A CNG-powered Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus on Friday morning caught fire while it was parked at the Marve bus depot in Mumbai, officials said. The incident involved BEST Bus No. 521 operating on Route no. 272, they said. According to initial reports, the incident took place at around 8:12 am on May 16. The fire started due to a gas leakage from the engine side. The front portion of the bus was damaged in the fire. There were no injuries in the incident. The information regarding the fire was reported to the Mumbai Fire Brigade following which two fire brigade vehicles responded quickly and managed to extinguish the flames before the fire could spread further, said the officials. The damaged bus was being towed to the Malad depot for further inspection and repairs, they said. Further details area awaited.
16 May,2025 06:39 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarAhead of the Barki Eid 2025, Mumbai Police has issued traffic diversions in Mankhurd area to manage the movement of vehicles, especially those carrying goats for sacrifice. In a traffic notification, the police said that in Mankhurd Traffic Division, vehicles carrying goats for sacrifice on the occasion of Bakri Eid 2025, will be mainly using Shivaji Nagar Junction, Bainganwadi Junction, I.O.C. Junction (on Mankhurd-Ghatkopar Link Road) to go to Deonar Slaughter house. Hence, it is necessary to regulate the traffic of heavy vehicles on these routes to avoid inconvenience to public and regular traffic. To avoid inconvenience to the public, a 24-hour ban has been placed on heavy vehicles on specific roads. The traffic notification was issued by Pradeep Chavan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, traffic, Mumbai Police. It said that many vehicles transporting animals will be using key junctions such as Shivaji Nagar, Bainganwadi, and the IOC Junction on the Mankhurd-Ghatkopar Link Road. The notification said, "The below traffic regulations will remain in effect from 26 May to 9 June 2025." Roads Closed for Heavy Vehicles: From 26 May to 9 June 2025, the following roads will be closed to all heavy vehicles (except BEST buses, essential service vehicles, and government vehicles): Vaman Tukaram Patil Marg (from Panjapol Junction to Govandi Railway Station Road near Jhatka Gate) Gautam Nagar Road (from Shivaji Nagar Junction to Govandi Railway Station Road) Peripheri Road (from Eris Junction to Govandi Railway Station Road) Deonar Road/Govandi Station Road (from Tanaji Malusare Chowk to Jhatka Gate) One-Way Traffic: If needed, the road from Tanaji Malusare Chowk to Govandi Station and onwards to Jhatka Gate will be made one-way for all heavy vehicles during this period. Alternate Routes: Heavy vehicles are advised to use alternative routes such as: V.N. Purav Marg, Sion-Panvel Marg, Eastern Express Highway, and Chhedanagar Mankhurd-Ghatkopar Link Road via Chhedanagar Junction Guidelines for Animal-Carrying Vehicles: Empty trucks can use Gautam Road via Peripheri Marg. Madhukar Kadam Marg will remain open for two-way traffic. Vehicles from Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai can use the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road to reach the slaughter house. No Parking Zones: To reduce congestion, parking will not be allowed on the following roads: Peripheri Road Govandi Station Road Gautam Nagar Road Madhukar Kadam Road Vaman Tukaram Patil Marg (including the bridge near Govandi Station) Temporary Parking: Temporary parking facilities have been arranged for animal buyers and sellers near the slaughter house, including an open area on Peripheri Road and near the 600 Tenements Building.
16 May,2025 04:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWithin 48 hours of Shiv Sena MLA from Andheri, Murji Patel, demanding the discontinuation of a Turkey-based company handling ground services at Indian airports, the Union government revoked the clearances of Celebi Airport Services. On Tuesday, Patel, along with the party’s airport wing leader Kunal Sarmalkar, visited Mumbai airport and demanded that the Turkey-based company be barred from operating in India within 10 days. Speaking to mid-day, Patel alleged that Celebi profits from its operations in Mumbai and across India, but when it comes to political support, it sides with Pakistan. “How can we allow a company linked to a nation that openly supports Pakistan to operate in India?” Patel questioned. He appreciated the Union government for acting swiftly on his demand to terminate the ground services contract with the Turkey-based firm. According to Patel, Celebi handles nearly 70 percent of the ground operations at Mumbai airport. Asked whether the move would disrupt airport services, the Sena MLA denied any such possibility. “There’s no reason for services to be affected. The staff working with the company will continue as usual, only the service provider will change,” Patel said. Clarifying his position, Patel stressed that his objection was directed at the company and not its employees. “The staff working with Celebi are not at fault. Their livelihood and families should not suffer due to the company’s affiliation,” he added. On May 15, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security issued a letter revoking all services provided by Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd with immediate effect, citing national security concerns.
16 May,2025 12:31 PM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev ShivadekarAfter a brief spell of cloudy-yet-dry weather, pre-monsoon showers have brought some relief from the heat. However, humidity still lingers. Meteorologists have warned that while rains are likely over the weekend, rising humidity levels will continue to cause discomfort across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). According to the Regional Meteorological Centre in Mumbai, part of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city is expected to witness light to moderate rain showers and isolated thunderstorms through the weekend. While Mumbai itself remains free of any immediate weather alerts, nearby districts such as Thane and Raigad have been placed under a ‘yellow alert’ due to the forecast of thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds, and moderate rainfall. These advisories are in effect until Friday. “Humidity is rising in Mumbai as there’s a lot of moisture present over the West Coast,” said Rushikesh Agre, an independent weather enthusiast, known as ‘Mumbai Rains’ on X. “The city has been experiencing persistent cloud cover without rain, which has led to high humidity levels. This pattern is expected to continue for the next three to four days, and from May 21, Mumbai and MMR will see daily rain accompanied by thunderstorms,” Agre added. Meanwhile, climatologist Rajesh Kapadia of Vagaries of the Weather, a private weather blog, also noted the shift in conditions. “Mumbai can expect isolated thunderstorms with daily rainfall not exceeding 10 mm. In Pune, afternoon thunderstorms are likely over the next few days, with daytime temperatures around 33 degrees Celsius and rainfall ranging between 10 and 20 mm per day,” he said. “No extreme summer heat is expected across Maharashtra. Cities like Mumbai and Pune may see isolated to moderate thunderstorms with manageable daytime temperatures…No major heatwave is forecast for the next 10 days,” Kapadia told mid-day. What exactly is a yellow alert? A yellow alert indicates moderate to severe rainfall conditions, warning potential disruptions from weather conditions. Areas under a yellow warning will experience rainfall between 7.5 mm and 15 mm within the span of an hour.
16 May,2025 11:18 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentThe Bombay High Court on Friday constituted a three-judge special bench to hear the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the law providing Maratha reservation following a Supreme Court directive, reported news agency PTI. The 2024 law, which provided 10 per cent reservation in education and government jobs to the Maratha community that constitutes nearly one-third of Maharashtra's population, had been at the forefront of political discourse last year during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. In a notice issued on Friday, HC said a full bench comprising Justices Ravindra Ghuge, N J Jamadar and Sandeep Marne is constituted to hear and decide the public interest litigations and petitions related to the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2024, reported PTI. The notice, however, does not mention or specify a date on which the bench would hear the pleas against the Maratha reservation. Last year, a full bench headed by former HC Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya commenced hearing a bunch of petitions challenging the law on the ground that the Marathas were not a backward community that requires benefits of reservation. The pleas also claimed that Maharashtra has already crossed the 50 per cent cap on quota. However, the hearing came to a standstill after CJ Upadhyaya was transferred to Delhi High Court in January this year, reported PTI. On May 14, the Supreme Court directed the Bombay HC to constitute a special bench and urgently hear the matter. The apex court direction came in a petition by students appearing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate and postgraduate exams of 2025. The petitioners argued that the delay in adjudication of the matter was adversely impacting their right to fair and equal consideration in the ongoing admission process. In March last year, when the petitions against the reservation were filed, the HC in an interim order had said that applications for NEET 2024 admission to undergraduate medical courses, wherein a 10 per cent reservation granted to members of the Maratha community is applicable, would be subject to further orders in the pleas challenging the law, reported PTI. On April 16, 2024, the full bench also clarified that until further orders, any applications for admissions to educational institutions or jobs at government authorities taking benefit of the impugned Act will be subject to further orders in the present proceedings. The SEBC Act, according 10 per cent quota for the Maratha community, was passed by the then chief minister Eknath Shinde-led government on February 20 last year. It was formulated based on a report of the retired Justice Sunil Shukre-led Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) that found "exceptional circumstances and extraordinary situations exist" to grant reservation to the Maratha community in excess of 50 per cent total reservation in the state, reported PTI. Thereafter, petitions also challenged Shukre's appointment as MSBCC chairperson. In December 2018, a batch of petitions was filed in the Bombay HC challenging the earlier SEBC Act of 2018 that granted Marathas 16 per cent reservation in government jobs and education, reported PTI. The HC later upheld the 2018 Act but reduced the quota to 12 per cent in education and 13 per cent in government jobs. This was challenged in SC, which in May 2021 struck down the whole Act. A review petition filed by the Maharashtra government was also rejected by the apex court in May 2023. (With inputs from PTI)
16 May,2025 10:55 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWelcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today. Stock markets decline in early trade after sharp rally in previous session Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade on Friday amid emergence of profit-taking after a sharp rally in the previous trading session. Markets were dragged lower due to selling in IT stocks and a largely weak trend in Asian markets. After a weak start to the day, the 30-share BSE benchmark gauge Sensex further declined 252.97 points to 82,277.77 in early trade. The NSE Nifty dropped 67.6 points to 24,994.50. Mumbai: Woman holidays in city, robs train commuters The Bandra Railway Crime Unit has arrested Laxmi Vinod Solanki, 34, for allegedly pickpocketing and stealing jewellery at railway stations in Mumbai. Police said, Laxmi’s husband, Vinod Solanki, was unaware of her crimes. Under the pretext of taking him on holidays to Mumbai, she would stay with him at a hotel in the city for 3-4 days and commit theft during peak hours on local trains, before fleeing to Delhi. Read more. Mumbai: Charni Road commuters forced to cross tracks or pay platform fees due to bridge delay For the past three years, thousands of citizens have struggled to travel between Charni Road West and East due to an incomplete foot overbridge (FOB). The bridge was initiated by Western Railway (WR) but stalled after construction began three years ago, due to lack of permissions from the BMC. The bridge was declared unsafe in 2022 and razed in 2023. Now, with the BMC finally depositing funds, the bridge is expected to be completed by July 2025. Read more. "We might get a new Rahul Dravid or Sourav Ganguly after England tour": Pravin Amre When the Indian team embarks on their five-Test campaign against England at Leeds on June 20, it will also be a beginning of a new era in India’s Test batting line-up. Given the Test retirements of skipper Rohit Sharma and the legendary Virat Kohli, head coach Gautam Gambhir will have to depend on relative newcomers who will be put to the toughest test in swinging English conditions. Read more. Ishaan Khatter on Cannes debut with Homebound: ‘A film festival is for movies, not fashion’ Everywhere you go this week, the one man people are discussing is Ishaan Khatter. Some are talking about his washboard abs and the many shirtless sequences in The Royals, others about how droolworthy he is as a romantic hero. Read more.
16 May,2025 10:13 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAfter a short spell of cloudy yet dry weather, pre-monsoon showers have finally offered some respite from the heat. However, the humidity continues to persist, making conditions uncomfortable. Meteorologists have forecast rain over the weekend but caution that increasing humidity levels will still affect the comfort of residents across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The Regional Meteorological Centre in Mumbai, a wing of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), has predicted light to moderate rain along with isolated thunderstorms through the weekend. While Mumbai itself remains free of any immediate weather alerts, nearby districts such as Thane and Raigad have been placed under a ‘yellow alert’ due to the forecast of thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds, and moderate rainfall. These advisories are in effect until Friday. According to the latest Mumbai weather updates from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai is expected to experience a partly cloudy sky with the possibility of a light rain on Friday, May 16. Temperatures will range from a cool 26 degrees Celsius in the morning to a warm 34 degrees Celsius during the day. According to the Mumbai weather updates of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Santacruz observatory in suburban Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 34.4 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 27.7 degrees Celsius. The weather department's data showed that the city observatory in Colaba recorded a maximum temperature of 34.4 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 26.4 degrees Celsius. The IMD’s latest Mumbai weather update forecasts a "partly cloudy sky with possibility of light rain" for the city and its suburbs over the next 24 hours. Mumbai weather updates: City's AQI in 'good' category On May 16, the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app reported in its latest Mumbai weather updates that the city’s air quality remained in the 'good' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 73 at 9:05 AM. As per the SAMEER app dashboard, many areas across Mumbai showed 'good' AQI. Borivali recorded 'good' air quality with an AQI of 53. Byculla, Malad and Kandivali recorded 'good' air quality with an AQI of 38, 78 and 38, respectively. Chembur, Sewri and Worli recorded 'good' air quality, with an AQI of 70, 62 and 76, respectively. Meanwhile, Bandra Kurla Complex recorded 'moderate' air quality, with an AQI of 109. According to data from the SAMEER app, Navi Mumbai recorded air quality in the 'good' category with an AQI of 84, while Thane registered a 'good' AQI of 72. 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'.
16 May,2025 09:44 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndia's batting legend Sunil Gavaskar was delighted to inaugurate a board room at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters at the Wankhede Stadium recently. “I am very honoured to have a boardroom in my name at the BCCI office. When they approached me to inaugurate it, I immediately agreed. Anything for the BCCI,” said Gavaskar, who also has a box in his honour at the 50-year old iconic stadium, courtesy the Mumbai Cricket Association. It is learnt that Gavaskar flanked by BCCI officials including president Roger Binny, his former India teammate, touched the office floor in respect immediately after doing the honours. Gavaskar’s association with BCCI offices dates back to the late 1960s when he first started playing domestic cricket. Gavaskar, 75, it can be recalled was appointed interim president by the Supreme Court during the 2014 edition of the Indian Premier League. Over the years, Gavaskar always remembered the officials who helped him along the way. ND ‘Mama’ Karmarkar was one of the first BCCI officials he probably encountered. In the book, Sunny Days, Gavaskar acknowledged the support Karmarkar provided him before going on the 1971 tour of the West Indies. “…the genial but live wire assistant secretary of the Cricket Control Board took care of everything and asked me not to worry,” Gavaskar wrote.
16 May,2025 09:12 AM IST | Mumbai | Debasish DattaA man allegedly killed his girlfriend in the polyclinic in which she was working as a nurse and then hanged himself in the facility in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, a police officer said on Thursday. The incident, which took place in Parli area in Pali, came to light on Tuesday when the brother of deceased nurse Pournima Desai. 22, arrived at the polyclinic as she had not returned home and was not answering calls, the officer said. “When the door of the polyclinic was broken down in the presence of police, Desai was found dead in a pool of blood, while Shekhar Dudhane, 26, was found hanging. Our probe has found Dudhane, who worked at a mobile phone shop, was in a relationship with Desai. However, over the past few days, they were having arguments since he believed she was ignoring him,” the officer said. “Around 12.30pm on Tuesday, Dudhane, in a fit of rage, went to the polyclinic, killed Desai with a sickle and then committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan there. A further probe is underway,” he added. 26Age of the man who killed his girlfriend This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 May,2025 08:57 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesIt was Wednesday afternoon, and nearly full at the MMRDA auditorium in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). A session on the Maharashtra Right to Services Act (RTS) was held by Mumbai First, under its knowledge and civic awareness initiative called ‘Mumbai Happenings’. The session was about empowering citizens with knowledge of their rights under the RTS Act and give them access to timely government services. The online address is https://aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in/en/CommonForm/ViewAllServices. The troika of panellists at the event were: Manu Kumar Srivastava, Baldev Singh and Dilip Shinde, all IAS (Retd) and the moderator was Sanjay Ubale, Executive Board Member of Mumbai First. Srivastava said first up that it was heartening to see, “So many people in the audience on a working day, that too for a drab subject like Right to Services.” That earned him a few laughs. He pointed out that the “Right to Information (RTI) is much better known than the RTS Act. There is not much known about the latter. We need to create much more awareness about RTS. The RTI had its genesis in 2005, while the RTS was born in 2015.” A key highlight of the programme was the live demonstration of the application process for government services under the RTS Act led by Dilip Shinde. Through slides Shinde explained how people could go online and access the government portal, how to apply for services, track application status, and escalate grievances in case of delays. Baldev Singh said, “For citizens who are unable to access the portal online, the government has established 39,783 Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendras (service centres) where one can avail of the services.” There was an interactive session where people had a lot of questions about portal accessibility and navigation. A lady in the audience said she had difficulty in getting her daughter's domicile certificate through RTS herself and finally, had to pay an agent R500 for the same and get it done! To a question about how the younger generation can gain awareness about RTS and how it can appeal to younger persons, Srivastava announced that they have “suggested to the State Govt. that the RTS Act should be included in the Std IX and Std X syllabus” to audience applause. Finally, there were numerous people who said they faced a lot of difficulty on the online platform, uploading documents etc. and panellists overall shared that the platform is, “being made more accessible, with a mobile-friendly version and a dedicated app currently under development”. There was one telling question with an audience member asking how one could ensure anonymity through this Act as people are afraid to complain. The agent said, “They tell us, we are scared to complain and reveal our names, why don't you complain on our behalf?” A pointer that people still fear ‘repercussions’ when asking for answers/services from those in authority. The attendance and interaction showed that people were eager and enthused about availing of the services through this route, yet there is need for improvement and several gaps remain to be filled.
16 May,2025 08:51 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal AsharThe Union government must announce a time-bound caste census programme and implement it on the pattern followed by Telangana and Karnataka, said Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal on Thursday. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, he also hailed Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for consistently raising the demand for a caste census based on the principle of “proportionate representation according to population”. “Rahul Gandhi’s advocacy for caste-based census was initially opposed by the BJP but the party later accepted it due to public pressure. His persistent efforts left the Narendra Modi government with no choice,” he said. A caste census is not just a headcount but a significant social agenda, which would help resolve reservation issues for various social groups, including Marathas, and provide a clear picture of each community’s population, Sapkal said. He also said that such a census could show that the population of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) might be higher than previously estimated. “The OBC population in Maharashtra could rise from the current 27 per cent to 64 per cent. The census will reveal the exact population of each community, helping address pending demands such as those of Patidars, Gujjars and Marathas,” Sapkal said. Further, Sapkal stressed the need to train officials and staff on the process and data collection methods. He condemned the blockade of Rahul Gandhi's convoy in Bihar, stating it was an act of authoritarianism and a violation of fundamental rights. He questioned why the government was afraid of Gandhi's interaction with students. The Congress had hit out at the JDU-BJP government in Bihar, accusing it of sheer dictatorship by “preventing” Gandhi from holding a ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ in Darbhanga. Sapkal also sought the sacking of Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah from the Mohan Yadav Cabinet and the BJP for his objectionable comments against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. “Shah must be charged with sedition,” he said. Colonel Qureshi came into the spotlight for regularly holding press briefings alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh regarding ‘Operation Sindoor’ — the military operation conducted last week by Indian armed forces targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). 27%OBC reservation govt initially proposed
16 May,2025 08:47 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
