Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday hailed the acquittal of all the seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, highlighting how "Bhagwa (saffron)" has never been and never will be related to terrorism."Aatankvad bhagwa na kabhi tha, na hai, na kabhi rahega," ("Terrorism was never saffron, is not, and will never be") the Maharashtra CM posted on X. आतंकवाद भगवा न कभी था, ना है, ना कभी रहेगा!#MalegaonVerdict — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) July 31, 2025 On Wednesday, the Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai pronounced its decision in the case. It acquitted all the seven accused — including former Member of Parliament (MP) Sadhvi Pragya and and Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit — in the 2008 Malegaon blast case on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt, news agency ANI reported. The court had examined 323 prosecution witnesses and eight defence witnesses before pronouncing its verdict. The accused have been acquitted of all the charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Arms Act."Prosecution proved that a blast occurred in Malegaon but failed to prove that bomb was placed in that motorcycle," the Judge Abhay Lohati said. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde also welcomed the verdict and said "truth can never be defeated.""From the very beginning, Shiv Sena has unequivocally supported the patriots who were falsely accused and imprisoned in the Malegaon blast case. This is because Shiv Sena never had any doubt that their cause was just. Colonel Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya, and the other seven individuals had to endure immense mental and physical torment due to these accusations. The Hindu community will never forget this injustice," Shinde posted on X in Marathi. सत्य कधी पराभूत होत नाही :सतरा वर्षांच्या दीर्घ लढाईनंतर मालेगाव बॉम्बस्फोटातील सात कथित आरोपींची विशेष न्यायालयाने निर्दोष मुक्तता केली. न्यायाला उशीर झाला हे खरं आहे, पण सत्य कधीही पराजित होत नसतं, हे पुन्हा एकवार सिध्द झालंय.मालेगावच्या स्फोटांप्रकरणी खोटे आरोप करुन… — Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) July 31, 2025 Before the verdict was delivered, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Kadam hit out at the previous Congress government for "targeting" Hindu outfits by using the term "bhagwa aatank (saffron terrorism)" to malign them."When the Malegaon bomb blast case happened, there was a Congress government in Maharashtra. That government deliberately pressurised the investigating officers and tried to implicate Hindu outfits, RSS and several of our leaders in this case. Congress is the one that gave birth to the term 'Bhagwa Aatank' (saffron terror). Saffron is supreme for us, for Hindutva and Sanatana Dharma," the BJP leader said. In 2010, then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had used the term "Bhagwa Aatank", accusing certain Hindutva outfits of indulging in terror acts, including the 2008 Malegaon blast. Seventeen years ago, on September 29, an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City's Bhikku Chowk, killing six people and injuring 95 others. In the beginning, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against seven.The NIA court has ordered the Maharashtra Government to award Rs 2-lakh compensation to the families of the victims and Rs 50,000 compensation to the injured. The lawyer representing the victims' families said that he will be challenging the acquittal of the seven people in High Court. (With ANI inputs)
31 July,2025 02:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOn Thursday, Mumbai’s special NIA court acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, stating that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. The court also directed the Maharashtra government to provide Rs 2 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured in the blast. The accused included former MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (also known as Shankaracharya) and Sameer Kulkarni. “All bail bonds stand cancelled and sureties are discharged,” the court declared in its verdict, reported news agency ANI. The court had examined 323 prosecution witnesses and 8 defence witnesses before pronouncing the verdict. The seven people have been acquitted of all charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and all other charges. "Prosecution proved that a blast occurred in Malegaon but failed to prove that a bomb was placed in that motorcycle," Judge Abhay Lohati said. The court also mentioned that there was some manipulation of medical certificates. "The court has come to the conclusion that injured people were not 101 but 95 only and there was manipulation. In some medical certificates," the court said, as per the news agency ANI. The court also said that there is no evidence of storing or assembling the explosives in Prasad Purohit's residence, who was another accused in the case. "No sketch of the spot was done by the investigation officer while doing the panchnama. No fingerprint, dump data or anything else was collected for the spot. The samples were contaminated so reports can't be conclusive and relied upon," the court said, according to ANI. On the alleged role of the Abhinav Bharat organisation, the court said that there was no evidence of the funds of organisation being used for terror activities. On September 29 2008, six people were killed and 95 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City's Bhikku Chowk. Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against 7, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya. (With ANI inputs)
31 July,2025 12:25 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the verdict in the 17-year-old Malegaon blast case, advocate Shahid Nadeem, representing the victims, said the trial felt like it was not just of the accused but of the victims too, who were forced to relive their trauma in court. Nadeem recalled how over 100 injured victims had to travel 300 km from Nashik to Mumbai to testify, braving harsh weather conditions. “They had to show their wounds, damaged eyes, broken hands and recount where they were treated,” he said, reported news agency ANI. The remark came as all seven accused, including BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, appeared in the special NIA court. Nadeem also mentioned that during earlier proceedings under Judge Padalkar, accused No. 10, Swami Sudhakar Chaturvedi, denied that the blast even took place, prompting the court to summon victims to verify their injuries in person. "I am hopeful that justice will be served. Terror has no religion. The accused of the blast must be punished. This is our only request to the Court," he said. Former MP Sadhvi Pragya, Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya) and Sameer Kulkarni are the accused in the case. All of them are out on bail right now. Ahead of the verdict being pronounced, security has been heightened around the NIA court. Visuals from the Mumbai Special NIA court showed people standing outside, awaiting the verdict. Meanwhile, the locals of Nashik, awaiting the judgment, expressed confidence and hope in the court pronouncing the verdict in favour of the victims. The local stated that, "If the verdict is in favour of those who lost lives, then it is good, but if it is under someone's pressure, then it is wrong. If the culprits are freed, then there is no meaning in keeping the people waiting for so long for the verdict. There will be justice if the verdict is pronounced with honesty, but we can't do anything if it is done under pressure," reported news agency ANI. Judge AK Lahoti had heard the final arguments in the 17-year-old case, which killed six people and injured 101 others. The case was transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011 from the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS). All of the accused are currently out on bail. Another Malegaon local said that the government should announce compensation to the affected people from the blasts. "Innocents were killed in the 2008 blasts. We hope that the court's verdict is in favour of the innocents so that justice is served. We want the government to provide compensation to those who were affected," the local told ANI. Meanwhile, the counsel for the accused have all maintained the innocence of their clients and expressed hope of receiving an acquittal for them. Reaching the NIA court ahead of the verdict, advocate JP Mishra, representing former MP and accused Sadhvi Pragya, told reporters, "The verdict will come in a little while. Truth will win." Ranjeet Sangle, lawyer of accused Dhar Dwivedi, said while standing outside the court, "The NIA court will pronounce a verdict in the 2008 Malegaon Blast case soon. We are hopeful that all the accused will be acquitted today," according to ANI. On September 29 2008, six people were killed and 101 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City's Bhikku Chowk. Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against 7, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya. The NIA court had reserved its judgment on April 19, with the verdict to be announced on July 31. (With ANI inputs)
31 July,2025 11:54 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra government has decided to reduce the minimum service duration for sanitation workers under a programme aimed at transitioning sewer hole cleaning to a mechanised mode, to 20 years from the existing 25-year norm. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday chaired a meeting to review issues concerning sanitation workers. He instructed Urban Development Department officials to tweak the minimum service criterion, an official release stated. The ‘Manhole to Machinehole’ programme promotes mechanised cleaning of sewers, septic tanks, and drainage lines through the procurement of modern vehicles, robotic units, and sanitation tools. The initiative aims to reduce the human interface in sewer cleaning, and manpower will be used only for supervisory work. An outlay of Rs 504 crore has been approved for the scheme, with Rs 100 crore allocated through supplementary demand in the 2024-25 monsoon session. Procurement of machinery and emergency vehicles has begun.
31 July,2025 11:34 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesIt is said that football is a poor man’s game, because all you need is a ball to kick around. But professional football can cost millions. Yet, financial constraints haven’t stopped Preetam Mahadik from making his club, Mumbai Knights, the undisputed queens of Mumbai football. Small home where it started Operating from a tiny 10-foot-by-eight-foot room in Bandra’s Pali area, which his family has called home for over four decades, and despite a budget where expenditure overtakes income, Mumbai Knights’s club-owner-cum-coach Mahadik has led two of his three teams to the Mumbai Football Association women’s titles — Sub-junior (U-13) and Senior — this season, while the Junior (U-15) team finished second on goal difference. All three teams qualified for the Maharashtra State league, while the Senior team went on to win and qualify for the Indian Women’s League-2 (IWL-2). The Sub-junior and Junior teams are currently preparing for their State tournaments, and Mahadik is confident they will excel too. Three teams, three titles “Our Senior and Sub-jr teams won all their matches in both MFA leagues while the Juniors missed the top spot on goal difference. These girls are very dedicated and hardworking. We train four to five times a week on artificial turf and on Juhu beach. The intense beach training is why the girls are extremely fit. It’s one of the reasons for our success,” Mahadik tells mid-day at his modest home, with mother Suman, a house maid, by his side. Nikita Jude, defender, Mumbai Knights Mahadik began coaching girls in 2018-19 alongside senior boys under the team name, Joga Bonito. But when the girls tasted success in local tournaments, he realised their potential and began training only girls at Mumbai Knights. He eventually took over ownership of the club in June this year and while his 54 girls (28 seniors and 26 juniors) have been skilfully dribbling past all on-field challenges, off-field Mahadik is busy juggling his finances. Considering the annual cost to run Mumbai Knights as a professional club is around Rs 25 lakh, and Mahadaik earns around Rs 1 lakh per month through various coaching jigs, it’s amazing how he manages to keep the club, not just afloat, but also successful. “Almost 50 per cent of the club’s expenses go towards turf hiring charges [Rs 9000 per hour]. Then, we have a three-grade player contract system [Rs 15,000 for A Grade, Rs 10,000 for B, Rs 8000 for C] with a six-month payout commitment. Mumbai Knights players during a training session at the Wings Sports Centre in Bandra recently. Pics/Rane Ashish “Then, there are kit costs, tournament expenses, accommodation costs for outstation players and a host of others payments. I pump in 70 percent of my personal monthly earnings back into the club, while another part comes in through annual fees paid by some Sub-jr girls [Rs 40,000 each annually paid by 10 students]. Eventually there is still a deficit [around Rs12 lakh and for that, I am blessed with some friends and benefactors who chip in,” explains Mahadik, an AFC ‘C’ license coach. The numerous challenges notwithstanding though, Mumbai Knights are only aiming higher. Mahadik is confident his senior girls will not just win the IWL-2 and progress to IWL-1 (India’s premier women’s football tournament), but, in a short span, they will win that too and emerge national champions. Mumbai Knights football club owner Preetam Mahadik with his mother Suman at their modest home in Pali, Bandra “I have a five-year plan. The juniors, who are 14-15 years old now, should be playing the IWL by the time they are 18-19. And about the seniors, I’m confident they will win the IWL-2 [in March next year] and qualify for IWL-1, and within three years thereafter, we will win IWL-1 too,” said Mahadik. Interestingly, seeing the club’s success, Mahadik received an offer of Rs 50 lakh for a takeover by a rival club. Club not for sale Considering, he could be rendered homeless in the near future as his tiny house is under dispute with the neighbouring plush residential complex, and given his wife Lavina is in the eighth month of her pregnancy, the money could’ve benefitted Mahadik greatly. But he turned down the offer. “These girls are my family, and no one sells their family,” he concluded. Football administrators all praise for Knights Football administrators have lavished praise on Preetam Mahadik and his team, Mumbai Knights, who have dominated Mumbai and Maharashtra’s football scene this season. Mumbai Football Association General Secretary, Sudhakar Rane gave full credit to coach and club owner Mahadik for his hard work and dedication. Mahadik behind a net “Their coach [Mahadik] has done a great job with the girls because they have succeeded in all age groups. I am extremely proud that a Mumbai team has done well at the Maharashtra State level [Mumbai Knights Senior team are winners of the Maharashtra State league]. It’s great that talented football players in Mumbai have a platform to showcase their abilities,” Rane told mid-day. Kiran Chougule, Secretary of the Western India Football Association, the governing body for football in Maharashtra, said Mumbai Knights’s success augurs well for the state. “Mumbai Knights are a very promising team. Their success augurs well for Maharashtra too. At WIFA, we have always emphasised on women’s football and our various women’s leagues is proof of this. This year we have introduced the Sub-Junior league which Mumbai Knights have qualified for, so all the best to them,” said Chougule. Coach Mahadik’s success with Mumbai Knights this season 1 Winners of the MFA Women’s Premier League2 Runners-up of MFA Junior Girls League3 Winners of MFA Sub-Junior Girls League4 Winners of Maharashtra State Women’s League 5 All three teams — Senior, Junior and Sub-Junior qualify for Maharashtra State League Rs 50LOffer received from a rival club to take over Mumbai Knights. Mahadik turned down the offer despite his financial struggles Rs 25LAnnual cost to run Mumbai Knights football club
31 July,2025 10:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Ashwin FerroOn Thursday, Mumbai is expected to experience a generally cloudy sky with light to moderate rain across the city and suburbs. According to the tidal forecast by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a high tide of 3.69 meters is expected at 4:00 PM on Thursday, followed by a low tide of 1.49 meters at 10:07 PM. On Friday, a high tide of 3.29 meters is predicted at 4:40 AM, while the next low tide will occur at 9:57 AM, measuring 2.37 meters. Residents and commuters are advised to stay updated on weather and tide conditions, especially in low-lying areas. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, Mumbai is expected to experience a generally cloudy sky with light to moderate rainfall across the city and suburbs. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 30 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively. In terms of specific locations, Colaba is expected to record a maximum temperature of 28.4 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 25.6 degrees Celsius, while Santacruz may see a slightly higher maximum of 28.9 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 26 degrees Celsius. Residents are advised to keep umbrellas handy as intermittent showers may continue throughout the day. Between 8:00 AM on Wednesday and 8:00 AM on Thursday, Mumbai recorded light rainfall across different zones. The City area received an average of 2.19 mm, while the Eastern Suburbs saw 5.41 mm, and the Western Suburbs registered 3.56 mm of rainfall. The data indicates scattered light showers across the city, with slightly higher rainfall in the eastern parts. Mumbai rains: City's lakes 88.65 per cent full as rains recharge seven reservoirs The water levels in lakes supplying drinking water to Mumbai have risen following heavy rainfall in their catchment areas. According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data, the combined stock in the seven reservoirs that provide water to the city now stands at 88.65 per cent. As per the BMC on Thursday (July 31), the collective water stock in these reservoirs is 12,83,123 million litres, which amounts to 88.65 per cent of their total capacity. Among the lakes, Modak Sagar, Vihar, and Tulsi are already at 100 per cent capacity, while Bhatsa is at 85.71 per cent, Upper Vaitarna at 81.67 per cent, Middle Vaitarna at 82.46 per cent, and Tansa at 98.49 per cent. Bhatsa has the highest live storage among all, with 6,14,595 million litres. The city recorded a total rainfall of 1,261 mm so far this monsoon, with 7.0 mm falling between 7 AM on Wednesday and 6 AM on Thursday. Notably, the Upper Vaitarna release began on July 5, Middle Vaitarna’s gates were opened on July 7, and Modak Sagar began overflowing on July 9. Tansa started overflowing on July 23, and all Bhatsa dam gates were opened on July 25.
31 July,2025 10:21 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe water levels in lakes supplying drinking water to Mumbai have risen following heavy rainfall in their catchment areas. According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data, the combined stock in the seven reservoirs that provide water to the city now stands at 88.65 per cent. According to the BMC on Thursday (July 31), the collective water stock in these reservoirs is 12,83,123 million litres, which amounts to 88.65 per cent of their total capacity. Among the lakes, Modak Sagar, Vihar, and Tulsi are already at 100 per cent capacity, while Bhatsa is at 85.71 per cent, Upper Vaitarna at 81.67 per cent, Middle Vaitarna at 82.46 per cent, and Tansa at 98.49 per cent. Bhatsa has the highest live storage among all, with 6,14,595 million litres. The city recorded a total rainfall of 1,261 mm so far this monsoon, with 7.0 mm falling between 7 AM on Wednesday and 6 AM on Thursday. Notably, the Upper Vaitarna release began on July 5, Middle Vaitarna’s gates were opened on July 7, and Modak Sagar began overflowing on July 9. Tansa started overflowing on July 23, and all Bhatsa dam gates were opened on July 25. Mumbai weather update: Cloudy skies, light to moderate rain expected in city On Thursday, Mumbai is expected to experience a generally cloudy sky with light to moderate rain across the city and suburbs. According to the tidal forecast by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a high tide of 3.69 meters is expected at 4:00 PM on Thursday, followed by a low tide of 1.49 meters at 10:07 PM. On Friday, a high tide of 3.29 meters is predicted at 4:40 AM, while the next low tide will occur at 9:57 AM, measuring 2.37 meters. Residents and commuters are advised to stay updated on weather and tide conditions, especially in low-lying areas. 🗓️ ३१ जुलै २०२५ ⛈️☔मुंबई शहर व उपनगरात आकाश सामान्यत: ढगाळ राहील. तसेच मध्यम स्वरुपाचा पाऊस कोसळण्याची शक्यता आहे.🌊 भरती -सायंकाळी ४:०० वाजता - ३.६९ मीटरओहोटी -रात्री १०:०७ वाजता - १.४९ मीटर 🌊 भरती -पहाटे ४:४० वाजता (उद्या, १ ऑगस्ट २०२५) - ३.२९ मीटर ओहोटी -… — माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) July 31, 2025 According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai is expected to experience a generally cloudy sky with light to moderate rainfall across the city and suburbs. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 30 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively. In terms of specific locations, Colaba is expected to record a maximum temperature of 28.4 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 25.6 degrees Celsius, while Santacruz may see a slightly higher maximum of 28.9 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 26 degrees Celsius. Residents are advised to keep umbrellas handy as intermittent showers may continue throughout the day.
31 July,2025 09:37 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Borivli police have launched a manhunt for two persons who allegedly assaulted a vegetable vendor couple from Gorai near the Pepsi Ground in Borivli West on Tuesday morning. According to the police, the two absconding accused, identified as Akshay Patil and Sagar Patil, are local residents with multiple serious cases registered against them. Victims Rechal and Victor Pereira have been selling vegetables near the Pepsi Ground for several years. As per the complaint, the accused were allegedly trying to forcibly place another vendor at the spot where the couple regularly set up their stall. When the couple resisted, the accused brutally assaulted Victor, leaving him with injuries to his head, legs, and back. Following the assault, Victor was rushed to Shatabdi Hospital, where he received first aid treatment, and the couple later approached the Borivli police station to register a complaint. Following the complaint, police recorded their statements and initiated action. Victor and Rachel. PICS/SAMIULLAH KHAN Rechal said, “We are residents of Gorai and earn our livelihood through farming. I have been setting up a stall here with my husband for the past four years. I have no opposition to anyone’s business. Every week, '250 is collected from us, and on Sundays, an extra '50 is charged. This amount is taken not just from me but from every vendor.” She added, “I have been selling at this particular spot, but (Akshay) Patil wanted to place someone else there. He had been threatening us since Monday. When we refused to vacate, he came this morning and attacked my husband. He picked up a vegetable crate and threw it, then used the same crate and weights to hit my husband. He was beaten so badly that he started bleeding from his hand and sustained injuries on his legs and body.” “They wanted to replace us with a flower vendor. Tuesday morning, the flower seller came and tried to forcibly set up his stall at our spot. When I protested, he called Patil, who then arrived here and started destroying our stall. He threw away all the vegetables and attacked me with a crate. I demand the police take the strictest action against the accused,” said Victor. James D'Mello, brother of Rechal, said, “I was on my way to work when I saw the video. I was shocked. Are we living in India or some lawless land? Who beats someone so brutally like this? We are local villagers from Gorai. Our livelihood depends on farming and selling our produce. I request the government to punish such criminals severely so that no one dares to attack any local or innocent person again.” Senior Inspector Maloji Shinde of Borivli police station said that an FIR has been filed against the accused duo — Akshay and Sagar — while the flower vendor has been placed under arrest. “We have registered a case under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), taking serious note of the incident, which appears to be part of an ongoing pattern of intimidation,” said SI Shinde. “The flower vendor involved has been arrested, while the Patil brothers are currently absconding. A dedicated police team has been formed to trace and arrest them,” he added.
31 July,2025 08:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe number of fast local trains halting at Diva railway station is set to increase in September, as per the new railway timetable and assurances given by officials to protesting commuter organisations, who have now called off protests. While the hunger strike outside Diva station is finally off, it has now led to a fresh debate triggered by commuters from other stations. Commuter organisation members had been sitting on a hunger strike protest outside Diva station following the Mumbra rail tragedy. “Our protest movement had started in the Diva station premises from July 1. Our demands included local train service from Diva station to Mumbai CSMT, a halt to all fast local trains at Diva, a Panvel-Diva local train service, and the provision of ambulances outside Diva and Mumbra stations,” activist Amol Kendre told mid-day. Delegation of commuter activists handing over petition of demands to railway and RPF officials. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT “On July 22, senior officials visited us, but no solution was found. On July 24, we visited the office of the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), where officials were positive and said that they would discuss the issue with the Central Railway (CR) management and get back to us within two days,” he explained. Railway assurances According to Kendre, on July 29, the DRM office informed the protesting organisations that the new suburban railway timetable was scheduled to be released in September. “In that, it will be planned to halt fast local trains leaving from Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath and Titwala at Diva. There was also a positive policy regarding starting a local train service between Diva and Panvel. Also, ambulances will be made available at Diva and Mumbra stations within two months. Following this, we decided to stop the protest,” Kendre said. However, he added that the next fight will be legal. “We have decided to file a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) against the railways for better services through our lawyers Prabhat Dubey and SS Bhosale, to get the demands of Diva commuters fulfilled.” ‘Will lead to chaos’ Meanwhile, commuters from other stations have raised objections to the demands by Diva commuters. “If a Karjat local or all local trains going far off will halt at Diva, it will become chaotic and create more problems as people won’t be able to board at Thane station,” Dinesh Hele, a commuter, said. “A Diva halt to fast trains will lead to more passengers getting in already-crowded trains, worsening the situation. The best option is to get a dedicated Diva local started for them so that they do not crowd other trains. As it is, a few outstation trains operate from Diva, so they will get significant crowds,” commuter Malini Rodse said. Official Speak A CR spokesperson said, “The Mumbai suburban network is very congested and is being used beyond capacity. Before introducing every change, we have to think a hundred times. We are building additional corridors, which will lead to an increase in services. But till then, we will find some interim measures to balance out things and accommodate more crowds. Adding one more terminal would be disastrous to the overall operations of the railway and lead to further delays. A single fast-terminating train entering Diva would need to negotiate six crossovers, leading to a loss of 12 minutes. This will lead to the entire timetable collapsing.”
31 July,2025 08:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarAfter facing much anxiety over the past two weeks, MBBS aspirants heaved a sigh of relief as the department of medical education has retracted its last-minute decision to implement a 10 per cent quota for students from the economically weaker section (EWS) in private colleges. As per a notice released by the department on July 30, “For MBBS/BDS/BAMS/BHMS and BUMS courses, this reservation [for EWS students] will be applicable only if the Central government /respective council increases existing seats. For courses other than MBBS/BDS/BAMS/BHMS and BUMS, 10% EWS reservation will be applicable on available seats.” The row began last week, when just a day before admissions began for undergraduate medicos, on July 23, the NEET (UG) guidebook was released with an annexure stating that 10 per cent of seats in private medical colleges would be reserved for students belonging to the economically weaker section. This quota was seemingly introduced without increasing the total number of seats at the medical college, sparking fears about the availability of open-category seats. On Tuesday, July 29, a group of parents whose wards have already begun their medical college counselling visited Maharashtra’s Minister of Medical Education, Hasan Mushrif, and subsequently Medical Education Secretary Dhiraj Kumar over fears regarding admissions. “I was very scared about my position after reading the annexure,” said a student who visited the minister on Tuesday morning. “I am applying to private medical colleges all across Maharashtra, and I feared my chances of securing admission would have been slimmer if more open-category seats were reduced,” said the aspiring medico. While NEET (UG) counselling is already underway, NEET PG students — who are yet to appear for the exams — were also worried about their academic position. “My son is hoping to apply to private medical colleges in the city. Seeing the seats cut down for UG, we were already afraid that postgraduate students will have to deal with the same issue,” a parent told mid-day. After the meeting on Tuesday, Mushrif redirected the parents to the medical education secretary. “As many as 350 to 360 UG seats were at stake across all private colleges across Maharashtra. As for PG, only 50 per cent of seats come under the state quota, and they were at risk of being further slashed,” Sudha Shenoy, a representative of the students and parents, said. “‘We had presented the secretary with past court orders that ruled in favour of medical students, and now ministers and government officials have helped us by acting speedily. It’s fortunate that the decision came in before the seat matrix was put out,” she added. The medical secretary was also asked to provide greater transparency regarding college fees, since students still refer to a college’s historic academic fees while considering it for allotment. NEET (UG) counselling is already underway, and seat allotment is scheduled to follow soon. It was mentioned in NEET (UG) guidelines brochure that in “government/government-aided/corporation/private unaided institutions (excluding minority institutions), 10 per cent of the available seats under state quota shall be reserved for candidates belonging to the EWS category”.
31 July,2025 08:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Aditi AlurkarThe Matunga railway colonies of Central and Western Railways are now facing the consequences of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project being carried out by the Adani Group. The project aims to level the entire railway colony area and reconstruct transit homes and other railway quarters, to provide housing for those being relocated from Dharavi, as well as railway employees. Residents of the Central Railway colony appear to have given up, having no say in the Railways’ decision to hand over the land for redevelopment. A Central Railway employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, told mid-day, “We do not have the power to fight the authorities on their decision to move us. But we don’t want the area to be destroyed. There are thousands of trees here that have been around for decades, and we are now scared for them.” The WR quarters, being the largest railway heritage quarter in Mumbai, is a 1 km-long stretch filled with trees and the constant chirping of birds. Residents claim the trees in the area provide much-needed relief during the sweltering summer months. The colony alone is home to around 2700 trees, of which approximately 1900 are large and old, including Badam, Coconut, Banyan, Pipal, Mango, and several other species. Resident Speak Aditi Jayakar Kane, a local social activist, said, “Development is necessary, we understand that, but should it come at the cost of uprooting thousands of decades-old trees?” While residents of the Central Railway colony have resigned themselves to the project, those in the Western colony remain determined to resist. “We’ve been living here for decades, and the trees are older than us. “So many birds depend on this area for its green cover and the oxygen from these trees. All of that will be lost. It’s already hard to find such a serene place in the middle of this city, and now even that is about to disappear, with no one seeming to care,” said a male resident. The redevelopment has already begun in the Central Railway colony, where a large plot is under construction and trees have already been cut. “They’ve planted saplings in exchange for cutting down age-old trees. How is that enough? The older and larger trees give us so much. These saplings will take decades to grow to that level. And what about the birds, parakeets, bats, kingfishers, that have made these trees their home? What will happen to them?” said Kane. Natasha Pereira, another activist working alongside Kane, said, “We’re already facing severe pollution in this city. It's green covers like these that help us fight it. In the next two years, once the entire area is levelled, it won’t matter that they’re planting saplings. It’ll take far too long for those to grow and support life like the older trees do.” She added, “It takes seconds to hack down a fully grown tree, one that houses birds, reduces temperatures, and fights pollution, but it takes decades for a sapling to grow to that capacity, and even then, only some survive. By the time we realise this, it will be too late, and we’ll be facing more intense heatwaves.” Some trees in the area now bear notices listing the number of trees to be cut or transplanted. One such notice states that 65 trees will be felled and 120 transplanted to other locations, raising questions about whether these transplanted trees will survive. “We hope the redevelopers consider the importance of these trees — both to the residents and the local environment, and plan the project in a way that preserves as many large and old trees as possible,” said Kane. Developer Speak A Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), Adani, spokesperson told mid-day, “There are over 2000 trees on the Matunga Railway Land. If any tree is to be removed, it will be in alignment with government policies and statutory government clearances. The SPV will also plant 20,000 new trees at various other locations. Additionally, the Forest Department’s approval has been sought to plant another one lakh trees within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. We are committed to the greening of not only Dharavi but also all other land parcels allotted for the project.” mid-day also contacted the BMC Garden Department for a comment but received no response from them till the time of going to press.
31 July,2025 08:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Madhulika Ram KavatturADVERTISEMENT
-1753944148366_d.png "Accused Sameer Kulkarni (left). Accused former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur (centre). Accused Ramesh Upadhyay (right). PICS/ PTI")
-1753942934524_d.png "Accused Sameer Kulkarni (left). Accused former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur (centre). Accused Ramesh Upadhyay (right). PICS/ PTI")
