Mumbai woke up to an unusually cool Saturday morning, offering residents a brief respite from the city’s typically warm and humid conditions. Minimum temperatures dipped just below 21 degrees Celsius, bringing a mild pre-winter chill that early risers welcomed as they stepped out to clear skies and light winds. But the pleasant start to the…
Even in Std II, as many as 2.76 per cent of students studying in BMC schools scored low on pre-school-level linguistics, and 3.16 per cent scored low on pre-school mathematics. Identifying this gap early on, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Education Department implemented the pilot project of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) assessments in 2024,…
While autonomous colleges in Mumbai are looking at a four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) in 2026, students still remain uncertain about the additional year. According to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the education system, which once followed the 10+2+3 timeline for school, junior college, and graduation, is to jump into a 5+3+3+4 structure, where adolescents…
Annual post-monsoon maintenance work was taken up at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Thursday, with the airport being closed for operations for six hours between 11 am and 5 pm, as scheduled earlier this month. An earlier statement issued by the airport said that the scheduled closure was designed to ensure continued…
After extending the submission deadline four times since the tenders for operating a blood bank at BMC-run peripheral hospitals (secondary healthcare facilities located in the suburbs of a city) were floated, the civic body now finally has nine bidders who have applied. While earlier it was said that these hospitals will just have blood banks,…
About 10 residential buildings located in Jain Society at Sion have been facing an uphill battle against unauthorised street parking of aggregate cabs in their quiet internal lanes. These vehicles are parked in their lanes named ‘24A’, ‘24B’, ‘25’, and ‘18’, throughout the day and overnight as well. Several vehicles are abandoned for many days…
As news emerged that a 19-year-old student residing on the outskirts of Mumbai died by suicide after allegedly being beaten up for speaking in Hindi on a train, the BJP decided to organise a ‘Pray for Wisdom’ meeting at the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s memorial in Dadar on Saturday, November 22. According to…
Residents of Lokhandwala have voiced frustration over the ongoing Mumbai Metro Pink Line 6 construction, saying the stretch of road over the Mogra nullah leading towards a premium residential society has become dangerously uneven and accident-prone. They allege that the slow pace of work has resulted in two lanes being shut for more than a…
A month after Western Railway demanded Rs 59.14 crore from the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation as way-leave charges before permitting the demolition of the Elphinstone bridge, Central Railway (CR) has now joined in, escalating its own demand from Rs 9 crore to Rs 47 crore. Western Railway’s earlier claim of Rs 59.14 crore for…
American rapper Travis Scott’s ‘Circus Maximus’ concert at Mahalaxmi Racecourse turned into a hotspot for large-scale theft, with 36 fans reporting gold jewellery, diamond pendants and mobile phones stolen, collectively worth over Rs 28 lakh. Tardeo police have registered seven FIRs covering 24 stolen mobile phones and 12 missing gold chains and diamond pendants, making…
To ease the daily crush of Mumbai’s commuter traffic, Central Railway (CR) has begun converting 20 of its existing 12-car suburban rakes into 15-car formations at one go, marking one of the most significant capacity expansions on the line in over a decade. The upgrade, long demanded by commuters and transport planners, will add an…
A canine caddie, perhaps? Golfer Karandeep Kochhar seems to have a four-legged enthusiast for company at the Indian Golf Premier League at Chembur’s Bombay Presidency Club. Read about Kochhar and his golfer girlfriend Pranavi Urs’ top-two finish on page 24. Early Christmas A sample of the hamper. Pics Courtesy/Sangath; (right) Wigbert Piedade If you’ve already…
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday alleged large-scale errors in Maharashtra’s draft electoral rolls and demanded the suspension of the state election commissioner, news agency PTI reported. He said that if these discrepancies were intentional, a case of sedition should be registered against the official. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed his…
Four persons were killed and three others injured after a car rammed into several two-wheelers and overturned on a flyover in Ambernath town of Maharashtra’s Thane District on Friday evening, news agency PTI reported, quoting police. The accident took place around 7.15 pm on the flyover that connects the eastern part of the town to…
Mumbai Congress on Friday has ruled out an alliance with the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the upcoming Maharashtra local body elections and said that it ‘will not tie up with intimidators`, reported the PTI. The Congress said that the party will not partner with those who break the law or intimidate people…
The Central Railway’s Mumbai Division will operate a special traffic and power block on November 22-23 between Kasara and Khardi for the commissioning of a new Electronic Interlocking system at Umbermali, an official statement said on Friday. The block will be in place from 22.40 hrs on November 22, 2025 to 07.40 hrs on November…
India Post, in partnership with the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), has inaugurated a new India Post Service Desk and a set of art installations at the CSMT Aqua Metro Line. The event took place on Friday at the CSMT Metro Station, near Entry/Exit Gates A2 and A3. The initiative to improve commuter convenience…
The State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, Mumbai, has released the tentative schedule for next year`s exam for various undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional courses across Maharashtra. The complete exam schedule is given below Higher education Master of Physical Education (M PEd): March 24, 2026, followed by offline field test on March 25. Master of Education…
After reports of a leopard being spotted near a tribal hamlet in Maharashtra`s Kharghar Hills, the Panvel Forest Department has intensified patrolling. The forest department has further launched awareness drives to ensure the safety of residents. Range Forest Officer (RFO) Gajanan Panpatte, showing concerns about the leopard spotting in residential areas, confirmed that teams have…
In view of bolstering the healthcare infrastructure across the state, the Maharashtra Government on Friday decided to provide land for Employees` State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospitals free of cost and exempted from tax, news agency IANS reported. “The government`s decision aims to strengthen the network of healthcare facilities in the state, prevent delays in hospital…
The 5th Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Friday conducted Maharashtra’s first-ever workshop on ‘CBRN Preparedness and Response’ at the 3D Auditorium in the Humboldt Penguin Section of the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo in Byculla, Mumbai. The event was organised under the guidance of NDRF Director General Piyush Anand….
The Air India Express on Friday announced that it will begin operations from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from December 25, 2025, the first day of commercial operations at the airport, with its first flight departing for Bengaluru. An official statement said that the airline will operate daily flights to Bengaluru and five weekly…
Central Railway (CR), Mumbai Division, has announced Special Traffic and Power Blocks over multiple nights this week and next for essential maintenance and infrastructure works on key suburban and mainline sections. Passengers are advised to plan their journeys accordingly. Panvel–Kalamboli Special Power Block CR will operate Special Traffic and Power Blocks between Panvel and Kalamboli…
The Mumbai BJP on Friday announced a prayer meeting for social harmony on Saturday for the 19-year-old student who allegedly died by suicide after being assaulted in local train for not speaking Marathi. The prayer meeting will be held on November 22 afternoon at the memorial of Balasaheb Thackeray, located in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Maidan…
The Bombay High Court on Friday passed an order stating that parents who have lost their young son in a railway accident will not use such a tragic incident to make a false claim of compensation. As reported by news agency PTI, Justice Jitendra Jain also granted compensation to the parents of 17-year-old Jaideep Tambe,…
Central Railway’s (CR’s) Mumbai Division has announced a mega maintenance block on the Main Line of the suburban sections between Thane and Kalyan on Sunday to carry out essential engineering and maintenance works. The block will be undertaken on the UP and DOWN Fast Lines from 10.40 am to 3.40 pm. The complete details of…
In a major administrative reform aimed at “strengthening good governance and improving coordination between public representatives and the bureaucracy”, Maharashtra has issued a new government resolution (GR) directing all the state officials to extend enhanced courtesy and respect to Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of Parliament (MPs). The GR, released on Thursday…
The long-pending demolition and reconstruction of Mumbai’s Elphinstone Road Bridge may face fresh delays as a new dispute over wayleave charges has emerged between the railway authorities and the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (Maharail). A month after Western Railway demanded Rs 59 crore from the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (Maharail) as a wayleave…
A major documentation camp in Mumbai`s Dharavi has reached more than 18,000 hutments in just two weeks, an official statement said on Friday. The drive was run jointly by the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) and Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), officials said. NMDPL is a SPV between the Government of Maharashtra and the Adani…
The Central Railway, while sharing Mumbai local train updates, on Friday said that it will operate special traffic and power block for launching of steel girders at Badlapur. An official statement said that the Central Railway’s Mumbai Division will carry out a Special Traffic and Power Block from the night of November 22/23 to December…
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 aims to gather important data on the species’ migration routes, foraging grounds, and population patterns along India’s western coast. The Dahanu forest division and the Mangrove…
The Mumbai`s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport carried out its annual post-monsoon maintenance on Thursday, shutting down operations for six hours—from 11 am to 5 pm—on November 20, 2025. The closure, announced earlier this month, was part of routine safety and operational checks conducted every year. According to the airport’s earlier statement, the scheduled shutdown…
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule on Thursday sought urgent intervention from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to secure the safety and release of a young man from Maharashtra’s Beed district, who is reportedly trapped in severe legal and humanitarian distress in Dubai. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Sule highlighted the plight…
Winter has now slowly tightened its grip across Maharashtra, with several districts across the state recording a significant drop in minimum temperatures. Many regions on Friday woke up to cold mornings marked by clear skies, haze, and dry conditions, as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). As per the weather information shared by the IMD,…
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday paid floral tributes at the Martyrs’ Memorial (Hutatma Smarak) on the occasion of Maharashtra State Martyrs’ Memorial Day. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray also visited the memorial to honour the martyrs. 🌸मुख्यमंत्री देवेंद्र फडणवीस यांनी महाराष्ट्र राज्य हुतात्मा स्मृतिदिनी संयुक्त महाराष्ट्राच्या…
A court in Maharashtra`s Thane district has acquitted a man who attacked his mother with a knife. The court, while passing the acquittal orders, noted that the accused has mental health issues and directed his treatment. In the acquittal order on Thursday, Principal District and Sessions Judge S B Agrawal also pulled up the police…
Mumbai woke up on Friday to an unusually cool and pleasant morning, offering residents a brief respite from the city’s typically warm and humid conditions. Minimum temperatures dropped below 22 degrees Celsius, giving early risers clear skies, light winds and a mild winter-like nip rarely felt in the city during this time of year. However,…
A Konkan trip turned tragic after a Thar SUV carrying six Pune youth plunged nearly 500 ft into a gorge on the Tamhini Ghat in Raigad, killing four. The crash went unnoticed for four days until parents filed missing-person complaints when the group’s phones stayed unreachable. Uttamnagar police believe the accident occurred around midnight on…
The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) uncovered a Rs 166.37-crore fake Input Tax Credit (ITC) racket being operated through more than 40 bogus entities being run from one office in Ghatkopar West. Officials said that what appeared to be a regular commercial establishment on the outside was functioning as the nerve centre of a…
Twenty days after Opposition leader Uddhav Thackeray and other parties announced on November 1 that they would move court over alleged irregularities in the voter lists, there has been no progress. The Maha Vikas Aghadi, along with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, accused the Election Commission of ignoring their demand to postpone local body elections…
