Mumbai underground: Sixth-Floor Appeal

By making it clear that he is not keen on retaining his sixth-floor office at Mantralaya, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has upset several ministers. The sixth floor, which has traditionally housed the Chief Minister's office, was gutted in a fire in June last year and is under renovation. Ministers unhappy with the CM's decision argue that his office should remain on the sixth floor as it has its own "majestic appeal and sanctity". In the past, senior ministers were often at loggerheads jostling for the cabins on the sixth floor as it helped them to boast they shared the floor with the Chief Minister.

Minute Matters

When Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh arrived at a Mumbai University function, he got only one round of applause that must have not pleased him too much. Singh, who was the second speaker at the day-long event, said at the beginning of his talk that he could even finish it in a minute. He said this to emphasise his agreement with the previous speaker. However, some of the students in the hall immediately broke into loud applause. As it turned out, the speech lasted for nearly 20 minutes.

Too Close To Home

Many say real estate prices in areas connected by Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro and Chembur-Wadala Monorail have shot up ever since the projects gathered steam and are expected to rise further.

While having a light discussion, MMRDA commissioner Rahul Asthana was talking about how his own property in Andheri had appreciated by a great measure in the past few years. Then realising that there were journalists in the room, he hastily clarified that he purchased the flat before the state drafted the Mumbai Metro master plan.

Cop competition

Professional rivalry can surpass even friendship. This was seen recently when two policemen with different postings were talking in the presence of some reporters. Both of them are batchmates and one introduced the other to the reporters as a "very good friend". However, the friendship took a hit when one officer started waxing eloquent about a recent case he cracked. His batchmate listened for a while and then pulled an anecdote out of his own bag. Soon, the conversation had turned into a 'competition'. Finally, a subordinate interrupted with one of the oldest tricks in the book — suggesting they order tea. The reporters quickly excused themselves.

ALSO READ

To beat cancer, Stanford professor reaches out to Keralites in Delhi and elsewhere

Woman alleges gang-rape by husband, in-laws

3 more cases of minors rape reported in Delhi

Aarushi's phone was used after murder, claims CBI officer