Say Hello to Another
Scam
The raging corporate war over the introduction of limited mobility telephone services has turned political, with the Prime Minister's Office being charged with subverting the regulatory system and favouring a few business houses. An INDIA TODAY investigation looks at the conflict between the sanctimonious claims and the grim reality.

Ballot Boxwallahs
The approaching assembly elections have brought to life five states which are set to witness a stiff fight and whose results can have a big impact on all major parties. A profile of the prime contenders who could tilt the balance either way.

Fall From Grace
Despite a triple-digit growth in net profits of Infosys Technologies and Satyam Computers, the stock prices of the two companies have plunged. Is it the gloomy forecast for software companies that's hammering down the prices?

Unnatural Alliance
The CNG controversy has taken a new turn, with doubts being raised about the propriety of the Delhi Government's selection of Nugas as the sole supplier of the conversion kit.

The Doon Boom
The city that houses Doon School is now playing host to a whole array of new education barons--with big money and even bigger ambitions.

HERITAGE: SHIVAJI'S FORTS

Financial Crisis Affects Preservation

With the present Congress-NCP Government in the grip of an acute financial crisis, the project continues to remain paper-bound. As does another Rs 350-crore plan to restore some of the 234 protected monuments in the state. There hasn't been any serious initiative to involve private participation in the restoration of these forts-not even in potential tourism goldmines like the ones on the pristine Konkan coast which boasts of some of the best beaches in the country after Goa. Cultural Affairs Minister Ramkrishna More concedes that though restoring heritage buildings was important, the state Government had other priorities. "We are slowly restoring the forts, but it won't be practical to expect all of them to be restored in one year-we are spreading it out over several years.''

Cultural Department officials say the task at hand is gigantic. And there's no point quibbling with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), responsible for the upkeep of the monuments, or even trying to wrest them from their control. "The ASI is much better funded than we are to maintain the monuments,'' says a state government official. The state Archaeological Department gets a paltry Rs 10 lakh as annual allocation to look after three of the 27 forts under its purview-Simhagad, Rajgad and Torna. The ASI, on the other hand, has a budget exceeding Rs 1.5 crore for the upkeep of 300 monuments, including several forts, all over Maharashtra. "A few more years of neglect," warns an official, "and all that will be left of these forts are the foundation and a heap of stones." Raigad fort, Shivaji's former capital, is the only one that's being given a facelift, mostly because it was the recipient of a Rs 1-crore largesse from Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee two years ago.

Amid the neglect the citadels that were symbols of a fierce independent spirit are beginning to look more like monuments to official apathy.

MetroScape

Wealth Of Art
April 8 saw an unabashed get together of Mumbai's Who's Who when the annual Harmony Show, well known as "Tina Ambani's baby", celebrated its sixth showing at the Nehru Centre.
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Looking Glass

Bangalore Hotel:
Park.hotel

Mumbai Store:
Regent Watch and Jewellery Boutique

A war of words is on at the Jammu border where India is trying to build a fence to stop infiltration, much to Pakistan's dislike, reports
INDIA TODAY's Special Correspondent Ramesh Vinayak in Despatches.