The Maharashtra State Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has launched a dedicated helpline — 1800221251 — to assist school and college students who face delays, cancellations or other difficulties while travelling on State Transport (ST) buses. The announcement was made by Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik, who said the initiative aims to ensure students’ safety,…
The Maharashtra Police are drafting a drone-use policy to strengthen security and surveillance in key cities, including Mumbai, as part of preparations against unconventional terror threats, a senior official said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI. As Mumbai marks the 17th anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks carried out by 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists from Pakistan,…
A serious accident occurred on the Mumbai–Goa highway near Mangaon in Raigad district on Wednesday morning. Seven passengers were injured after a Shivshahi bus collided with a truck transporting CNG cylinders. Following the incident, traffic on the busy highway came to a complete halt, according to reports. The bus was travelling from Mumbai to Malvan…
A major fire broke out at a cloth godown located in Bhiwandi town of Maharashtra`s Thane district on Tuesday evening, officials said. Nobody was injured in the incident that took place in Rajalakshmi Complex at Nangar Nagar in Kalher area of Bhiwandi, they said. The officials further said that no casualties have been reported so…
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday targeted the International Cricket Council (ICC) for choosing Ahmedabad as the venue for the T20 Cricket World Cup Final. While slamming the BCCI, the son of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray alleged favouritism towards a specific state in a global sport event….
The Maharashtra legislature secretariat on Tuesday issued a notice to NCP (SP) leader Suryakant More for his alleged objectionable remarks against Council Chairperson Ram Shinde, with BJP MLC Pravin Darekar demanding that a motion for breach of privilege be moved against him, reported news agency PTI. In the notice, More was asked to submit his…
Union minister Raksha Khadse of the BJP on Tuesday alleged that Shiv Sena workers were intimidating people in the Muktainagar assembly segment in her home district of Jalgaon in north Maharashtra, a claim exposing strains between the two Mahayuti allies, reported news agency PTI. The Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, is…
The idol of Hindu Goddess Kali Mata was found by devotees dressed as Mother Mary in a temple in Mumbai, leading police to arrest a priest of the shrine, an official said on Tuesday. According to the RCF police station official, a video has surfaced on social media showing the Kali Mata idol dressed as…
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid floral tributes to the martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting terrorists during the Mumbai terror attack in 2008 on Wednesday. As reported by news agency PTI, along with the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and State Minister Ashish Shelar also paid their heartfelt tributes at…
Senior Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC launched a sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her protest against the Election Commission`s (EC) transfer of senior officials, calling it “manufactured outrage” and alleging that it was part of a larger “conspiracy to retain power with the help of infiltrators.” Speaking to ANI on…
Raigad-based wildlife researcher and photographer Shantanu Kuveskar recently documented a rare sighting of Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphins off the Raigad coast. Speaking to mid-day, Kuveskar said, “These Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphins are regularly sighted along the Raigad coastline. I often observe them at Harihareshwar, Shrivardhan and occasionally at Diveagar. They typically pick fish from fishermen’s…
Mumbai’s air quality observed a sharp decline as the city on Wednesday woke up to extremely hazy conditions with poor visibility. The thick layer of smog was clearly a sight that made every Mumbaikar concerned about the rising level of pollution. Along with the deteriorating air quality, the temperature, which usually goes down during this…
After the 26/11 terror attacks in 2008, GT Hospital and Cama Hospital — both directly impacted on that night — say the tragedy permanently reshaped their medical and security systems. GT Hospital Dr Jitendra Sankpal, who was an associate professor during the attacks and is now professor and head of surgery with additional charge of…
A little over 10,000 cameras record every nook and cranny of Mumbai. Their feed is monitored at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) disaster management control room, housed in the civic body’s headquarters at Fort. The feed is also monitored in another back-up control room at the City Disaster Management Institute in Parel. This concept of…
As Mumbai marks the anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks, the city police have massively ramped up coastal surveillance by expanding their community-driven Sagar Rakshak system to its largest strength ever. The number of registered coastal volunteers, mostly fishermen, boatmen and maritime workers, has jumped from 549 last year to a record 1851, including 45…
With Mumbai Metro Blue Line 1 continuing to buckle under peak-hour crowding and commuters demanding six coach trains, transport experts have proposed a simple, low-cost alternative: a dedicated bus lane along the 4.8 km Andheri East-Saki Naka corridor. In a detailed proposal sent to transport economist Ashok Datar, researcher Shubham Padave has suggested carving out…
The Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) — a firebrand organisation fighting for gender equality and the BMMA community allies — addressed the press at a conference on Tuesday afternoon at the Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Azad Maidan. At the meeting, the BMMA released a study of 2,500 victims of polygamy titled, ‘Lived Reality of 2500 Indian…
As Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) sees a sharp decline, schools have been seeing students call in sick owing to flu and congestion. Given that the year-end also factors in sports days and cultural events into the school calendars, educationists and parents have been especially careful too. Talking to mid-day, Principal of Mulund-based St Pius…
Following mid-day`s report on Saturday about the residents of Sion’s Jain Society raising concerns about the unauthorised parking of aggregate cabs in their lanes, the Mumbai traffic police cracked down on cabs parked in three lanes over the weekend. According to information from the Mumbai traffic police, action was taken against at least 45 vehicles…
Acting swiftly after mid-day highlighted the hazardous condition of a key Lokhandwala road, authorities have repaired the uneven stretch opposite Runwal Elegante in Andheri West. The damaged patch had been causing bottlenecks and posing a serious danger to two-wheeler riders. On November 22, mid-day reported how residents were frustrated with the ongoing Mumbai Metro Pink…
Mumbai has lost its coolness, with the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory on Tuesday recording a temperature of 21.9 degrees C, a departure of 1.3 degrees C from normal, and its Colaba counterpart reporting 23.9 degrees C, a departure of 0.8 degrees C from the norm. The chill in the air experienced by Mumbaikars…
As Mumbai readies to observe the 17th anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks, a memorial installed in Kalyan in 2009 to honour five police personnel killed in the assault has quietly vanished from its spot. While a senior police official said the structure had become unsafe after a speeding vehicle crashed into it, officials from…
Spotless under the spotlight A railway porter tirelessly sweeps the floor at a warehouse near Ram Mandir railway station From the files of Rakesh Maria, IPS This Friday (November 28) will mark the release of When It All Began (Penguin), the second book by Rakesh Maria, the 1981-batch IPS officer (retired on January 31, 2017),…
Do you know what the stars hold for you in terms of love life, career, business and personal wellness today? Well, read on to know your astrological predictions as per your zodiac sign for November 26. Aries March 21 – April 20The next karmic cycle is interesting since it’s auspicious for career. Cosmic tip: Don’t…
SEVENTEEN years on, Dilip Mehta still remembers every detail of the night that changed Mumbai forever. A survivor of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Mehta spoke to mid-day.com about his ordeal. On the night of the assault, he was at the Taj Mahal Palace, attending a programme in one of the banquet halls, when terror…
The eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia on Sunday led to ash entering India by Monday night. Following this, the Indian Aviation regulatory body, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, issued an advisory to Indian flight operators. Along with the advisory, they also issued an ASHTAM, a notice to airmen, specifically about volcanic activity…
AMBOLI resident Devika Natwarlal Rotawan, 26, who was fired upon by terrorist Ajmal Kasab at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus just a month shy of her tenth birthday, now lives with her father and brother in a one-BHK SRA flat allotted by the government following a legal battle. The hall is adorned with certificates and bravery…
Lokesh Waghela witnessed something as a 12-year-old that still haunts him to this day. His father, 42-year-old chemist Subhash Waghela, was shot dead outside Leopold Café while fleeing towards the Taj Hotel after terrorists hurled a hand grenade inside the eatery, and opened indiscriminate fire. Lokesh told mid-day, “Whenever I hear about 26/11, my eyes…
Maharashtra government on Tuesday approved the detailed project report (DPR) and implementation plan for Phase I of the Uttan-Virar Sea Link project, an “ambitious urban transport” initiative to be constructed at a cost of Rs 58,754.71 crore, an official said, reported the PTI. According to a government resolution (GR), the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA)…
SANTOSH Veer, 45, a Colaba resident, was badly injured during the 26/11 terror attack at Nariman House after three terrorists hurled a hand grenade at him. Veer suffered deep injuries in both thighs while trying to stop the gunmen from escaping. He and a friend had picked up paver blocks and hurled them at the…
SEVENTEEN years after the 26/11 terror attack, Navi Mumbai Police and key strategic installations have significantly upgraded their readiness, especially along the coastline and at high-footfall public spaces. With the anniversary falling on Wednesday, November 26, police have intensified bandobast, increased surveillance and activated citizen alert systems across the region. Navi Mumbai’s longest and most…
Shiv Sena Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Shrikant Shinde on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), alleging that the party “did nothing” for the Marathi community during its control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and was now invoking the “Marathi manoos” issue only for electoral gains. Dr Shinde spoke…
Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP SP) MP and national working president Supriya Sule on Tuesday wrote to the Maharashtra State Election Commissioner, alleging that several aspirants in the upcoming local body polls are being pressured to withdraw from the fray by “vested interests” to ensure unopposed victories. As reported by news agency PTI, Supriya…
The satellite-tagged turtle Dhaval Lakshmi has exhibited northward movement and, as of November 25, is located approximately 27 km northwest of Dahanu and 20 km offshore. In a first for the Dahanu coast, the Mangrove Cell has fitted a satellite tag on an Olive Ridley turtle to track its journey from the shoreline. The project…
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced that the long-pending technical obstacle in the Surya Water Supply Scheme (Phase 2), which provides water to Mira-Bhayandar city in Thane district of Maharashtra, has now been resolved. As a result, the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) will start receiving full-capacity water supply from March 2026, officials said on Tuesday….
The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to extend by 15 days the deadline for filing objections and suggestions to the draft voter lists for the Maharashtra local body elections. The draft rolls were published on November 20, and the current deadline for submitting objections is November 27. In…
The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Thane has awarded a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the family of a man who died after being hit by a container truck in 2019, reported news agency PTI. Thane MACT member Rupali V Mohite, in the order on November 20, directed the truck`s insurance company to…
Commuters on the Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3 experienced delays during the morning peak hours on Tuesday after a technical issue forced a brief halt in operations. According to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), a malfunction in one of the trains at Siddhivinayak station led to services being suspended for around 10 minutes….
A company linked to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar`s son Parth Pawar has sought 15 more days to respond to a notice directing it to pay Rs 21 crore towards stamp duty in a Pune land deal case, reported news agency PTI. Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar is a majority partner, approached…
A freak accident caused by strands of stray hair tangled in nesting material led to the heartbreaking sight of a young Dusky Crag Martin in Karjat. The unfortunate incident depicts a stark reminder of how even small traces of human waste can have devastating consequences for wildlife. Naturalist and wildlife photographer Mahesh Yadav, while briefing…
