Congress MLA Satej Patil on Thursday accused the Maharashtra government of insulting the people of Kolhapur by attempting to take control of Gokul Dairy, and announced a protest march against the move on November 9. “This is not a personal vendetta against me….it is against the mandate of Kolhapur”s people. The government has insulted the…
The BMC’s G North Ward will put up banners at Shivaji Park ahead of Diwali, warning visitors that the area is a designated silence zone where bursting firecrackers is prohibited. The move follows a Bombay HC directive, a civic official told mid-day. “This is big. This is the first time something like this is happening….
A high-level committee has recommended increasing the number of vacancies for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) Group-C Combined Preliminary Examination 2026 to more than 16,000, along with a one-time relaxation of one year in the upper age limit for recruitment examinations. The committee, headed by IAS officer V Radha, submitted its interim report to…
Diwali is just around the corner, and Mumbai is bracing for a shopping surge as gold prices dip. With Dhanteras on November 6 and Lakshmi Puja on November 8, jewelers are hopeful for a successful season. While some buyers are drawn to affordable options due to economic challenges, others are holding off on large purchases,…
The FDA suspended the public-private-partnership blood bank license at Cooper Hospital due to documentation issues. Hospital authorities will rely on the blood bank at Trauma Hospital in Jogeshwari during this period. A notice was served to Cooper Hospital 90 days prior to the suspension. Last month, the FDA also took action against JJ Hospital and…
Lodha Developers Ltd has lodged a complaint against former director Shivaji Jadhav involving financial losses. The complaint claims irregularities occurred during a land acquisition deal in Mankoli and a flat transaction in Lower Parel. Allegations include a brokerage agreement for ₹5 crore and a discount on a luxury apartment. Rajendra Lodha’s involvement was discovered after…
In a significant legal decision, the Bombay high court has partially upheld the appeals of three individuals convicted in a notorious double murder case. The victims, Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez, tragically lost their lives in October 2011 while attempting to protect friends from harassment. One convict’s life sentence was commuted to 20 years, while…
Mumbai airport is set to relocate international flights from 14 key destinations to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport next summer. Airlines such as Air India Group and IndiGo are on board with moving 38 daily international flights from December through July. Mumbai International Airport Ltd is requesting airlines to free up their slots in…
A 30-year-old man was rescued after being trapped on the roof of the Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (SATIS) Bridge near Thane Railway Station on Wednesday morning. The rescue operation was carried out by the Thane Fire Brigade and the Disaster Management Cell. Speaking to mid-day.com, the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) chief of Thane…
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) core committee met on Wednesday for the second time in three days, amid speculation over internal differences following a meeting between senior party leaders and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi that was attended neither by party president nor Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar nor her sons. A…
Mumbai experienced hazy skies and humid conditions on Wednesday, November 4, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The weather office forecast generally cloudy skies across the city. Daytime temperatures remained elevated, with Colaba recording a maximum of 36.5 degrees Celsius and Santacruz registering 35 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD’s reported observations. Colaba, Santacruz…
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday, November 4, completed an encroachment removal drive on a plot reserved for a BEST bus station on Swami Vivekananda Marg in Borivali East. The civic body evicted 27 commercial establishments operating illegally on the 3,400-square-metre plot. The official statement from BMC mentioned, “During the drive, 26 of the 27…
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction has suffered a setback in Hingoli district after former Kalamnuri MLA Dr Santosh Tarfe joined the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday, along with several district-level leaders and hundreds of party workers. Tarfe’s induction into the Shinde-led party took place in the presence…
Maharashtra’s homeopathy colleges are grappling with a significant problem, as nearly 50% of their undergraduate and several postgraduate seats remain unfilled. The Principals Association of Homeopathic Medical Colleges has appealed to the Union AYUSH ministry to consider reducing the qualifying percentiles for admissions. High NEET-UG and postgraduate cut-offs are hindering student enrollment, adversely impacting the…
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray announced the cancellation of the annual Dipotsav celebration at Shivaji Park. This decision is in response to the severe drought affecting rural Maharashtra and farmers. Thackeray urged residents to celebrate Diwali mindfully instead of extravagantly. The Maharashtra government has declared 85% of the state as drought-hit and offered aid…
A volleyball ground in Girgaum Chowpatty faces potential loss due to plans for an electrical sub-station. BJP minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha advocates for preserving the ground used by many local players. While alternative sites are available for the sub-station, a high-power committee has proposed its installation on the playground. Discussions are ongoing between Lodha, MMRDA…
Bombay High Court expressed disappointment over BMC’s removal of an anti-cracker video featuring actor Dia Mirza. The court highlighted the importance of public participation in addressing pollution and suggested reinstating the video. Additionally, judges were disturbed by negative comments concerning celebrities engaged in public awareness efforts. They emphasized the need for support during such initiatives,…
Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has introduced 46 additional train services on the Aqua Line (Metro Line-3), taking the total number of daily weekday trips from 291 to 337, with effect from Monday. The increase in services comes amid growing ridership on the corridor and is aimed at reducing overcrowding and commuter waiting times. With…
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday downplayed the controversy over actor Dia Mirza’s video for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) eco-friendly Diwali campaign, saying the issue was not significant enough to warrant attention at his level. His remarks came after the Bombay High Court expressed “deep pain and displeasure” over the removal of Mirza’s…
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has described the opposition-led ‘Chalo Delhi’ rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi as the beginning of a wider movement for democratic restoration, accusing the ruling establishment of undermining electoral institutions. In an editorial published in the party’s mouthpiece, Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction said the rally, organised to…
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday alleged that leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were functioning at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s direction and would eventually join the saffron party, amid speculation over internal differences within the NCP following a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, the…
Mumbai’s public transport operator BEST has inducted 44 new fully air-conditioned electric buses into its fleet, with the vehicles set to operate on five routes from the Magathane Depot. The addition is expected to increase passenger capacity on busy routes and improve commuting convenience across parts of the city. The 12-metre-long buses were introduced on…
The Bombay High Court has slammed the “petty mindset” behind the Dia Mirza video row, expressing “deep pain and displeasure.” Taking suo motu cognisance, the bench ordered the BMC to re-upload her eco-friendly Diwali clip, calling its removal a knee-jerk reaction after BJP leaders attacked the actor, and stressing everyone breathes the same air.
In response to the controversy over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s removal of Dia Mirza’s Diwali firecracker awareness video, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the BMC has the authority to manage its social media postings. This remark comes after the Bombay high court ordered the video’s re-upload following objections from political leaders that led…
The Bombay high court found the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s removal of Dia Mirza’s video unfortunate and requested its restoration. This action followed objections from BJP’s Mumbai unit chief Ameet Satam, linking the video to anti-India sentiments. Mirza’s video urged citizens to avoid firecrackers and pollution during Diwali celebrations. Despite the removal, other celebrity campaign videos…
Mumbai Police have initiated an investigation into a network of mule bank accounts facilitating illegal transactions. The probe is linked to online gaming, betting, and cyber fraud activities allegedly involving significant financial amounts. Individuals named in a complaint, including Samundar Singh Rathod and Mukesh Jain, are under scrutiny for their involvement. The Enforcement Directorate is…
Tusshar Kapoor received an extortion call demanding Rs 5 crore from someone posing as a gang member. The Mumbai Crime Branch conducted a preliminary investigation into the threatening call received by the actor. Their technical team analyzed the audio and found no matching voice with official samples. Police believe the impersonator used the gang’s name…
A fire broke out at the premises of an electrical shop and a bike service centre in Thane’s Wagle Estate on Monday afternoon, damaging electrical equipment, chemicals and documents. No injuries were reported in the incident, civic officials said. The fire was reported at around 12.59 pm in Keni Nagar in Wagle Estate area of…
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, on Monday rejected reports of internal differences within the party over a meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and its senior leaders in Delhi, describing the meeting as pre-planned and formal, reported the PTI. The party’s national chief spokesperson, Umesh Patil,…
A large Indian rock python was found resting on a bicycle in a residential area of Vashi, Navi Mumbai, prompting a rescue operation by members of wildlife NGO Sahyadri Rescue Warriors. Following a rescue call, team members Akshay Dange and Dhiraj Gaikwad rushed to the spot and safely rescued the reptile. The sighting raised concerns…
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has removed a video message by actor Dia Mirza promoting an eco-friendly Diwali from its social media platforms following objections from Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam, triggering a political controversy over the civic body’s decision. Mirza’s video, which urged people to avoid noise and air pollution during the festival, was…
Residents of Karjat observed a bandh on Monday to protest against the felling of trees for the proposed 3,000-MW pumped storage project in the region. The project is expected to require the felling of 32,490 trees, triggering opposition from local residents and environmental groups. Why is the project controversial? The proposed Saidongar I Karjat Off-Stream…
Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is experiencing a conflict regarding Dia Mirza’s pollution-free Diwali campaign. Mayor Ritu Tawde demands pre-approval for future campaigns featuring celebrities, criticizing Mirza’s involvement. Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi supports Mirza’s appeal against firecrackers and questions the campaign’s removal from social media.
In a surprising turn of events, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation decided to pull Dia Mirza’s video from its pollution-free Diwali campaign, bowing to political pressure from the Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam, who voiced concerns over her participation. Mayor Ritu Tawde’s remarks labeling Mirza as anti-Hindu sparked further outrage, while other celebrities like Madhuri Dixit…
Mumbai is grappling with severe dust pollution linked to construction activities like the demolition and excavation of aged structures. Industry players are calling for better practices to address this pressing issue. They propose implementing stage dismantling strategies and requiring dust netting during excavation. Additionally, opting for precast materials can help minimize dust emissions. Policymakers should…
Mumbai faces severe air pollution challenges, primarily driven by rapid urbanization and industrial growth that extends beyond city limits. Since 2011, vehicle registrations have nearly tripled, while pollution sources include dust, industries, and waste burning. A comprehensive regional clean air plan is essential to address these issues effectively across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Efforts must…
MN Rao, a notable tailor in Mumbai, founded a successful tailoring house in 1965. His craftsmanship attracted many prominent personalities, including politicians and businessmen. The workshop continues under the guidance of his sons, who emphasize hand-crafted quality. Despite modern machine production, the meticulous craft of bespoke suits retains its charm. Employees, some of whom have…
A court in Maharashtra’s Thane district has sentenced a man to eight years’ rigorous imprisonment for culpable homicide in a 2018 assault case. The court said that the prosecution failed to prove he intended to commit murder. As per PTI, Kalyan court’s Additional Sessions Judge R V Tamhanekar, in the order on Friday, sentenced Pravin…
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday hit back at the Opposition over its “vote chori” charge, accusing the Congress of committing “Samvidhan chori” (theft of the Constitution) during the Emergency and attempting to undermine democratic institutions. Speaking at the BJP’s ‘Save Democracy’ march organised in Thane against what he described as attempts to create…
