Former India PM Manmohan Singh Passes Away at 92; MMRDA’s Skywalks Have Become Havens for Vendors and Drug Addicts

Mumbai, India - Former Prime Minister of India and architect of the country's economic reforms, Manmohan Singh, passed away in New Delhi on Thursday night, leaving behind a legacy that will be remembered for generations to come. He was 92.

In a more pressing concern, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has been criticized for its recent expenditure on skywalks that have become makeshift havens for vendors and drug addicts, rather than serving their intended purpose of providing pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. The MMRDA spent over Rs 900 crore on constructing 36 skywalks, including 24 in the island city and suburbs, but many of these walkways remain poorly maintained and lack essential facilities like escalators.

Meanwhile, financial markets traded higher on Friday amid buying in bank stocks and a strong performance by Asian peers. The benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty climbed significantly, with the Sensex going up by 311.48 points to reach 78,783.96, while the NSE Nifty jumped by 98.1 points to reach 23,848.30.

In sports news, India made a late strike to keep their hopes alive in the ongoing Boxing Day Test match against Australia. The first day of the test lived up to its hype, with both teams putting in excellent performances.

On the entertainment front, filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya has cast Ayushmann Khurrana as lead for his next film after previous leads Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone. With the leading man confirmed, expectations are high about who will be paired opposite him in the family drama. According to insiders, Sara Ali Khan and Triptii Dimri are currently the top contenders for the role.

These are just a few of the stories making headlines today.