the list.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The under-construction Kohinoor Square located at Dadar, has just got a good distinction – it was recently listed as the country’s tallest commercial building by the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats (CTBUH). Standing at 203 metres, the building is a 52-storey diamond shaped tower that is currently in the last stages of construction.

The CTBUH report was released in October 2012, and lists, apart from Kohinoor Square, such buildings as Sunshine Tower, Marathon Futurex, Parinee I, MVRDC, Phiroze Jeejeebhoy Towers, IDBI Towers, Express Towers, Air India Building, CG House, Haj House, 247Park and Century Mills Tower as the city’s tallest skyscrapers. Of the 22 buildings listed by CTBUH, 13 are from Mumbai, while three each are from Bangalore and Gurgaon, two are from Noida and one is from Kolkata.

Kohinoor Square is said to be the only mixed-used development project in Mumbai, offering 40 floors of commercial space, 50,000 square feet of retail space and about 64 residential apartment spaces. There will also be a luxury hotel on top of the commercial tower.

“It enjoys a strategic location, with proximity to Dadar railway station and it is close to western and eastern expressways.  So, apart from being accessible to people travelling by train, it is also close to the Bandra-Worli sea link and both the expressways,” said Nathan Andrews, Chief Marketing Officer, Kohinoor Square.

Other plans for the building include 48 high-speed elevators along with 12 escalators, a car parking for 2,000 vehicles and an intelligent traffic management system, double height landscaped sky gardens and double height terraces with floor-to-ceiling glazing on every alternate floor.

“In order to have a green building and reduce our energy consumption by over 25 per cent, we have used double glazed reflective glass facades, which restrict the energy from coming in, but let in natural light, thereby reducing consumption of electricity,” said Nathan.

Measuring tallness

The CTBUH does not measure ‘tallness’ based on a building’s height alone – such parameters as height relative to the building’s context, proportion and technologies used for tall buildings (such as vertical transport and structural wind bracing) come into play when determining whether a building is tall or not.

(Pictures courtesy kohinoorsquare.in)

Categories
Event

Rally around for human rights

NGO to hold rallies, informal meetings and lectures to spread awareness of human rights violations. Human Rights Day was yesterday.

The Students’ Islamic Organisation (SIO) of India’s Mumbai chapter yesterday held a meeting to brief the press and the public about its programme to spread awareness of human rights violations, both in India and abroad. A major talking point for the meeting was the ongoing crisis at Gaza, and the numerous reported human rights violations happening there.

As per a member of the SIO, Mumbai, “On the occasion of World Human Rights Day, we decided to hold a meeting to discuss the ongoing human rights violations in Gaza, as well as the State-sponsored imprisonment of several Muslim youth in jails on the wrongful accusation of them being terrorists. Besides this, we are also addressing such issues that affect the society in terms of education and employment, as also the effect of extremist speeches and writings on people and the loss of personal liberty.”

The SIO plans to implement its programme through a series of events, such as public lectures, essay writing competitions, lectures in colleges, youth meets, ‘corner meetings’, discussions and analysis of the Human Rights Charter, displaying human rights posters, and human chains at various points in the city.

Categories
Eat

Food for 2012’s last month

Ziya at the Oberoi Hotel starts a six-day ‘Z’ menu from today; all dishes served will incorporate the letter ‘Z’.
by The Diarist | thediarist@themetrognome.in

It’s the last month of 2012, and for most of us, 2013 can’t get here soon enough. So while we’re waiting for the year to end, why not dig into a specially-designed menu with a twist?

Twice-Michelin starred chef Vineet Bhatia has created a fun new menu – the Z menu – for patrons of Ziya, The Oberoi, Mumbai. Inspired by the last letter of the alphabet, it is being served from today to December 16, with each dish incorporating the alphabet Z.

As per a release from Ziya, “Guests will begin their dining experience with Zafran, saffron shorba, Charmagaz marbles and naan malai bruschetta, followed by a choice of either Zucchini Bekti with Bengal gram masala and zucchini korma or Zucchini‐chilli paneer, with Bengal gram masala and zucchini korma.” The next course will offer Zattar chicken tikka with Punjabi paratha and papaya chutney or Zattar saag corn seekh with Punjabi paratha and papaya chutney, followed by Zeera, Cumin lamb pasanda, rice gattas, cumin potatoes, and lamb jus or Zeera, Cumin aubergine gujiya, rice gattas, cumin potatoes, and panch‐phoran tomato sauce.

The restaurant will let you end your meal “with a dose of death by chocolate, by trying Zeher, which is mocha coffee‐chilli choco cheesecake with Cookie kulfi, and sesame butter truffle.” Other vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare will also be available during this time.

(Picture courtesy pioneerwoman.com. Picture used for representational purpose only)

 

 

Categories
Big story

1,374 Bangladeshis caught in Mumbai this year

They crossed over into the country and later, Mumbai, without valid papers. 250 Bangladeshis were deported in 2012 by cops.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The numbers of illegal migrants to India show no sign of dwindling. Bangladesh, especially, is guilty of sending the most numbers of migrants to India every year, as police records show, and many of these make their way to Mumbai. This year alone, the Mumbai police have apprehended 1,374 Bangladeshis, of which 250 have been deported.

Last month, too, the I Unit of the Special Branch of the Mumbai Police had rounded up close to 250 Bangladeshi workers employed on major infrastructure project sites in the city. The workers were caught after a series of surprise raids were conducted on these sites, one of which was an MMRDA project, and none of those caught had valid work permits in their possession.

What’s more, illegal Bangladeshi migrants have been found to reside in across the length and breadth of the city. Last week, in a series of raids conducted by the I Unit in such locations as Mankhurd, Ashok Nagar (Borivli east), Thane rural, Navi Mumbai (Kharghar, Kamothe village and Ghansoli), Vasai, Turbhe (Indira Nagar slums), Mira Road, Naigaon, Bhayander and Nalasopara, among others, 328 migrants were apprehended for staying in the city. These comprise over 70 children as well. The raids were conducted by special teams on December 6 and 8, 2012.

Mumbai alone accounts for 1,374 arrests of Bangladeshi migrants this year. We wonder what the numbers add up to in the rest of the State and the country.

(Picture courtesy flapsblog.com. Picture used for representational purpose only)

 

Categories
Film

Pole wallting

The diary of an event manager whose film promotion show was totally ruined by an Indian action hero’s outrageous demands.
by M| M@themetrognome.in

There is a certain man in Bollywood who loves a good stunt, both on and off screen. And here’s  a page from an event manager’s dairy, a person who was given the onerous task of bringing, let’s call him Desi Lee, to a film promotion gig.

‘Dear Dairy,

Today, I searched for a local arms and ammunition shop on Google Maps. I never thought I’d need a gun so badly in my life. I can shoot the lead actor of the project I am currently working on. No doubt he is the only decent action hero in the industry, but he desperately needs a reality check, and today he crossed every line in the book.

It all started a week ago, when the stupendously irritating marketing head of the film decided to throw a last-minute event to launch the film’s theatrical trailer. Why not upload the trailer on YouTube and move on, you ask? Darling, this is Bollywood. Mr K Jo threw an event for the trailer release of his last film, so now everyone else will do the same.

Coming back to my horrible life. I had only a week to pull this big deal of an event. Scouting the venue, drawing the guest list, arranging for the food and booze were the easiest parts. The lurid portion of the party was deciding the ‘entry’ for Desi Lee.

Lee likes to believe that he is a reincarnated avatar of Bruce Lee. Performing his own stunts in his films is commendable, whereas insisting on doing a stunt at a live event is plain foolish. Sometimes I wonder if he does normal, everyday activities like the rest of us. Like, does he sit on the pot like all of us do, or does he somersault and land on it? His antics began when he said that he would not walk to the podium, his ‘entry’ had to be mind-boggling and should leave the audience shocked. Thus began the journey of an endless pursuit for the right action act.

At first, he wanted to land at the venue in a hot air balloon, and I wanted to be King of the world. The multiple licenses and the limited time frame to import a hot air balloon made the task impossible. So that idea was mercifully scrapped.

Then Lee thought that since going up was not an option, coming down would be more exciting. So the alternate idea was for him to come down a fireman’s pole while performing Indian acrobatic acts. This would have been a great idea in an open maidan. But Leebhai grand event was to be held in the ballroom of a five star hotel.

Of course, the hotel refused to allow a hole to be dug in their floor, and worse, to have a pole fixed in the middle of their lavish 5,000 square feet banquet hall.

Lee was furious by now. With only three days to go for the event, he had no dhaasu entry. He was not ready to lose face. Everyone was summoned for an emergency meeting. After wasting hours on discussing options like skateboarding, parkour, stunt bikes and even riding a horse in a closed hall, Lee finally agreed on making his entry on a Segway, but with a twist (there has to be a twist, this is Desi Lee who lands on his pot after a somersault). Just riding a Segway also requires some practice, but this was not challenging enough for our action hero. So he decided to break a wall through the Segway and come rolling onto the stage. At this point I was looking for a wall…to bang my head against!

The production team starting working on building the wall out of cardboard. If I had my way, I would bring in the masons that worked for Mughal-e-Azam because they would know how to build a wall to bury Lee alive. Then Lee saw the blueprints of the construction and didn’t seem very excited. Next, came the tantrums.

With just two days to go, the preparations were in full swing when he dropped the first bomb – he wanted a change in the event’s timing. Next, he wanted an executive suite at the hotel to rest before he commenced the event. The final demand was to change the venue to a location convenient to him and closer to his house. Change the venue now? How was that going happen? All the other halls were booked and only one available in the desired location was way too expensive. The additional cost for procuring a new venue made the management fall off their chairs.

They gave an ultimatum to the marketing team – retain the venue or cancel the event. There was no way on Earth they were going to incur additional cost to build and later break a wall.

Mr Lee didn’t budge an inch and so the event was called off.

My hard work, all week, round the clock, was flushed away by a star and his demands.

I am still looking for that gun shop.’

Sharp as a tack and sitting on more hot scoops than she knows what to do with, M is a media professional with an eye on entertainment.

Categories
Overdose

A Bihari in Bharat

We’re all Indians, right? Then why do we always mentally compartmentalise people based on their community or where they come from?
by Jatin Sharma

“I hate this hatred that we have over Marathis and non-Marathis, and Mumbaikars and non-Mumbaikars,” said a man sitting near the window in a local train.

“I hate all the politicians who infiltrate people’s minds on the basis of such separatist ideology. They are supposed to be our leaders!”, replied a man who was vada-paoed between two others in the train.

One man was listening to these comments with a lot of curiosity. He was ‘new’ to this old city of prosperity and wealth. He had heard a million gems of wisdom while his mother packed his bag with laddoos and people gave him a lot of advice about how he should behave in Mumbai. After all, he was a Bihari. He had been sufficiently warned about not getting into an argument with any person wearing a saffron scarf or a saffron tikka.

So the aforementioned conversation, which actually challenged what he had been told about, was like a sweet melody to his ‘new’ ears. And while he was still digesting this conversation, he suddenly realised that he was reaching closer to his destination. The train was screeching to a halt at the platform. Springing up from his seat, he bravely plunged himself in the crowd of unorganised, frustrated and tired Mumbaikars standing in his way, to try and reach the door.

Suddenly someone asked him, “Kahan jaana hai? (where do you want to go?)”

He replied, “Bhayander.”

Someone else replied, mocking his Bihari accent, “Bhayander. Toh bhai tum andar hi rehna.”

He pleaded, “Mujhe jaane do, utarna hai.” His voice was peaceful, his tone still calm.

But the other popped a question, “Bihari ho?, Laloo ke desh se?”

He knew where this conversation was headed. And probably with the earlier conversation he’d heard still ringing in his ears, he very proudly replied, “Nahin, Bhartiya hoon, Gandhiji ke desh se.”

If this had been a film, we would have whistled and cheered and clapped at this rather excellent reply. But the tragedy was that this wasn’t a film, and after this dialogue, all we heard were punches and the man’s screams. No one came forward to save a Bihari then, not even the people who hated the fact that the leaders were infesting our minds with the poison of regionalism. Everyone was silent, and even plain logic was muted on the spot.

And please don’t even try to fool yourselves saying that you are not like that. You may not bash up Biharis or anybody else, but mentally, I am sure you bash some community or the other. We have developed this habit of asking people their names, and then following it up with, “Oh, Harsh Shah, so you are a Gujju,” or “Oh, Bejan Batliwala. So you are a Parsi.” We have been associating people with their faith for such a long time now, and somewhere along the way, we have all demeaned the whole idea of co-existence.

To add up to the woes of our nation, we remain silent when we see something going wrong. We discuss a lot of things, but we don’t stop them from happening when they happen right in front of us. Some may excuse themselves as, “Jaane do. Mere baap ka kya jaata hai?” But a dialogue is not something that should happen between two minds, it should happen within societies and communities. If one feels that something is wrong, then he or she shouldn’t keep quiet when it happens in front of them.

That’s why the wrong voices are becoming stronger and the right voices are becoming weaker.

The wrong is multiplied and the right is just dying a quiet death. Leaders are nothing but the ones who voice their opinions with strong voices, where they believe in what they say. Become a leader and change the world.

Jatin Sharma is a media professional who doesn’t want to grow up, because if he grows up, he will be like everyone else.

(Picture courtesy aglaia.co.in)

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