shot-button
Home > Mumbai > Mumbai News > Articles

Read Mumbai News

IndiGO customers complain of delays as airline faces temporary system slowdown

IndiGO customers on Saturday complaint of facing delays in operations as airline faced temporary system slowdown. In an official statement the IndiGO has announced a temporary slowdown across its network, impacting both its website and booking system. As a result, customers are experiencing longer wait times, including slower check-ins and extended queues at airports. In the statement, IndiGO reassured passengers that its airport team is on standby and fully dedicated to assisting travelers during this challenging time. The airline emphasized its commitment to ensuring a smooth journey for all customers despite the disruptions. "We are currently experiencing a temporary system slowdown across our network, affecting our website and booking system. As a result, customers may face increased wait times, including slower check-ins and longer queues at the airport. Our airport team is available and fully dedicated to assisting everyone and ensuring a smooth journey. Be assured, we are working diligently to restore stability and normalcy as quickly as possible. We regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding and patience during this time," the IndiGo statement said on Saturday.

05 October,2024 03:52 PM IST | Mumbai | Prasun Choudhari
Representational Image

Thane: Major fire breaks out at warehouse in Bhiwandi; watch video

A major fire broke out in a warehouse in Bhiwandi, located in Maharashtra's Thane district. A warehouse on the Bhiwandi By-pass is gutted in fire. pic.twitter.com/2lviml7NKn — Adv. M (@RURALINDIA) October 5, 2024 A major fire broke out at the godown of a logistics company in Maharashtra's Thane district in the wee hours of Saturday, and no one was injured in the incident, the civic officials said. The blaze erupted around 2.35 am at a godown in Valshind village in Bhiwandi on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway, the officials from the civic fire control room said. Two fire engines from Bhiwandi and a few more from neighbouring Kalyan and Mumbai are involved in the firefighting operations, and the blaze has not been brought under control yet, the officials said. The smoke billowing from the premises could be seen from far away, the official said, adding that the cause for the blaze is yet to be ascertained. Rajesh Pawar, a fire official from the Bhiwandi Fire Brigade, confirmed the incident and stated that teams from Bhiwandi, Thane, Kalyan, and Ulhasnagar, along with several water tankers, have been deployed to the site to combat the fire.  Pawar noted that the godown stores various materials, including oil and textiles, but the cause of the fire remains undetermined at this time. He emphasized that efforts are focused on cooling the flames, with multiple teams working collaboratively to control the situation and prevent further damage. Fire at factory in Thane city Earlier, a major fire broke out at a factory at the Wagle Industrial Estate in Thane on October 2 afternoon, a civic official said, reported PTI. There were no reports anyone getting injured, said Yasin Tadvi, chief of the disaster management cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation, reported PTI. The fire started around 4 pm and seven fire engines are involved in dousing the blaze, he added.  No casualties were reported since the factory was closed for the holiday, but fire brigade officials confirmed significant damage to the factory. Approximately seven fire engines from the Thane fire brigade, two from Mira Bhayandar, and one from Bhiwandi were present at the scene. This incident was categorised as a “brigade call,” which is the highest level of alert in firefighting terms. More than 20  water tankers were used to control the fire, which lasted until 9 pm. (With inputs from Faisal Tandel and PTI)

05 October,2024 02:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/Hanif Patel

Mumbai: Heavy traffic on NH-48 ahead of PM Modi's visit

A huge backlog of traffic was observed on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway on Saturday morning, with both lanes heavily congested between Versova Bridge and the new Fountain Hotel on NH-48. Activists criticized the authorities for failing to implement effective measures to ensure smooth traffic flow ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai and Thane. Sources in the traffic police of Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar police told Mid-Day that the heavy vehicles coming from the Gujarat side were not diverted by the concerned authorities in Palghar district leading to a complete choke on both arms. Above all, the ongoing white topping work on the stretch is adding problems for the commuters who are stuck in the jam for hours. An activist Sushant Patil said that all the vehicles - heavy as well as light vehicles - have been stopped by the traffic police at Fountain Junction. “No vehicles are allowed to go to Thane on the Ghodbundar Road. Many vehicles have been stuck since morning. There are a few ambulances and school buses too are stuck in the heavy jam,” Patil told Mid-Day. “The Palghar Collector should have stopped heavy vehicles at Talasari or Manor, but no such initiative was taken by him, resultant of which commuters are facing major inconvenience on NH-48,” Patil added. “The traffic officials of MBVV police are not allowing small vehicles coming from Gujarat side to go to Thane via Fountain junction. There is a major chaos at present which will dent the image of PM. But this traffic chaos is just because of improper decisions taken by Palghar collector and MBVV police,” underscored Patil, who is planning to write a letter to PMO requesting to take action against the failure of Palghar Collector and MBVV police causing hundreds of vehicles to stuck in a jam on important stretch connecting Maharashtra and Gujarat. When contacted, Palghar Collector Govind Bodake said, “We had issued a traffic notification to divert the route of the heavy vehicles ahead of the PM visit. I am not sure if it was executed by the Palghar police or not.” The Superintendent of Palghar police Balasaheb Patil said, “We had received a clear notification that most of the heavy vehicles coming from Gujarat should be diverted from Manor to Vikramgarh to Wada and then Nashik Road sans disturbing traffic on NH-48 ahead of PM visit. Though the diversions were made this one is a small stretch, unlike Chinchoti-Bhiwandi road which is wider for heavy vehicles.” “Above all, a bridge on the Vaitarna river on the Manor-Wada stretch is extremely weak and it cannot sustain the movement of heavy vehicles. The PWD has also suggested we stop the movement of heavy vehicles, as it cannot afford the load. So, we cannot afford to divert heavy vehicles on this stretch. Hence, the heavy vehicles should have been diverted from Chinchoti Naka on NH-48 towards Bhiwandi and Chinchoti Naka falls under the jurisdiction of MBVV police,” Patil told mid-day. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic) in Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police Suhas Bavche told Mid-Day that the notification was issued ahead of the PM visit. “At present, more than 100 traffic personnel have been deployed to regulate the traffic on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway,” said DCP Bavche. “The light motor vehicles are allowed to go towards Thane to make the traffic seamless. The ongoing white topping work on the stretch is adding difficulties in regulating the traffic,” he added.

05 October,2024 01:29 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar Sharma
File Photo

Mumbai police issues advisory ahead of Mumbai Metro 3 inauguration ceremony

As Mumbai gears up for the much-anticipated flagging-off ceremony of the Metro Line 3 at BKC, the Mumbai Traffic Police have issued a crucial advisory for citizens. With a large gathering of VVIPs and the general public expected to attend the event, commuters must plan their travel accordingly to avoid any inconvenience. In a recent post on 'X' (formerly Twitter), the Mumbai Traffic Police urged citizens to consider alternative routes while travelling to BKC. The anticipated influx of attendees may lead to congestion in the vicinity, particularly around the event location. To ensure smooth traffic flow and reduce delays, commuters are encouraged to plan their journeys ahead of time. "In view of flagging off ceremony of Mumbai Metro line 3 at BKC, in the afternoon, a large number of VVIPs & citizens are expected to attend it. To avoid inconvenience, citizens are requested to opt for an alternate route while travelling to BKC," Mumbai traffic police said in a post on 'X'. In view of flagging off ceremony of Mumbai Metro line 3 at BKC , in the afternoon, a large number of VVIPs & citizens are expected to attend it.To avoid inconvenience, citizens are requested to opt for an alternate route while travelling to BKC.#MTPTrafficUpdates — Mumbai Traffic Police (@MTPHereToHelp) October 5, 2024 PM to launch metro line, lay foundation stones of infrastructure projects in Maharashtra Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a visit to Maharashtra on Saturday, during which he will launch several development initiatives costing over Rs 56,000 crore, officials said. PM Modi will first visit Washim, where he will inaugurate the Banjara Virasat Museum, celebrating the rich heritage of the Banjara community, after offering prayers at Jagdamba Mata temple in Poharadevi and paying tribute at the 'samadhis' of Sant Sevalal Maharaj and Sant Ramrao Maharaj, an official release said. Later in the day, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various development projects worth over Rs 32,800 crore in Thane. In Mumbai, he will inaugurate the BKC to Aarey JVLR section of Mumbai Metro Line - 3 costing around Rs 14,120 crore, and will also take a ride in the metro between BKC and Santacruz stations. At 12 noon, PM Modi will launch various initiatives related to the agricultural and animal husbandry sector worth around Rs 23,300 crore in Washim. In line with his commitment to empower farmers, Modi, during the event in Washim, will disburse the 18th instalment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi worth about Rs 20,000 crore to around 9.4 crore farmers, it said. With this, the total funds released to farmers under PM-KISAN will be around Rs 3.45 lakh crore. He will also launch the 5th instalment of NaMo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana and disburse Rs 2,000 crore, it said. The PM will dedicate to the nation more than 7,500 projects, costing Rs 1,920 crore, under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF). The major projects include custom hiring centres, primary processing units, warehouses, sorting and grading units, cold storage projects, post-harvest management projects etc.

05 October,2024 11:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pic/PTI

PM Modi's Maharashtra visit: Prime Minister to launch Mumbai metro 3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a visit to Maharashtra on Saturday, during which he will launch several development initiatives costing over Rs 56,000 crore, officials said, reported PTI. PM Modi will first visit Washim, where he will inaugurate the Banjara Virasat Museum, celebrating the rich heritage of the Banjara community, after offering prayers at Jagdamba Mata temple in Poharadevi and paying tribute at the 'samadhis' of Sant Sevalal Maharaj and Sant Ramrao Maharaj, an official release said. Later in the day, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various development projects worth over Rs 32,800 crore in Thane. In Mumbai, he will inaugurate the BKC to Aarey JVLR section of Mumbai Metro Line - 3 costing around Rs 14,120 crore, and will also take a ride in the metro between BKC and Santacruz stations, reported PTI. At 12 noon, PM Modi will launch various initiatives related to the agricultural and animal husbandry sector worth around Rs 23,300 crore in Washim. In line with his commitment to empower farmers, PM Modi, during the event in Washim, will disburse the 18th instalment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi worth about Rs 20,000 crore to around 9.4 crore farmers, it said. With this, the total funds released to farmers under PM-KISAN will be around Rs 3.45 lakh crore. He will also launch the 5th instalment of NaMo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana and disburse Rs 2,000 crore, it said. The PM will dedicate to the nation more than 7,500 projects, costing Rs 1,920 crore, under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF). The major projects include custom hiring centres, primary processing units, warehouses, sorting and grading units, cold storage projects, post-harvest management projects etc. He will dedicate to the nation 9,200 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) with a combined turnover of around Rs 1,300 crore. Further, the PM will launch the Unified Genomic Chip for cattle and indigenous sex-sorted semen technology. This initiative aims to increase availability of sex sorted semen at affordable price to farmers and reduce the cost by around Rs 200 per dose. The Unified Genomic Chip, GAUCHIP for indigenous cattle and MAHISHCHIP for buffaloes have been developed along with genotyping services. With the implementation of genomic selection, young high-quality bulls can be identified at an early age, the release said. At around 4 pm, the PM will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for various development projects costing more than Rs 32,800 crore in Thane. The PM will lay the foundation stone of Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail Project to be constructed at the cost of around Rs 12,200 crore. The total length of the project is 29 km with 20 elevated and 2 underground stations, reported PTI. This ambitious infrastructure project is a key effort to address the growing transportation needs of Thane, a major industrial and commercial hub in Maharashtra, the statement said, reported PTI. The PM will lay the foundation stone of Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension from Chheda Nagar to Anand Nagar, Thane, worth around Rs 3,310 crore. The project will provide seamless connectivity from South Mumbai to Thane, reported PTI. At 6 pm, from BKC metro station, he will flag off a metro service scheduled to run from BKC to Aarey JVLR in the western part of the metropolis. He will also travel between BKC and Santacruz metro stations, the release said. Further, PM Modi will dedicate five solar parks with a total capacity of 19 MW across Maharashtra under the Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana 2.0. During the programme, he will also honour beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, the release added. He will lay the foundation stone of Phase-1 of Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) project worth around Rs 2,550 crore. The project comprises construction of major arterial roads, bridges, flyovers, underpasses, and integrated utility infrastructure. Maharashtra is headed to the assembly polls, and the Election Commission is expected to announce its schedule soon. (With inputs from PTI)

05 October,2024 11:04 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Image. File Pic

Mumbai lakes supplying water to the city reach 99.30 per cent capacity

The BMC stated on Saturday that the water levels in Mumbai's seven reservoirs, which supply the city with potable water, have reached 99.30 per cent. Based on data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the combined water stock of the Mumbai lakes stands at 14,37,255 million litres at present, or 99.30 per cent of their capacity. Mumbai gets its water from the Upper and Middle Vaitarnas, Bhatsa, Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, and Modak Sagar. The civic body's data on the Mumbai lakes indicates that Tansa's water level is 98.93 per cent. 99.35 per cent of the water stock is accessible at Modak-Sagar. Middle Vaitarna is 99.30 per cent, Upper Vaitarna is 100 per cent, Bhatsa is 99.12 per cent, Vihar is 100 per cent, and Tulsi is 99.25 per cent of the available useful water. In the wake of heavy rains, one more lake supplying water to Mumbai, Middle Vaitarna Lake, started overflowing on July 4. Lakes Vihar and Modak Sagar began to flood on July 25 due to persistently high rains. Around 4 pm on July 24, Tansa Lake started to overflow, increasing the amount of water stored in all seven reservoirs by 17 days in a single day. Approximately 400 million gallons of water are supplied to Mumbai by Tansa Lake, which is situated in the Shahpur region of Thane. On July 26, 2024, it overflowed. One of the two lakes that directly feed water to the BMC, Tulsi Lake, started to overflow on July 20 at around 8:30 am, mimicking the event that occurred on the same day last year at 1:28 pm, according to the civic body. Mumbai rains: Light rainfall expected today The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light spells of rainfall in Mumbai on Saturday, as per the latest Mumbai weather update. The weather agency, in their Mumbai weather update, has forecast a "Partly cloudy sky with possibility of drizzle in the city and its suburbs. Fog or mist in the morning" for the next 24 hours.  Temperatures are expected to range from a maximum of 32 degrees Celcius to a minimum of 25 degrees Celcius, the IMD said.  The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in its Mumbai weather update, said a high tide will occur at 12.57 pm, reaching a height of 3.95 metres, while a low tide is expected at 6.57 pm dropping to 0.58 metres.

05 October,2024 10:25 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
File Photo

Mumbai weather updates: City sees 'good' air quality, AQI stands at 52

The 'October heat' has gripped the city with the temperatures on Saturday reaching at least one degree above the normal temperature. According to the latest Mumbai weather update by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature will likely be around 32 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature is likely to be around 25 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity is 83 per cent. The sun rose at 06:30 AM and will set at 06:23 PM. In their daily forecast for the city and neighbouring areas, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted a partly cloudy sky with the possibility of drizzling in the city and suburbs. Fog and mist in the morning. Mumbai weather update: City's AQI 'good' On Saturday (October 5), the Central Pollution Control Board's SAMEER app, in its latest Mumbai weather update, said the city's air quality continued to be 'good' with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 52 at 9.34 am. The SAMEER App dashboard, on Saturday, showed that a maximum of the areas either had a 'good' or 'satisfactory' AQI except Borivali which reported a 'good' AQI of 91. The Mazgaon area recorded a 'moderate' AQI of '128' on Saturday morning.  BKC's AQI was 'good' at 96, Chembur's AQI was 39. Among all areas, Byculla recorded a relatively optimal AQI of 29. Navi Mumbai, according to data collated by the SAMEER app, recorded 'good' air quality with an AQI of 77. Nerul, which had been recording good AQI consistently, recorded an AQI of 57. Meanwhile, Thane too recorded a 'good' AQI of 74. The air quality index from 0 to 100 is considered 'good', 100 to 200 'moderate', 200 to 300 'poor', 300 to 400 'very poor' and from 400 to 500 or above 'severe'. The main causes of air pollution in Mumbai are waste burning, industrial activity, construction dust, and vehicle emissions. These sources generate fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) into the environment, which can penetrate the lungs and cause heart problems, respiratory diseases, and other health issues. There are various projects in place to improve Mumbai's air quality. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has implemented laws on car emissions, regulated dust areas at construction sites, and incentives for electric vehicles, among other things. The Maharashtra government has also launched the "Clean Air Action Plan," which aims to cut emissions from different sources.

05 October,2024 09:50 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Harshvardhan Patil

Maharashtra: It’s official, Patil quits BJP to fight against Ajit Pawar's man

A day after sealing a deal, Western Maharashtra's sugar lobby leader and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Harshvardhan Patil officially announced that he, along with his family and supporters from Indapur, will be joining the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party. He said the BJP had expressed its inability to field him from Indapur in the Assembly elections because the seat was already allotted to the Ajit Pawar faction's sitting MLA Dattatreya Bharne. In the coming weeks, Patil will be challenging two-time winner Bharne. “All my supporters want me to contest from Indapur. I met Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis to discuss it. At the end of our discussion, it was clear that the seat would be contested by NCP's (AP) sitting MLA Bharne. I was given an alternative which my supporters didn't approve of,” he told media persons in Indapur on Friday, adding that, meantime, Sharad Pawar had asked him to join his party.   He said he had discussed his move not only with Fadnavis but other BJP leaders such as Raosaheb Danve and Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. “Accordingly, I declare today that we all [including him, his daughter and son, and supporters] will be joining the NCP of Sharad Pawar. My decision is for my people who were wronged in the past 10 years. My family's relations with the Pawar family have always been cordial. In politics, there are no enemies...” he added, leaving the announcement of his poll ticket to his new party bosses. According to information, Patil's candidature will be yet another flash point for his long-drawn battle with Ajit Pawar. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, fighting against Supriya Sule, Ajit's wife Sunetra trailed in the Indapur Assembly constituency. It was after many years that the undivided NCP had managed to snatch the constituency from Patil in 2014. Before the defeat, Patil had won thrice as an independent and later as a Congress nominee, and secured a ministerial position for 20 consecutive years, first in the Shiv Sena-BJP government, and later in the successive three Congress-NCP governments. The leader, who once stood up against the undivided Pawar family's, especially Ajit's might, will now be a tool to avenge himself on behalf of his new party.

05 October,2024 08:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra Jore
Video grab of MLAs after they landed on the safety net

Mumbai: Maharashtra Dy speaker, others jump into Mantralaya safety net

A caste-centric agitation broke out at Mantralaya on Friday, when some MLAs belonging to tribal communities jumped on the safety nets that prevented anyone from falling into the atrium below. Deputy Speaker and NCP-Ajit Pawar member Narhari Zirwal led the all-party protest, seeking the CM's attention towards their demand to not include the Dhangar community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list and the unfair deal they have been given under the The Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act.  Zirwal, Rajesh Patil, Hiraman Khoskar, Kashiram Pavra, Kiran Lahamate,  Hemant Savra (MP) and others participated in the protest. Some of them including Zirwal jumped from the third floor into the safety net.  After discussing the matter over the phone with CM Eknath Shinde, who was in a cabinet meeting then, the protesters were helped to safety. But they continued to sit on the second floor, asking for further talks with the head of the state. Sources said several other tribal MLAs and MPs were on their way to Mumbai. Dy Speaker Narhari Zirwal led the protest. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi Zirwal had threatened a sit-in agitation some days ago. He had written a letter to the CM, asking him to discontinue the appointment of ST candidates notified under PESA. The community students have been protesting in public places for the past 15 days. The deputy speaker had also warned against any unconstitutional decision regarding the inclusion of Dhangars in the ST list. He also demanded that the report on the Dhangar reservation be made public. Zirwal reiterated the demands on Friday, saying that tribal public representatives had a ‘Plan B’ if the issue was not resolved. “I'm Adivasi first and then MLA and deputy speaker. No leader in the government has visited the protesting students,” he said. It was said that after his statements, the CM promised to meet the tribal leaders after the weekly cabinet meeting on Friday. One of the main grudges the MLAs expressed was that the CM had not met them, but according to Zirwal's social media posts three days ago, he, along with tribal MLAs and association leaders, had met the CM and some ministers. 15No. of days community students have been protesting

05 October,2024 08:23 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
A leopard in Aarey Milk Colony which connects the SGNP. File pic/Rane Ashish

Leopard rescue team on standby during PM Modi’s Maharashtra visit

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Kasarvadavli in Thane today afternoon, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) Leopard Rescue Team will be deployed nearby. This is in response to the high leopard and reptile activity in the area, particularly close to the helipad from which the PM is expected to travel. A source from the Maharashtra Forest Department said, “The helipad for the prime minister is positioned near Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), where leopard activity is common. While leopards are naturally shy and usually avoid human contact, the SGNP Leopard Rescue Team, along with a veterinarian, will be stationed in the area as a precautionary measure.” The PM will visit Thane district, to participate in the chief minister’s Women Empowerment Mission event at Walavalkar ground. He will be accompanied by other political leaders, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, along with various dignitaries. A forest department source said, “Recently, a snake was spotted at a political event in Thane, which caused panic among the attendees. Since the event and helipad are located near the forest, the authorities want to take every precaution. As a result, the SGNP Leopard Rescue Team will be on standby.” The Navi Mumbai police have instituted a complete ban on the entry of heavy vehicles into Thane. This restriction will be enforced from midnight Friday to midnight Saturday, preventing heavy vehicles from traveling from Navi Mumbai to Thane. Phase-1 of Metro 3 to be inaugurated Following the event in Thane, the prime minister will arrive at the BKC metro station to inaugurate Metro Line 3. He will take a train ride from BKC to Santacruz and return to BKC, during which he will interact with Laadki Bahin beneficiaries, students, and workers aboard the train. Additionally, the prime minister will launch the MetroConnect3 mobile app, designed to enhance the travel experience with the latest features. He will also unveil a coffee table book, featuring a collection of stunning photographs documenting the underground metro journey. Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director of MMRC, said, “It’s a momentous day for Mumbaikars tomorrow! We’re honoured that the Hon’ble Prime Minister is inaugurating Metro Line 3. With this milestone, we’ve entered a new era of seamless travel. Metro 3 will transform our city’s landscape, making daily commutes easier and more efficient.”

05 October,2024 08:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar; (right) Aaditya Thackeray

Mumbai: Aaditya Thackeray is responsible for water woes, says Ashish Shelar

After the issue of water shortage in Mumbai arose, MLA Ashish Shelar held Aaditya Thackeray responsible for the situation. Thackeray had revoked the Gargai dam project and forcefully implemented the desalination of seawater. That project too is unfinished, alleged Shelar. Many parts of Mumbai are receiving water at a very low pressure, while some areas are not receiving any water supply. “The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has not constructed any new dams nor made any alternative water arrangements in the past 10 years. Rather, it revoked the Gargai dam project and forcefully implemented the desalination of seawater. That project too is unfinished. Hence Mumbai is experiencing this water deficit. The water crisis is entirely the fault of Aaditya Thackeray and his UBT Sena,” alleged Mumbai BJP president Shelar. While talking to media persons, Shelar informed that the Dr Madhavrao Chitale committee was appointed by the BMC in the 1990s to study the water supply mechanism in Mumbai and to create an action plan. The committee had prepared an action plan for three dams – Gargai, Pinjal and Middle Vaitarna for the BMC. The BMC completed the Middle Vaitarna project in 2014 but since then, not a single dam project has been taken up by the civic body. According to Shelar, Mumbaikars are facing the consequences of utter chaos created by Aaditya Thackeray and his UBT Sena. “The water shortage is causing a lot of hardship for the people of Mumbai. According to the BMC, there is approximately 34 per cent water leakage in Mumbai. Contracts worth crores of rupees have been awarded to plug this issue, but no one knows what has actually transpired,” he said. Aaditya Thackeray and the Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson did not respond to calls and messages to comment on the issue.

05 October,2024 07:52 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
This website uses cookie or similar technologies, to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalised recommendations. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. OK