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CASE STUDY: How the ABP Majha & UNICEF tie-up aided Covid relief
Mumbai: The ten-day-long festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is usually one of the most awaited events in Maharashtra. But as the deadly wave of the Coronavirus outbreak swept through the country last year, the celebrations marking the birth of Lord Ganesha were also muted.
To mark the occasion amid the pandemic restrictions in 2020, Marathi news channel ABP Majha, in collaboration with UNICEF launched a special donation drive initiative– ‘Be a Vighnaharta’ (Be a Remover of Obstacles).
The initiative raised funds through a 16-day TV campaign to support the people affected by the pandemic. The funds raised were used to support vulnerable families, through UNICEF’s Jeevan Rath initiative in the state of Maharashtra. The initiative brought over 60 public and private NGOs together to help provide supplies of dry ration kits, conditional cash transfers, and livelihood protection to people who are unable to afford or access these supplies in sufficient quantities.
Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated on 22 August last year. ABP Majha ran the campaign from 6 August 2020 to 21 August 2020. The news channel broadcasted 1,350+ minutes of content including stories of people affected by the pandemic, urging viewers to donate and help reach supplies to the affected families. After launching the heartfelt campaign and donation drive with UNICEF, ABP Majha kept the viewers engaged through special programming and a unique virtual engagement initiative – Bappa Maze Game. It committed to adding more zing to the festivities with its flagship property ‘Bappa Majha.’
The channel broadcasted Live Artis and extensive coverage of Ganapati celebrations last year to keep up the festive pomp and revelry in the bleak scenario of the pandemic, along with telecasting Donation Drive snippets throughout the day. The channel partnered with famous pandals across Maharashtra, such as Siddhivinayak Temple & Dagdusheth Ganapati, to bring the essence of festivities to the viewers’ homes via their TV screens.
Known for beaming exceptional content during the festive season, ABP Majha usually surpasses all channels in terms of viewership within the Marathi News genre. Last year was no different. The channel was armed with a comprehensive line-up of shows including Bappa Tumchya Ghari – A celebrity-engagement show, which brought alive the celebrations of Ganapati directly from the homes of various eminent personalities; Bappa Majha – a show which included a Ganapati News Bulletin and Ashtavinayak Yatra, covering the eight ancient holy temples of Ganesh with celebrities Sachin & Supriya; ABP Majha Pooja – an everyday show which aired the celebrations straight from ABP Majha’s office to forge a special bond with the viewers; and Majha Vighnaharta – an award show to felicitate ‘humans for humanity’, who have positively contributed towards the betterment of their communities.
To further elevate the engagement quotient, ABP Majha hosted a Gharghuti Ganapati Contest, wherein the viewers were asked to send pictures of their Ganapati & Ganapati celebrations. Out of the submissions, 10 best entries were shown on-air and provided with a gift certificate.
On the virtual engagement front, ABP Majha launched an innovative game called Bappa Maze, which is based on the idea that Lord Ganesha is our Vighnaharta and through the game, players can remove the obstacles that come in the way of Lord Ganesha by completing the maze. The game was hosted on the Bappa Majha Microsite. At various places in the game, users get a chance to gather ladoos and other items to win bonus points. To heighten the excitement, Weekly Top 10 Winners on the Leaderboard of the game were then declared on the Bappa Majha Show at 6:30 pm from 22nd August to 1st September 2020.
On the special donation drive, ABP Network CEO Avinash Pandey said, “As a responsible network, we are taking up this initiative as a part of our continuous work in community upliftment. We are committed to making available immediate aid to children and families affected by the pandemic ahead of the biggest festival of India’s financial capital. Festivals are all about vibrancy and high spirits, and during this time, we want to uplift the lives & spirits of low-income groups whose earnings depend on Ganapati celebrations. We hope this effort will help them lead better lives.”
On partnering with ABP Majha, UNICEF chief of Maharashtra office Rajeshwari Chandrasekar said “We are glad to associate with ABP Majha news channel for our initiative ‘Jeevan Rath’ in Maharashtra. The socio-economic cost of the pandemic on the lives of children and their families is extremely high. Through this campaign, we intend to provide relief to the most vulnerable, excluded, and displaced populations in the fight against Covid-19.”
With these unique initiatives in partnership with UNICEF, ABP Majha succeeded in raising funds for the Covid-impacted via its special programming as part of its flagship property ‘Bappa Majha’ in 2020.
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Maharashtra revokes Ola, Uber, Rapido bike taxi licences
Temporary e-bike taxi permits cancelled as firms fail to meet state rules
MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s roads are set to see fewer zipping two-wheelers after the state government pulled the plug on provisional licences granted to bike taxi giants Ola, Uber and Rapido. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced in the Legislative Council on Monday that temporary permissions would be revoked.
“These companies were given permission for just a month and were required to submit certain documents. Since they have not complied, their temporary licences are cancelled. This is to ensure illegal bikes do not operate on our roads,” Sarnaik said.
The move follows the Maharashtra E Bike Taxi Rules 2024, designed to generate employment for local youth and offer commuters a cheaper, greener ride option. The rules, approved in August 2024, allow electric bike taxis in cities with over one lakh residents.
Under the policy, only electric vehicles can ply as taxis, and operators had 30 days to fulfil licensing and compliance requirements. Yet, officials claim many continued operations without meeting these conditions. Sarnaik added that a large number of bike taxis currently running in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region are illegal.
In a firm enforcement twist, the government has instructed authorities to focus on vehicle owners rather than riders when registering cases. Safety concerns, particularly for women passengers, and accident complaints have also been flagged by the transport department.
Since April 2024, Regional Transport Offices have taken action against 130 non-compliant bike taxis, collecting fines exceeding Rs 33 lakh. Authorities say further measures will follow to ensure services adhere to regulations before returning to city streets.
Maharashtra’s bike taxi saga has been a rollercoaster. Initially banned in January 2023 due to concerns over private vehicles ferrying passengers, the sector was later formalised through an electric bike framework in 2024. Provisional licences were granted in 2025, but the government now warns that any bike taxi operating on city roads without proper permits will be considered illegal.
Adding to the transport shake-up, the government has also halted the issuance of new auto rickshaw permits from March 9 to ease urban traffic pressures and safeguard livelihoods of existing drivers. A fresh standard operating procedure for future permits is set to go before the state cabinet soon.
Maharashtra commuters may have to find alternative rides as the state reins in its two-wheeled taxi revolution, leaving app-based bikers in a legal limbo.
