A fire broke out at a bar and restaurant in Thane district of Maharashtra, the civic officials said on Sunday. They said that no one injured in the incident. According to the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), the incident took place at Riviera Bar and Restaurant located on the first floor of Emerald Plaza in Hiranandani Meadows in Vasant Vihar area near Pokhran Road No. 3 in Thane (West) at around 8:36 pm. An official of the RDMC said that the fire started in the chimney of the restaurant's kitchen. Following the incident officials rushed to the spot along with one pickup vehicle, and the fire brigade with two fire trucks and one rescue vehicle. Fire erupts at Hotel Riviera in ThaneVia: @DiwakarSharmaa #Thane #Fire #Mumbai #News pic.twitter.com/fBmyYC3KeO — Mid Day (@mid_day) September 29, 2024 "The fire was completely extinguished by around 9:30 pm and the situation is now under control," the official said, adding that there were no injuries reported in the incident.
29 September,2024 10:34 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaThe Western Railway, while sharing Mumbai local train updates, on Sunday declared speed restrictions at suburban stations, adding that some train services were to remain cancelled between Ram Mandir Road-Goregaon and Malad from Monday, the officials said. The decision was taken to facilitate the ongoing construction for the 5th and 6th lines between Ram Mandir Road (RMAR), Goregaon (GMN), and Malad (MDD), the officials added. They said that starting September 30, speed restrictions of 30 km/h will be implemented across all four lines—up and down local as well as up and down through services. This measure is expected to impact daily operations, leading to the cancellation of approximately 150 to 175 suburban trains. The railway officials indicated that services will be gradually normalized by October 4, barring any further block durations related to construction activities. However, the unavailability of the Goregaon Loop would result in the cancellation of all four fast train services from Goregaon on Monday morning. Platform change at Malad: Significant changes have been made to platform allocations at Malad Station. "Last night (Saturday night) cut and connect work of 4th line i.e. UP fast line has been carried out and from today (Sunday). The Platform for UP fast local has been changed i.e. the earlier PF no 3 has now become PF no 4," an official said.
29 September,2024 08:55 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarIndian Railways is set to operate more than 519 special trains to facilitate smooth travel for passengers during Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja from October 1 to November 30 this year. According to Railway officials, special trains are run every year during festivals and this year, the number of trains has been significantly increased to accommodate the surge in travelers. Out of these, Western Railway is running 1382 trips with 86 festival special trains, which is the highest over the entire Indian Railways. It is noteworthy that during Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath festivals, millions of passengers travel across the country. To provide them with a smooth and comfortable journey, Indian Railways has prepared to run more than 6000 special trains again this year. Over the next two months, these special trains will ensure passengers reach their destinations seamlessly. Last year in 2023, Indian Railways ran an impressive total of 4429 festival special trains, ensuring a comfortable travel experience for millions of passengers. Every year, a large number of people from all over the country travel to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja. These festivals are not only of religious significance for the people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar but also provide an important opportunity to reunite with their families. Due to the heavy rush of passengers during the festive season, most trains see their tickets go on the waiting list two to three months in advance. To address this, Indian Railways is once again operating special trains during the festival season this year. This year, Western Railway has notified 86 special trains with more than 1,380 trips. Compared to last year, Western Railway has added 21 more trains with almost 270 additional trips to enhance service and meet the increased travel demand during the festive season. These trains are being run for destinations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, North India, West Bengal, North East, etc. 14 pairs of special trains are being run by Western Railway from Mumbai to various parts of the country. Also, to cater to the huge demand of passengers from Surat/ Udhna, 8 pairs of originating special trains are being run while 20 pairs of trains are passing through Surat/ Udhna or Bhestan. Similarly, special trains are being run from other stations in Gujarat such as Vapi, Valsad, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Sabarmati, Hapa, Okha, Rajkot, Bhavnagar Terminus, etc as well as from Indore, Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.
29 September,2024 07:21 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will conclude its seat sharing talks for the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024 by on September 30 and October 1, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said on Sunday, reported the PTI. Leaders of the MVA, which comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and the Congress, will meet on September 30 and October 1 to finalise the seat sharing formula, Nana Patole informed reporters. "We are going to fight the polls as MVA. There is no difference of opinion on this issue. Our talks are on," he said, according to the PTI. Taking a swipe at the Mahayuti (ruling alliance comprising CM Shinde-led Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP), he asked if it even had a chief ministerial face to project. Queried on the Badlapur sexual assault case, Nana Patole said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis must be pitied for indulging in politics over the September 23 encounter of accused Akshay Shinde, according to the PTI. "No action has been taken against the management of the school (in which two minor girls were sexually assaulted allegedly by Shinde)," Nana Patole claimed. He also said the Maha Vikas Aghadi is not opposing the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana as CM Shinde repeatedly claims. "We will make it better when we come to power," Nana Patole said, the news agency reported. Mahayuti should discuss whom to pick as LoP; MVA will win over 180 seats: Thorat The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance should discuss whom it would choose as the leader of the opposition (LoP) after the Maharashtra assembly elections, quipped Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat on Sunday. Talking to reporters, Throat expressed confidence that the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), will win over 180 seats. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024 will likely be held in November. "Once we get a solid majority, we will unanimously decide on the CM candidate," Balasaheb Thorat said, adding that Mahayuti parties-- BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, should start finalising who will be the LoP. (with PTI inputs)
29 September,2024 06:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Western Railway, while sharing Mumbai local train updates, on Friday said that it will operate four hours block between Goregaon and Malad on Monday night. In a statement, the Western Railway said, "To facilitate the construction of the 6th line between Goregaon and Kandivali stations, a block of 04 hours will be taken on the UP & DOWN Fast lines at Goregaon and on UP & DOWN Fast & Slow lines at Malad from 00:30 hrs to 04:30 hrs during the intervening night of Monday & Tuesday, i.e. on 30th September/01st October, 2024." According to a press release issued by Vineet Abhishek – Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, during the block period on all lines, trains will operate only between Churchgate to Andheri and Virar to Borivali. Passengers are also informed that UP and DOWN Mail/Express trains will be subject to delays of approximately 10 to 20 minutes during the block period. The details of the last suburban trains on Monday, 30th September, 2024 are as under: 1. Churchgate – Virar local departing from Churchgate at 23:27 hrs., arriving Virar at 01:15 hrs 2. Churchgate – Andheri local departing from Churchgate at 01:00 hrs., arriving Andheri at 01:35 hrs 3. Virar – Churchgate local departing from Virar at 23:30 hrs., arriving Churchgate at 01:10 hrs 4. Borivali – Churchgate local departing from Borivali at 00:10 hrs., arriving Churchgate at 01:15 hrs 5. Goregaon – CSMT local departing from Goregaon at 00:07 hrs., arriving CSMT at 01:02 hrs The details of the first suburban trains on Tuesday, 1st October, 2024 are as under: 1. Virar – Borivali local (SLOW mode) will be run as an extra local departing from Virar at 03:25 hrs arriving Borivali at 04:00 hrs. 2. Borivali – Churchgate local (SLOW mode) will be run as an extra local departing from Borivali at 04:25 hrs., arriving Churchgate at 05.30 hrs "Due to this block, few suburban trains will be affected and will be cancelled/short terminated during the block period. List of trains cancelled /partially cancelled. Detailed information to this effect is available with concerned Station Masters. Passengers are requested to please take note of the above arrangements," the Western Railway said on Sunday.
29 September,2024 05:54 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Mahayuti alliance should discuss whom it would choose as the leader of the opposition (LoP) after the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024, quipped Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat on Sunday, reported the PTI. Talking to reporters, Balasaheb Throat expressed confidence that the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), will win over 180 seats in the upcoming polls, as per the PTI. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will likely be held in November. Ahead of the polls in the state, the top Election Commission officials held meeting with the parties in Maharashtra during their recent two-day visit to the state. "Once we get a solid majority, we will unanimously decide on the CM candidate," Balasaheb Thorat said, adding that Mahayuti parties-- BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, should start finalising who will be the LoP. Though the One Nation, One Election' concept looks good on paper, it's not feasible, he said. "Otherwise, the government would have held Maharashtra polls with Haryana elections and not taken another month to campaign with taxpayers' money," claimed the senior Congress leader, according to the PTI. The Maha Vikas Aghadi is confident of doing well in the upcoming polls after its impressive performance in the Lok Sabha elections 2024, wherein it won 30 of the 48 seats in the state. As an individual party, Congress emerged as the best, winning 13 of the 17 seats it contested. It now also has the support of Sangli MP Vishal Patil, who had contested as an independent, the PTI reported. By contrast, Mahayuti bagged 17 seats, with BJP's tally in the state dropping to 9 from 23 in the 2019 general elections. "We are striving to get a solid majority as MVA. The chief ministerial candidate will be decided later," he said, the news agency reported on Sunday. Winnability is the only criterion for seat sharing, he said, asserting that MVA will fight unitedly and succeed. Balasaheb Thorat said that the opposition bloc has reached a consensus on 125 of the 288 seats. Earlier in the day, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said MVA will conclude its seat-sharing talks in 8 to 10 days, reported the PTI. (with PTI inputs)
29 September,2024 05:44 PM IST | Pandarpur | mid-day online correspondentA recent raid by the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, led by Commissioner Vikas Dhakne, resulted in the seizure of 500 kilograms of prohibited plastic, the officials said on Sunday. The crackdown followed a complaint by Saurav Anil Pandey of the Swabhiman Foundation about the illegal sale of plastic in Khemani, sources said. A shop in Ulhasnagar Camp No. 2 was raided, revealing the sale of plastic bags without the required EPR number, allegedly sourced from Bhiwandi, an official said. The shop owner was fined Rs. 10,000, despite having been penalized in the past. However, concerns persist as sources allege that local BJP officials are offering political protection to plastic traders, enabling the continued black market trade, the officials said. Additional Commissioner Zamir Lengarekar has also urged citizens to avoid plastic use and warned of strict action against violators. Despite the recent crackdown, residents demand stronger measures to curb the illegal plastic trade and protect the environment.
29 September,2024 04:53 PM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheEnvironmentalist Stalin D has alleged that chemical spraying is occurring behind the IT Park in Malad Dindoshi area of Mumbai, leading to the destruction of local vegetation. Stalin D alleged that the owner of this private forest has continuously denuded the mountain and sprayed an unimaginable amount of chemicals to destroy the natural vegetation and forests. "Any hill has two sides. The hillside behind the IT park is being flattened and watercourses altered. A beautiful Oshiwara river has become a narrow drain and has lost three or more of its tributaries, streams that flowed into it from this hill. Excavation is rampant, and all authorities have turned a blind eye for obvious reasons," Stalin D said. He also stated that when his repeated complaints fell on deaf ears for more than a decade, he moved to the NGT to seek justice for the environment. Stalin expressed shock that so many people residing next to this forest have not complained about this wanton destruction, despite their own homes being at risk of getting buried in a landslide. He pointed out that the mountain and hills are becoming unstable and that a huge tragedy is awaiting to happen. Watch video below Environmentalist Stalin D has alleged that chemical spraying are occurring behind the IT Park in Malad Dindoshi, leading to the destruction of local vegetation Via: @ranjeetnature #Malad #ITPark #News #Environment #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/Q3HsfLDLTF — Mid Day (@mid_day) September 29, 2024 "This may be a privately owned area, but there is absolutely no difference between the forests of SGNP and this area. In fact, we have videos and photos of wildlife on this plot in the sections that are yet to be denuded. The work of chopping the natural vegetation was mostly done at night, and after chopping, chemicals are sprayed in large quantities, resulting in a huge section looking like a manicured lawn. The patches of natural forests that still exist on the plot on the bottom of the MHADA colony side are clear proof of the original character of the land. This is deemed forest, and we seriously wonder why on earth the Forest department has not taken steps to claim this land and protect it. Instead, it has claimed a slum-infested section of the plot and has allowed this forest to be plundered," added Stalin. Stalin has demanded that a criminal investigation be conducted into all aspects that have resulted in this monumental ecological disaster, which is allegedly being perpetuated every single day. "We are shocked that the owner of the land has brazenly started cutting the vegetation and poisoning the land even after the NGT has taken cognizance of the issue. The BMC and MPCB have previously made reports of massive tree cutting and burning of vegetation on this site. Yet, they have done nothing to restore the natural balance of the site. We will expose the fraud in the coming days. The Chief Minister and MoEF need to intervene directly and order a detailed investigation into how this destruction was allowed for so long. Even today, we have taken evidence of fresh tree cutting on the forested slopes. People need to rally and save the forests and mountains," added Stalin.
29 September,2024 03:20 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavA 50-year-old woman involved in the share trading business has allegedly fallen victim to an online investment fraud, losing Rs 60,000. The victim was enticed by promises of high returns, with claims of earning hourly profits on her investment. However, the scheme was revealed to be a scam. An FIR has been registered at the Vanraj police station, and authorities are currently investigating the case.
29 September,2024 01:12 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanDue to heavy rainfall, a section of the wall at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) wet and dry waste classification center in Shimpoli, Borivali West, collapsed on Sunday morning. This marks the third such collapse in the past three years, raising serious concerns about the wall's structural integrity. Due to heavy rain, a section of the wall collapsed at the BMC's wet and dry waste classification center in #Shimpoli, Borivali West, on Sunday morning. This marks the third collapse in three years, raising ongoing concerns about the wall's structural integrity At this center,… pic.twitter.com/7K1Nf5FTMz — Mid Day (@mid_day) September 29, 2024 At this center, the BMC separates wet and dry waste after collecting it from residents. Former Corporator Shiva Shetty arrived at the scene and promptly informed the BMC about the incident. Shiva Shetty stated, "This is the third time the wall has collapsed in the past three years, posing a significant risk to local residents. The foundation has deteriorated considerably. We have also raised complaints with the BMC, urging them to construct a stronger wall." Local residents voiced their concerns, stating that this is a critical issue and urged the BMC to prioritise constructing a new wall instead of making temporary repairs.
29 September,2024 12:48 PM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaThe BMC stated on Sunday that the water levels in Mumbai's seven reservoirs, which supply the city with potable water, have reached 99.09 per cent. Based on data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the combined water stock of the Mumbai lakes stands at 14,34,227 million litres at present, or 99.09 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 98.29 per cent. 100 per cent of the water stock is accessible at Modak-Sagar. Middle Vaitarna is 98.86 per cent, Upper Vaitarna is 99.79 per cent, Bhatsa is 98.89 per cent, Vihar is 100 per cent, and Tulsi is 100 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 to moderate to heavy rainfall expected today The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate spells of rainfall in Mumbai on Sunday, as per the latest Mumbai weather update. The weather agency, in their Mumbai weather update, has forecast a "partly cloudy sky with possibility of light to moderate rain in the city and its suburbs" for the next 24 hours. Temperatures are expected to range from a maximum of 31 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 10.34 pm, reaching a height of 3.53 metres, while a low tide is expected at 4.31 pm dropping to 1.52 metres.
29 September,2024 10:10 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
