At approximately 10:30 am on Tuesday, a fast local train on its way to Kalyan struck a stray cattle near Mumbra railway station, resulting in the animal's immediate death. The impact was severe, and the force of the collision caused the carcass to become lodged in the wheels of the train. The accident led to a major disruption in rail services after the carcass of the buffalo became entangled in the wheels of the local train. This caused the train to come to a sudden halt near Thane station, triggering delays across the route. The incident affected the movement of several trains. In the meantime, all fast trains operating between Thane and Kalyan were diverted to the down slow line. As a result, the rerouting led to significant congestion and indefinite delays across the stretch, inconveniencing thousands of daily commuters. The authorities are working to clear the track and resume regular services at the earliest. Earlier on Tuesday, police in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district foiled an attempt to derail two trains, including the Rajdhani Express. An attempt to derail two trains, including a Rajdhani Express, in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district was successfully thwarted on Tuesday. According to officials, the pilots noticed an obstruction on the tracks in time and acted swiftly to prevent a potential tragedy. The cops stated that on Monday evening, unidentified miscreants tied wooden blocks using earthing wire to the track between Dalelnagar and Umartali stations at kilometre marker 1129/14, reported PTI. The loco pilot of a Rajdhani Express (20504) from Delhi on its way to Dibrugarh in Assam applied the emergency brake after spotting the obstruction. He removed it and informed railway officials, police said. A second attempt was made to derail a Kathgodam Express (15044) following the Rajdhani Express. Police said it was averted due to the loco pilot's awareness, according to PTI. Superintendent Neeraj Kumar Jadaun visited the site on Monday evening and issued necessary instructions. The Superintendent confirmed that teams from the Government Railway Police, Railway Protection Force, and local police are probing the incidents.
20 May,2025 01:24 PM IST | Mumbra | Rajendra B. AklekarMaharashtra Minister and State BJP Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Tuesday welcomed the inclusion of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in the state cabinet, reported news agency ANI. Speaking to reporters, Bawankule said, "Chhagan Bhujbal is known as an OBC leader and the inclusion of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in the cabinet will strengthen the Maharashtra government," reported ANI. He further expressed gratitude to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar for including Bhujbal in the cabinet. Bawankule added, "Chhagan Bhujbal will play a major role in fulfilling the resolve of 'Viksit Maharashtra'," reported ANI. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday expanded his five-month-old cabinet with the induction of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal as a minister. With Bhujbal's induction, the state government has 39 ministers, including 19 from the BJP, Shiv Sena 11 and NCP nine. Bhujbal, 77, was sworn in by Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan in the presence of Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde and other senior leaders. "All's well that ends well," the veteran leader said on the occasion, adding that he did not aspire for any particular portfolio. Bhujbal, who has had a distinguished and eventful political career spanning several decades, was not included when Fadnavis first expanded his cabinet in December last year. At the time, his exclusion from the cabinet had drawn public disappointment from the seasoned leader, a prominent OBC face in the state. His induction in the cabinet follows the resignation of Dhananjay Munde, a fellow NCP heavyweight who stepped down as the food, civil supplies and consumer protection minister in March after the arrest of his close aide Walmik Karad in sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case. Born on October 15, 1947, in Nashik, Bhujbal's political career began with the Shiv Sena in the 1980s, winning the Mazgaon assembly seat (Mumbai) in 1986 and 1990. He served as Mumbai's mayor from 1990 to 1991, building a reputation as an orator, and his early loyalty to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray defined his rise in the party. Bhujbal left the Shiv Sena in 1991, citing Thackeray's alleged opposition to the implementation of recommendations of the Mandal Commission, and joined the Congress, and by 1999, he aligned with Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He served as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 1999 to 2003, focusing on OBC issues. His shift to the NCP strengthened his influence among OBCs, though it drew criticism from former allies. (With inputs from ANI)
20 May,2025 01:20 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Congress leader and MLA Nana Patole expressed his anger towards top government officials of the state for not complying with the protocol on the arrival of the Chief Justice of India in Maharashtra. Nana Patole, currently an MLA from the Sakoli assembly in Maharashtra, posted on social media expressing his anger and also wrote a letter to the Hon'ble President of India in this matter. While posting on his X account, the former Maharashtra Congress president stated that when the newly appointed Chief Justice of India, Hon. Justice Bhushan Gavai, was on his visit to Maharashtra, the chief secretary along with other top government administrative and police officers of the state did not bother to follow the protocol. He further stated, "The officials did not welcome the Chief Justice of India, nor did they provide him with the necessary security." While demanding answers to his questions, he also raised a question asking whether the Chief Justice of India was insulted just because he belonged to a scheduled caste. On his social media post, he also wrote, "The Hon'ble Chief Justice himself, in his speech, expressed strong displeasure over the functioning of the state government and administration. These strong statements from the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India have drawn the attention of the entire country to this matter. In the wake of this incident, today, I wrote a letter to His Excellency the President, demanding action against the officers who did not follow the protocol," he added. भारताचे नवनियुक्त सरन्यायाधीश मा. भूषण गवई महाराष्ट्राच्या दौऱ्यावर आले असताना, राज्य सरकार व प्रशासकीय यंत्रणेकडून त्यांच्या स्वागतात आणि सुरक्षेत आवश्यक असलेला प्रोटोकॉल पाळण्यात आला नाही. केवळ त्यांच्या व्यक्तिगतरित्या झालेल्या दुर्लक्षापुरतेच हे प्रकरण मर्यादित नाही, तर हा… pic.twitter.com/Y4QGxoAZV7 — Nana Patole (@NANA_PATOLE) May 20, 2025 In his letter to the Hon'ble President of India, he wrote, "This disregard by the state officials amounts to more than an administrative lapse, and it reflects grave insensitivity towards constitutional values and social equity." During the visit of the Hon'ble Chief Justice to Maharashtra, the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa honoured him in Mumbai on Sunday. However, the state's three highest officers, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Shukla, and Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, were absent from the felicitation function, violating the official protocol. Despite facing harsh criticism, these officials later met with Chief Justice of India BR Gavai during his visit to Chaityabhoomi in Dadar West, Mumbai, which is Dr BR Ambedkar's last resting place.
20 May,2025 01:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra State Election Commission has begun the process of ward formation in connection with Maharashtra local body polls after the Supreme Court's order earlier this month, reported news agency PTI. Maharashtra local body polls could be held by the end of the year once various formalities are completed, a top official said on Monday. On May 6, the apex court paved the way for Maharashtra local body polls, which were stalled for more than five years due to the OBC reservation issue, ordering the state election panel to notify it in four weeks. "The process of ward formation will take about 70 days. It will be followed by reservations, which will take another 15 days. The process of updating electoral rolls will take another 40 days. The local body elections can be held by the end of this year," state election commissioner Dinesh Waghmare told PTI. The tenure of all 29 municipal corporations, 248 Nagar Parishads, 42 Nagar Panchayats, 32 Zilla Parishads and 336 Panchayat Samitis has expired, and these are currently under administrators. The term of 27 municipal corporations ended between 2020-2023. Ichalkaranji and Jalna are newly created municipal corporations. "The elections were delayed for several reasons, including petitions regarding OBC reservation, ward formation, number of members in local bodies, power of ward formation taken by the government," Waghmare told PTI. On May 6, the Supreme Court directed the Maharashtra state election commission to notify elections in four weeks. The contentious issue of OBC reservation will be as it existed before the 2022 Banthia Commission report. The top court accepted the commission's report recommending a census to fix exact data on OBCs and reserve 27 per cent of seats for the category in local bodies. The Banthia Commission was set up in March 2022 to examine the issue of OBC reservation in local bodies. It recommended 27 per cent reservation for OBCs within the 50 per cent reservation ceiling. Speaking about Mumbai, Waghmare said elections for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation would be for the existing 227 seats and not 236 as was decided earlier, reported PTI. In the local polls, the Mahayuti alliance, which swept the assembly polls in November last year, will face the challenge of maintaining its dominance over the Maha Vikas Aghadi. The Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, and the MVA, which has the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress as constituents, also have to decide on whether to fight alone or as part of respective groups. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said the Mahayuti, as a policy, will fight the local bodies together. However, they can contest separately in some places, he had added. In the MVA, Congress has left the decision to the local leadership, while Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has said he is speaking to his cadre on the strategy for the local body polls. NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil has also asked his party unit to prepare for the local elections. The Maharashtra local body polls are being seen as "mini Vidhan Sabha" by observers. (With inputs from PTI)
20 May,2025 12:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSenior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal took oath as a minister in the Maharashtra government at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on Tuesday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, were present at the oath-taking ceremony along with other prominent ministers in the Mahayuti government. Fadnavis expanded his five-month-old cabinet with the induction of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal as a minister. This strategic move by the ruling Mahayuti alliance aims to strengthen its position among the OBC community and bolster the government's representation in the state. The veteran politician was sworn in by Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan. 📍 राजभवन, मुंबई#थेटप्रसारणशपथविधी समारंभास मुख्यमंत्री @Dev_Fadnavis यांची उपस्थिती.#LIVE#मंत्रिमंडळविस्तार#शपथविधीसोहळा#SwearingInCeremony#OathCeremonyhttps://t.co/KwkEmjBokB — MAHARASHTRA DGIPR (@MahaDGIPR) May 20, 2025 Chhagan Bhujbal (77), who has had a distinguished and eventful political career spanning several decades, had been notably absent during Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's cabinet expansion in December last year. At the time, his exclusion from the cabinet had drawn public disappointment from the seasoned leader, a prominent OBC face in the state. His inclusion in the cabinet follows the resignation of Dhananjay Munde, a fellow NCP heavyweight who stepped down as the food, civil supplies and consumer protection minister in March. Munde had resigned citing health grounds, but his departure from the cabinet came against the backdrop of his close aide Walmik Karad being named as a key accused in sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case. In the past, Bhujbal, the MLA from Yeola in Nashik district, has served as a cabinet minister, including as deputy CM, in different governments. The ruling Mahayuti coalition consists of the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP led by deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister and State BJP Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Tuesday welcomed the inclusion of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in the state cabinet. Speaking to reporters, Bawankule said, "Chhagan Bhujbal is known as an OBC leader and the inclusion of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in the cabinet will strengthen the Maharashtra government." He further expressed gratitude to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar for including Chhagan Bhujbal in the cabinet. Bawankule added, "Chhagan Bhujbal will play a major role in fulfilling the resolve of 'Viksit Maharashtra'."
20 May,2025 10:58 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe India Meteorological Department on Monday issued a 'yellow' alert for rain in many districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, for the period from May 19 to 23. According to the latest Mumbai weather updates from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai is expected to experience a cloudy sky with the possibility of a thunderstorm accompanied by moderate to heavy rain on Tuesday, May 20. Temperatures will range from a cool 26 degrees Celsius in the morning to a warm 33 degrees Celsius during the day. According to the Mumbai weather updates of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Santacruz observatory in suburban Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 34 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 26.4 degrees Celsius. The weather department's data showed that the city observatory in Colaba recorded a maximum temperature of 33.4 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 28.2 degrees Celsius. The IMD, in its 'District Forecast and Warning for the Next Five Days' also issued an 'orange' alert for some districts in Konkan, Marathwada, north Maharashtra and western Maharashtra, including the ghat sections, on specific days. A yellow alert, which means "watch or be aware", was issued for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Dhule districts for five days, while the same alert is valid for other districts for periods ranging from one day to four days. As part of the 'yellow' alert for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and other districts, the IMD predicted "thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, light to moderate rainfall, and gusty winds (40-50 kmph) at isolated places". The likelihood of such weather events occurring is marked as "very likely". For some districts of Konkan and Marathwada and all districts of western Maharashtra, including the ghat sections, the IMD has issued an 'orange alert, which means "be alert" or "be prepared to take action". In the ghat sections of Pune district, the orange alert is in place for all five days, while for other districts in western Maharashtra, Konkan, Marathwada and north Maharashtra, the alert duration ranges from one to four days. In the districts and ghat sections under the 'orange' alert, the IMD has forecast "heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms with lightning, and gusty winds (50-60 kmph) at isolated places". Incidentally, several parts of the state have been experiencing pre-monsoon rains accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms since last week.
20 May,2025 10:42 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai, the spiritual home of Indian cricket, is a city where talent rises not from plush academies, but from its open, sunburnt maidans. Grounds like Oval Maidan, Azad Maidan, Cross Maidan, Dadkar Maidan (Matunga), and Shivaji Park have raised generations of cricketers. They are not just fields — they are Mumbai’s cricketing soul, rich in legacy and local pride. Over decades, I have watched legends like Ajit Wadekar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sandeep Patil, Sachin Tendulkar, and Vinod Kambli rise from these very grounds — honing their skills under the gaze of streetlights, amid the hum of community life. I have curated pitches across Mumbai, India, and internationally, but the heartbeat of Indian cricket has always been rooted in these simple, dusty maidans. Nadim Memon Today, it breaks my heart to see them neglected, encroached upon, and reduced to multi-purpose venues for everything but sport. These grounds are now staging commercial marathons, markets, political rallies, and political and religious events — while basic sporting needs like turf maintenance, drainage, infrastructure, and equipment access go unmet. In addition to commercial misuse, these maidans are also being encroached upon by state bodies like MMRDA and the police. The MMRDA Metro work has taken over 17 plots at Azad Maidan, while the police have taken away Fort Vijay Club and regularly use these spaces for morchas and bandobast operations. What should be sacred turf for aspiring cricketers is now cordoned off or repurposed without regard for its legacy or purpose. Meanwhile, recently the chief minister of Maharashtra said if the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) comes up with a proposal then the government will allocate a good piece of land for MCA to build a 1 lakh-capacity stadium. But I ask this — for whom is this new stadium being built? Dr HD Kanga Cricket League games in progress at Cross Maidan. Pic/Satej Shinde We already have: The Wankhede Stadium, with a capacity of 32,000, iconic and central to Mumbai's cricketing identity. The Brabourne Stadium (CCI), one of the finest in India with a 40,000 capacity. The DY Patil Stadium, ranked among the top 10 stadiums globally, with world-class pitches and a capacity of 55,000. Azad Maidan is also a venue for protests like this one held last February. Pic/Ashish Raje MCA and BCCI don’t host IPL or Test matches regularly in the last two mentioned stadiums. The issue is not infrastructure or capacity — it’s inclusivity. When the IPL arrives, things are different for not only fans, who have to shell out far more than what they would for high profile cricket in other formats. Past and present Test and Ranji Trophy cricketers find it hard to get complimentary tickets which they deserve. At times, even Test players find it difficult and the MCA appears helpless in the BCCI/franchise-based system. The Mumbai public is being given step-motherly treatment — locked out of the very sport they’ve nurtured from the grassroots. Instead of pouring hundreds of crores into another elite venue, I urge the government and MCA to turn their gaze back to improving the maidans. These grounds don't need grandstands or VIP boxes — they need working toilets, drinking water facility, proper infrastructure, regular maintenance, safety nets, and access for underprivileged youth. A modest investment here will yield far greater returns for Indian cricket. These maidans are Mumbai’s nurseries. They’re where dreams begin. Let’s not forget that the legends we worship today — Ajit Wadekar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sandeep Patil, Tendulkar, Gavaskar, Rohit Sharma — were all once maidan boys. We must protect these spaces before we lose them completely. Let the legacy of Mumbai cricket continue from where it started — not from another concrete fortress, but from the heart of the people. Preserve the maidans. Empower the grass roots. Reclaim Mumbai’s cricketing conscience. 17No. of plots Metro has taken over at Azad Maidan Nadim Memon was once a Wankhede Stadium curator, MCA’s Maidan Secretary and Apex Council member. He is presently the cricket secretary of the Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA)
20 May,2025 09:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Nadim MemonAfter two patients at KEM Hospital died in what were initially suspected to be COVID-related deaths, the hospital shifted eight COVID-positive patients to SevenHills Hospital in Andheri late Sunday night. The move came after a 59-year-old woman and a 14-year-old girl, who died on Saturday and last week, respectively, tested positive for the virus despite both having serious comorbidities. While 59-year-old Vaijayanti Varik’s death was officially attributed to sepsis due to cancer, the minor reportedly died of kidney failure. “Both patients had terminal illnesses. Although they tested positive for COVID-19, the virus did not play a role in their deterioration,” said Dr Sandesh Paralkar, acting dean of KEM Hospital.' Patients shifted as precaution Despite the deceased patients' families and the medical staff not being tested for COVID-19, the hospital moved eight other COVID-positive patients to SevenHills Hospital. “Seven Hills was a major COVID-19 facility during the pandemic. Since these patients didn’t test positive for any illness besides COVID, we shifted them there,” said Dr Paralkar. Dr Krishnakumar G Pimpale, vice-president, medical, SevenHills Hospital, told mid-day, “All eight patients are in the ICU under close observation. We are not authorised to provide further information. They have not tested positive for any other health issues so far.” Cremated without family A relative of Varik recounted their ordeal: “She had surgery for mouth cancer on February 5. A few days ago, her son brought her to Mumbai for a change of environment. She was fine until Tuesday night when she had trouble breathing. We rushed her to KEM, where she was put on a ventilator. She started responding the next day, but her health suddenly worsened on Saturday night, and she passed away.” He added, “Just as her son went to sign the final paperwork to claim the body, hospital staff told us she had tested positive for COVID-19 and her cremation would be done as per COVID protocol. No family member would be allowed at the site. Her husband is in Kolhapur — we wanted to take the body there so he could see her one last time. But the hospital cremated her without letting us even see her. They also made us sign a form that had ‘COVID-19’ written on it.” Similarly, the 14-year-old girl's body was also cremated under COVID-19 protocols, without being handed over to her family. The two COVID-positive deaths have sparked concern. Shivadi MLA Ajay Chaudhary said, “If COVID-19 wasn’t the cause of death, then why weren’t the bodies given to families? Why were they cremated under COVID protocol? We’re not trying to spread fear, but if cases are re-emerging, why hide it? We’ve already learned that prevention is better than a cure.” In a statement, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed that COVID cases had been reported since January, with numbers increasing in May. “COVID-19 is now considered endemic and a persistent public health concern. While cases are sporadic and in small numbers, an uptick has been observed recently in countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, and other parts of East Asia,” the statement said. The municipal corporation clarified that the two COVID-positive deaths at KEM Hospital were due to severe comorbidities and not the virus itself. The deceased were not Mumbai residents. Meanwhile, some private hospitals have also reported a rise in COVID-19 cases. “There’s no alarming situation like a pandemic,” Dr Rahul Pandit, chair, critical care, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital told this newspaper. “This is a seasonal uptick. We’ve seen OPD [outpatient department] cases with fever and cough, some tested positive, but all are recovering in home isolation within days.” Common COVID-19 symptoms Fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, body aches, headache, cold, runny nose, and loss of taste or smell. Difficulty in breathing is a serious sign and requires immediate medical attention. Health facilities for those infected SevenHills Hospital has 20 MICU beds, 20 beds for children and pregnant women, and 60 general beds. Kasturba Hospital has two ICU beds and a 10-bed ward. Capacity will be increased if required. Citizens with symptoms are advised to consult a BMC centre or doctor immediately. Self-medication is not advised. Precautions . Wear a mask in public if symptomatic. Maintain physical distancing. Wash hands frequently. Eat healthy and rest well Actress tests positive for virus ’90s actress Shilpa Shirodkar shared on social media: “Hello people! I’ve tested positive for COVID. Stay safe and wear your masks!” In numbers 257Active COVID cases in the country Discharged4,45,11,24098.81% Deaths5,33,6661.18%
20 May,2025 09:41 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika GondhalekarThough the state government issued an official statement announcing the redevelopment of 19 buildings in the Elphinstone area and promised residents new homes at the same location, no written assurance has been provided to them yet. Frustrated by the inaction, residents have now threatened to go on a hunger strike by the end of this week. We don’t want verbal commitments. We had already informed the MMRDA that we need written assurance. It’s been over 15 days, and there has been no progress, no official communication from the authorities. We’ll wait till the end of this week. If we still don’t receive written clarity, we’ll launch an indefinite hunger strike,” said Akshay Sutar, a resident of Laxmi Niwas, one of the 19 affected buildings. Residents pulling down the bridge closure board on April 25. File pic/Atul Kamble While the MMRDA has revised the construction plan for the Elphinstone Bridge, resulting in only two buildings — Haaji Noorani and Laxmi Niwas — being directly impacted, the absence of written confirmation has left residents of the remaining 17 buildings anxious and uncertain. “During our meetings with MMRDA and Urban Development officials, we suggested two alternative locations. One is the Priyadarshini building in Dadar, which the government uses for rehabilitation purposes and, to our knowledge, has 22 available flats. The 16 families from Haaji Noorani could be shifted there. The second option is the newly rebuilt BDD chawls in Worli, where around 100 units have been handed over to MHADA. This would allow our children to continue school and help us retain our livelihoods in this area,” said Munaf Thakur, a resident of Haaji Noorani. Authorities clueless On one hand, the MMRDA claims to have approached the Urban Development (UD) department for guidance, but UD officials appear to be unaware of the issue. “We’ve already made changes to the bridge’s design. Now we’ve sought suggestions from the UD department. Once we receive an update, we will provide the necessary assurance to residents. The matter is under discussion,” said an MMRDA official. However, when mid-day contacted the UD department, Aseem Gupta, principal secretary of the Government of Maharashtra and head of the UD department, said, “I’ll need to check if there’s been any update. To my knowledge, MMRDA and the housing department are responsible for resolving this issue. MMRDA is supposed to give the assurance. I don’t have any current information on this, but I will look into the matter as soon as possible.” The Elphinstone Road overbridge was scheduled to close on April 26. However, the lack of coordination and clarity among the authorities has not only left the affected residents in limbo but also delayed the redevelopment of the 125-year-old structure, which is key to the progress of the Sewri-Worli connector project. 19No. of buildings promised redevelopment
20 May,2025 09:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika GondhalekarTrain trials will begin on a 10.5-km stretch that contains a total of ten stations on the Wadala-Thane Green Lines 4 and 4A in August. While the Green Line 4 — from Wadala to Kasarvadavli — is a 32.32-km elevated corridor in the eastern suburbs with 30 stations, Line 4A is its 2.7-km extension from Kasarvadavli to Gaimukh, which comprises two stations and is nearly complete. The trials, which include the alignments of Line 4 and 4A, will be undertaken from Cadbury Junction to Gaimukh, and apart from these stations include those of Majiwada, Kapurbawadi, Manpada, Tikuji-Ni-Wadi, Dongripada, Vijay Garden, Kasarvadavli and Gownipada. Work on Mumbai Metro projects has been proceeding at a steady pace over the past few years, and the project is now in the delivery phase. On April 16, 2025, trial runs began on the 5.5-km Diamond Garden-Mandale stretch of Mumbai Metro Line 2B; on May 9, the underground Aqua Line 3 was extended between BKC and Worli; and on May 14, the train trial run of Phase 1 of Red Line 9 commenced, marking Metro connectivity between Mumbai and Thane districts. While the entire Red Line 9 has eight stations, including Dahisar, Pandurang Wadi, Miragaon, Kashigaon, Sai Baba Nagar, Meditiya Nagar, Shahid Bhagat Singh Garden and Subhash Chandra Bose Stadium, in the first phase, the first four stations till Kashigaon will be functional. The trials, which include the alignments of Line 4 and 4A, will be undertaken from Thane’s Cadbury Junction to Gaimukh. Pics/Sahil Pednekar Pitline Since the car shed of this line is not ready, the Metro team has worked out a “pit line” beyond the terminal station where trains can be parked and maintained. This will be a temporary arrangement till the depot at Mogharpada for this line is ready. A pit line is a railway track with a depression or pit along its length, allowing for access to the underside of trains for cleaning, inspection, and maintenance. Back on track “Since Dr Sanjay Mukherjee took charge as Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA has taken focused steps to eliminate hurdles that had stalled several Metro projects across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Many of these delays were due to land-related and implementation challenges. Under his leadership, MMRDA has systematically resolved these issues to bring projects back on track. The approach is clear: ensure that completed stretches are made operational without waiting for the entire corridor to be ready,” an official said. 32.32 kmLength of Metro Green Line 4
20 May,2025 08:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are at odds again, this time over the Tiranga Yatra. MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s son, Amit, has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi questioning the need for such celebrations, which prompted BJP leader Ashish Shelar to defend the rallies, calling them a tribute to and morale booster for the Indian Armed Forces. In a veiled reference to the BJP’s Tiranga Yatra and the Congress’s Jai Hind Sabhas, which hail Operation Sindoor, Amit wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the latter to restrain political outfits from conducting such celebration rallies. On April 22, 26 people were killed in a terror attack at Pahalgam. In retaliation for the terror strike, India’s military launched an attack on terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). It was Modi who coined the name of the operation. Ceasefire announced After its air bases were damaged, Pakistan requested that the military action be stopped, and a ceasefire was announced between the two countries. After this development, everyone has been hailing the Indian army and celebrating its success by organising rallies. In his letter to the PM, Amit praised the Indian Armed Forces for their valour, but termed the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan a ceasefire, not a victory. He categorically mentioned that, knowing Pakistan, it is not wise to let down one’s guard. “This is not a victory, but merely a ceasefire. It would not be appropriate to celebrate the ceasefire,” Amit mentioned in his letter. Amit also praised Modi for his leadership qualities and taking the nation to a new high, especially when it came to decisions taken in the interest of national security. However, the MNS chief’s son also wrote, “If one has to do anything, it is to remain alert, boost the morale of soldiers’ families, exhibit sensitivity towards the situation and not turn the entire exercise into a celebration.” Shelar’s retort Speaking to a mediaperson, Shelar said he did not want to reply or mention anyone’s name, but would like to say that every Indian needs to stand in support of the Indian defence services. “The entire world is talking and praising Operation Sindoor. We will continue with rallies as our support and morale booster for the armed forces,” Shelar added. While the BJP has been organising the Tiranga Yatra, the Congress, not to be left behind, announced that Jai Hind Sabhas will take place across the nation from May 20 to May 30, to salute the valour and success of the Indian Armed Forces. May 7Day Operation Sindoor was initiated
20 May,2025 08:46 AM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev ShivadekarADVERTISEMENT
