KALYAN: The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) on Friday presented a ₹3,186.60 crore budget for the financial year 2026–27, keeping taxes and civic rates unchanged while focusing on infrastructure expansion, improved civic amenities and stronger revenue mobilisation.Municipal Commissioner Abhinav Goel tabled the budget during the general body meeting, projecting an opening balance of ₹572.76 crore. The total expenditure is pegged at ₹3,186.49 crore, including ₹1,654.08 crore towards revenue expenditure and ₹1,524.20 crore for capital expenditure. The civic body also expects ₹829.25 crore in capital receipts through various government schemes.Infra boost across Kalyan-Dombivli:The budget lays strong emphasis on road and bridge infrastructure. Several road projects have been proposed, including U-type roads in Kalyan East, stretches along Malang Road, Chetna School to Nevali Naka, and works in Manda-Titwala and Thangewadi areas.A railway overbridge has been proposed at Mohone, while an additional two-lane flyover is planned near Kopar to ease traffic congestion between Dombivli East and West.Modernisation of civic infrastructure is also underway, including the redevelopment of Savitribai Phule Kalamandir. Cultural infrastructure projects such as community hall for Agri, Koli, Kunbi and Warkari communities in Kalyan West, development of Dr Anandibai Joshi Garden at Barave, and a stadium at Subhash Maidan have been proposed.Crematoriums, parks and urban amenities:KDMC has planned large-scale renovation and redevelopment of crematoriums across its jurisdiction, including Adharwadi, Lal Chowki, Bail Bazaar, Murbad Road, Vitthalwadi, Patharli and Kolegaon. New crematorium facilities are proposed at Casario and Manere.The civic body will also install CCTV systems in parks and playgrounds, develop 15 new small gardens, and undertake beautification of Bhopar Hill. A fully equipped garden at Barave, featuring an autism-friendly concept, is nearing completion.Additionally, 24 self-cleaning eco-toilets will be installed at key public locations to improve sanitation and convenience for residents and visitors.Water supply overhaul under AMRUT 3.0: A major focus area is water supply strengthening under the AMRUT 3.0 scheme. Plans include construction of a 275 MLD water treatment plant for 27 villages and Dombivli West, along with new overhead tanks, pumping stations and upgraded distribution systems.Reconstruction of the Patharli water tank and repairs to the Netivali water treatment plant are also proposed. The water supply network will be digitised using flow meters, SCADA systems and digital twin software for real-time monitoring and control.Waste management, environment initiatives:The budget outlines several large-scale waste management and environmental projects. These include a 750 TPD waste-to-energy plant at Umbarde through MMRDA, a 200 TPD bio-CNG plant at Barave in collaboration with BPCL, and expansion of an existing bio-CNG facility from 35 TPD to 60 TPD.Other initiatives include a briquetting plant for horticulture waste, a construction and demolition waste processing unit at Manda, an incineration plant for disposal of dead animals, and a green waste processing unit.To tackle pollution, KDMC has proposed dust suppression projects, installation of dry mist fountains in Kalyan and Dombivli, outdoor air purification systems and air purification units at crematoriums.Health, education and social initiatives: The civic body has announced multiple initiatives in the social sector. Municipal school students will receive Hepatitis-A vaccination, while sanitary napkin vending machines will be installed in schools. Sports infrastructure including tracks, long jump pits and equipment will be developed.Astronomy clubs with modern telescopes will be introduced in civic schools, and additional classrooms will be constructed where needed. A provision of ₹50 lakh has been made to improve facilities in balwadis.Animal welfare measures include upgrading the sterilisation centre for stray dogs at Bail Bazaar and setting up new sterilisation and shelter facilities in Dombivli.Special social initiatives include skill development programmes for the transgender community and development of 10 model seating spaces for senior citizens.Digital governance pushKDMC plans to adopt advanced technologies to improve governance and service delivery. Key initiatives include implementation of HRMS, a WhatsApp chatbot for citizen services, network security audits, new networking infrastructure across wards, and a document management system.Revenue targets and financial strategy: On the revenue front, KDMC has set a property tax collection target of ₹600 crore for 2026–27, up from last year’s ₹500 crore target.The corporation expects ₹510.03 crore from GST compensation and stamp duty grants, ₹526.30 crore under special levies, ₹101 crore from water charges, and ₹115.06 crore from government grants including education support. Miscellaneous revenue is estimated at ₹28.85 crore. Additional revenue streams include ₹241 crore from development proposals such as FSI premiums, ₹20–25 crore annually from smart parking and advertisements, and ₹48 crore from rental and advertisement income from municipal properties.To enhance tax collection efficiency, KDMC will undertake GIS and drone-based property surveys and strengthen online payment systems.Municipal bonds, funding plan:To finance major infrastructure projects, KDMC plans to raise ₹200 crore through municipal bonds from the open market. Officials said that timely repayment could enable access to additional funding through urban challenge funds and green bonds.Corporators raise concerns:During the discussion, corporators expressed concern over the lack of clarity on ward-level development funds and demanded that allocations be increased to ₹2 crore per corporator.The budget will now be taken up for detailed discussion in the general body meeting scheduled on March 24 and is expected to be approved after deliberations over the following days.

As the US-Israel war escalates, once tourist-dominated Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz has now become an ‘underground missile city’.Beneath its salt caves and emerald mangrove forests lies a network of military installations that have transformed the island from a free-trade and tourist hub into a strategic fortress.Qeshm once attracted visitors for its surreal rock formations and coral reefs. Today, the world’s attention is now focused on the Iranian forces stationed there, according to Al-Jazeera. The island’s size, approximately 1,445 sq km (558 sq miles) allows it to control the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas transport.The island has a population of 148,000 residents, who are primarily Sunni Muslims speaking the Bandari dialect. However, military escalation has placed their daily routines under growing pressure.

Strategic importance of Qeshm

Qeshm’s free trade-industrial zone comprises vast underground silos, missile facilities and fast-attack boats intended to dominate the Gulf.The island is located 22 km south of Bandar Abbas. The island is central to Iran’s “asymmetric” naval strategy, enabling Tehran to threaten or halt shipping through the strait.Retired Lebanese Brigadier-General Hassan Jouni described Qeshm as housing “striking Iranian capabilities” designed for the sole purpose of controlling the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping traffic was effectively halted last week after Iran threatened to strike vessels attempting to pass, forcing countries to negotiate safe passage for oil and gas tankers while the US plans a naval convoy to reopen the route.The escalation has already had civilian consequences. On March 7, US airstrikes targeted a desalination plant on the island, cutting off freshwater to 30 surrounding villages. In retaliation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) struck US forces at Bahrain’s Juffair base.

Historical significance of Qeshm island

The island, known in Arabic as Jazira-al-Ṭawila (‘the Long Island’), has a layered history of strategic importance. Greek explorer Nearchus called it Oaracta. By the ninth century, Islamic geographers referred to it as Abarkawan, later called Jazira-ye Gavan or “Cow Island.”In 1301, Hormuz rulers relocated their court to Qeshm to escape Tartar attacks. The Ottomans raided it in 1552, Portuguese built a fort in 1621 and a year later, Persian and English forces expelled them. The British later maintained a naval base at Basidu until 1863, demonstrating the island’s enduring military significance.Despite militarisation, Qeshm remains ecologically vital. Its Hara mangrove forest is a breeding ground for migratory birds, while the Qeshm Geopark, UNESCO-recognised in 2006 preserves the island’s geological treasures

Anger of the Muslim community toward the Australian government spilled into an Eid prayer gathering in Western Sydney, attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, as a small number of attendees called for the leaders to be removed from the mosque.The leaders, attending the event in Lakemba — part of Burke’s electorate — were seated among thousands, ahead of Eid al-Fitr celebrations, when a handful of people began heckling during a post-prayer address, ABC News reported. Shouts of “boo Tony Burke, boo Albanese,” “genocide supporters,” and “get them out of here” rang out, though many others in the crowd appeared welcoming.NSW Police were called to the mosque over a disturbance about 8am and ordered a 33-year-old man to move on. He was escorted out without any further incident.