A fire broke out on Sunday afternoon in the electric meter box of Shakti SRA Building No. 7 at Malwani, Malad, in Mumbai. No injuries were reported in the incident. According to information received, the fire started around 1.30 pm in the SRA building located at Bhabrekar Nagar in Jankalyan Nagar. Firefighters reportedly faced difficulty in dousing the flames due to inadequate access for fire brigade vehicles. With assistance from residents, the fire was eventually brought under control and extinguished. The building is a seven-storey structure comprising approximately 136 flats. Locals also claimed that this was the third such incident of a meter box catching fire in the building. Prima facie, officials said the fire appears to have originated from the meter box. Authorities are investigating to determine the cause of the blaze.
07 December,2025 04:30 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThree Pallid Scops Owls were rescued by citizens from different parts of suburban Mumbai earlier this week. One of the birds was taken to Dr Rina Dev’s animal and bird clinic in Khar, another was admitted to Exotic Vets in Chembur, while the third was handed over to RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare) for treatment and rehabilitation. The Pallid Scops Owl is an uncommon species in Mumbai, with fewer than a dozen sightings recorded in the past decade by wildlife enthusiasts and birders on various birding apps and social media platforms. All three rescued owls are currently under treatment and rehabilitation in consultation with the forest department. They will be released back into their natural habitat once they fully recover. Winters in Mumbai often bring several migratory bird species to the region, many of which are spotted around the forests of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Aarey Colony, Thane Creek, and the Flamingo Sanctuary. Experts say such rare sightings highlight the importance of appreciating urban biodiversity and strengthening conservation efforts to protect it.
07 December,2025 04:05 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavThe Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will carry out urgent repair work on a key 1,200 mm water pipeline supplying the Turbhe Low-Level Reservoir on Sunday, resulting in an eight-hour water shutdown across several areas in the M East and M West wards. In a statement issued on Saturday, the BMC’s Public Relations Department said the repair operation will take place on December 7 between 11 am and 7 pm. The intervention has been deemed essential after the civic body detected a leakage in the main pipeline, which plays a critical role in maintaining a steady water supply to large parts of eastern Mumbai. Areas to Face Water Disruption The shutdown will affect multiple residential, industrial and institutional clusters across both wards. M East Ward (Ward Nos. 146, 147, 148): Residents and establishments in the refinery outlet region—including HPCL, Varun Beverages Ltd., BARC, HPCL Colony, BPCL Supply, Gavanpada, RCF Colony, Old Bharat Nagar, Hashu Advani Nagar, New Bharat Nagar, Rockline Buildings, J-plot Buildings, Sahyadri Nagar, Om-Ganesh Nagar, Rahul Nagar and Ashok Nagar—will face a complete halt in water supply throughout the repair window. M West Ward (Ward Nos. 154, 155): Several neighbourhoods will also experience a full-day disruption, including Maravali Church, Mysore Colony, Vashi Village, Mahul, Amba Pada, Jijamata Nagar, Sai Leela, SRA Buildings (Mahul), Farooq Galli, Khadi Machine, Sharad Nagar, Navjeevan Society, Collector Colony, Sindhi Camp, MS Buildings, Ramtekdi, Tolaram Camp, Chembur Tower, Chembur Nagar SRA, Kokne Nagar, Maitri Park, Union Park, Charai Village, Golf Club, CG Road, RC Marg, Lal Dongar, MHADA Colony, RCF Ltd., Chembur Gaothan, Ghatla, Subhash Nagar, Siddharth Colony, NG Acharya Marg, Vijay Park, Corporate Church, Dr Garden area, Chembur Station Road, WT Patil Marg, Khardev Nagar, N. B. Patil Marg, BPCL, BPT, Indian Oil and Aegis Chemical. The BMC has urged residents to store sufficient water in advance and cooperate with the authorities while the emergency work is underway. Civic officials said the normal water supply is expected to be restored once the repair operation concludes on Sunday evening. Earlier, the BMC had announced a 15 per cent water cut in parts of Mumbai on December 8-9. The Mumbai civic body stated that a major water pipeline supplying the Bhandup Water Purification Plant will be replaced, leading to a 15 per cent water cut across 17 administrative wards in city. The water cut will be in effect from 10 am, on Monday, December 8, 2025 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. According to the BMC, the 2,750 mm diameter Tansa water pipeline, which carries water from the Tansa Dam to the Bhandup treatment plant, needs to be replaced. The old pipeline will be removed and a new one will be installed. This work will require around 24 hours, during which there will be a reduction in the water supply reaching the treatment plant.
07 December,2025 01:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday performed foundation stone-laying ceremony for development works in Dombivli, and praised Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde, his son, for persistent follow-up of these projects, reported news agency PTI. Shinde inaugurated the Prerna War Memorial and launched redevelopment of Sant Savalaram Maharaj Mhatre Sports Complex and renovation of Savitribai Phule Theatre. "These works are on track today only because of the consistent support of MP Dr Shrikant Shinde," the Deputy CM said, adding that the government has already sanctioned crores of rupees for accelerated development of Kalyan-Dombivli region, reported PTI. MP Shrikant Shinde said the area has witnessed transformation since 2014, with metro lines, flyovers, six-laning of Shil phata road and new rail infrastructure coming up, reported PTI. Notably, state BJP president Ravindra Chavan was present at the event. Last month, relations between the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the ally BJP had come under strain with Chavan inducting members of the Sena into the saffron party. Maharashtra BJP chief shakes hands with Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan and Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde exchanged a formal handshake at an event on Saturday, triggering speculation of a reconciliation bid amid strained ties between the two allies. Chavan was seen initiating the handshake, while Shrikant Shinde, son of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, responded positively, although he did not speak to the BJP leader during the event held in Kalyan, Thane district. Political observers said the exchange may be an early sign of both camps attempting to undo weeks of hostility that marked the campaign for local body polls held on December 2, reported PTI. In the run-up to recent municipal council elections, leaders and district-level workers on the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP had openly criticised each other. Tensions escalated after BJP leaders inducted several local Shiv Sena functionaries in Kalyan, a move seen within the Shinde camp as an attempt to weaken its organisational hold in a key bastion. The dispute deepened when Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane publicly accused Chavan of attempting to distribute money to influence voters in Sindhudurg during the elections. Rane had categorically stated that he had no disagreement with any BJP leader except Chavan, a remark seen as an unusually direct attack from within the ruling alliance. However, after polling ended on December 2, Rane softened his tone, hinting that the leadership might be working towards reconciliation. The strain had also surfaced within the cabinet, with state minister Sanjay Shirsat remarking that "Chavan is acting on his own. Every action has a reaction," reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
07 December,2025 01:06 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentIndiGo cancelled more than 220 flights at Delhi and Mumbai airports on Sunday, as the disruptions entered the sixth day while efforts are on to normalise operations, reported news agency PTI. The disruptions have resulted in hundreds of flight cancellations and delays in the last few days, causing hardships to thousands of passengers. Sources said at least 112 flights were cancelled at the Mumbai airport and 109 flights at Delhi airport. After cancelling approximately 1,600 of its 2,300 daily flights on Friday, the airline saw a reduction in disruptions on Saturday, with cancellations falling to around 800, sources told PTI. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO and Accountable Manager Porqueras on Saturday received DGCA notices, seeking explanations within 24 hours on the massive flight disruptions. "The main objective (of operating just 700 flights on Friday) was to reboot the network, systems, and rosters so that we could start afresh today (Saturday) with higher number of flights, improved stability, and there are some early signs of improvement," IndiGo had said in a statement. The airline said it operated 1,500 flights on Saturday. In the notices sent to Elbers and Porqueras, the regulator said the large-scale operational failures indicate significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management. The notices mentioned that the primary cause of the flight disruptions is non-provisioning of adequate arrangements to cater to the revised requirements for smooth implementation of the approved FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) scheme for the airline. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked Elbers and Porqueras to reply within 24 hours. At the same time, government sources told PTI on Saturday that authorities will take appropriate action in the matter of IndiGo flight disruptions, depending on the inquiry committee findings. As flight disruptions continued for the fifth straight day, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, along with senior civil aviation ministry officials, held a "serious meeting" with Elbers to review the situation and address the issues, the official told PTI. The meeting, held in the national capital on Saturday, was attended by Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, and DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, among others. At the meeting, the IndiGo CEO was also asked to ensure that the airline complies with the new FDTL within a given timeframe. The official told PTI that the immediate priority is to restore normalcy in flight operations and the airline has been asked to ensure prompt refund of tickets. There have been reports that the authorities might take strong action against the airline and its CEO. Against the backdrop of a large number of flights cancelled and delayed at various airports, causing hardships to thousands of passengers, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday set up a four-member inquiry panel to ascertain the reasons for the situation and recommend mitigation measures. The committee comprises Joint Director General Sanjay K Bramhane and Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, Senior Flight Operations Inspector Captain Kapil Manglik and Flight Operations Inspector Captain Rampal at the DGCA. The committee will submit its findings and recommendations to the DGCA within 15 days to enable necessary regulatory enforcement action and ensure institutional strengthening, the order said. On Saturday, various measures, including capping on airfares and direction to the airline to ensure complete ticket refund for cancelled or delayed flights to all passengers by 8 pm on Sunday were initiated by the ministry as part of efforts to normalise flight operations as well as ensure passenger hardships are reduced. (With inputs from PTI)
07 December,2025 12:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAmid the ongoing IndiGo crisis, the Western Railway has announced the operation of a special superfast train between Mumbai Central and New Delhi to cater to increased passenger demand. According to Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek, the special service will run two trips under Train Nos. 04003 and 04004. Train No. 04003 Mumbai Central–New Delhi Superfast Special will depart from Mumbai Central on Monday, December 8, 2025, at 11:30 pm, arriving in New Delhi the next day at 8:50 pm. In the return direction, Train No. 04004 New Delhi–Mumbai Central Superfast Special will leave New Delhi on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 10:40 pm and reach Mumbai Central at 9:00 pm the following day. The train will halt at Borivali, Surat, Vadodara, Ratlam, Nagda, Kota, and Mathura in both directions. It will consist of AC 3-Tier (Economy) coaches. Bookings for Train No. 04003 are now open at all Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters and on the IRCTC website. Passengers can visit www.enquiry.indianrail.gov.in for detailed information on halts, timings and coach composition. Indian Railways runs special trains amid IndiGo flights chaos Meanwhile, the Western Railway zone of Indian Railways is running multiple special trains amid the IndiGo flight cancellations. Railway Public Relations Officer Ajay Solanki said that they are adding extra coaches to regular trains in order to facilitate passengers. He requested the passengers to take advantage of these services and reach the station earlier to board the train. "Considering the needs of the passengers, the Western Railways have decided to run special trains. Sabarmati-Delhi special train will be run on 7th and 9th December at 10.55 PM and will reach Delhi the next day at 3.15 PM... Another train, Sabarmati-Delhi Sarai Rohilla, will start on 7th December at 5.30 AM and reach Delhi Sarai Rohilla at 11 PM... The passengers are requested to take advantage of these services... They are also asked to arrive at the railway station half an hour earlier due to possible traffic delays... We will also add extra coaches to the trains to the regular trains- an AC 3-tier coach will be added to Ahmedabad-Thawe junction; 2nd Class AC coach will be added to Swarna Jayanti Rajdhani Express; sleeper coach will be added to Sabarmati-Jammu Tawi Express," the railway official said. Since last week, the civil aviation industry in India has been hit by massive disruptions, with cancellations, severe delays, and the rescheduling of many flights by IndiGo, primarily due to a sudden shortage of pilots and crew following the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms issued by the DGCA last year. This has led to thousands of passengers facing significant inconvenience, long queues, and inadequate facilities, with some stranded at the airport for hours. Passengers have also urged the airline to provide timely updates and support to minimise inconvenience. According to airport data accessed on Saturday, several major hubs reported significant cancellations by IndiGo.
07 December,2025 12:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai’s air quality slipped into the ‘moderate’ category on Sunday morning, even as the city experienced clear, sunny weather with a light layer of smog. According to official data, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 115. Daytime temperatures are expected to rise to around 33 degrees Celsius, while the night temperature may dip to 21 degrees Celsius, offering relatively comfortable conditions for residents. Humidity levels are likely to remain moderate at about 77 per cent, helping keep discomfort low despite the warm afternoon. Light winds of up to 10 km/h are forecast to bring some relief, especially during the evening. Mumbai’s air quality, however, remains firmly in the ‘moderate’ range with the AQI holding steady at 115. Meanwhile, the national capital woke up to a blanket of smog on Sunday morning, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 9 am hitting 303, in the "very poor" category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Despite a slight improvement from the recent weeks, several parts of the city remained shrouded in a dense layer of toxic smog. Areas like Anand Vihar and ITO reported thick haze early this morning, with visibility remaining significantly reduced. According to CPCB, many regions of the National Capital fell into the 'very poor' category. Several other key stations, including Ashok Vihar (322), Bawana (352), Burari (318), Chandani Chowk (307), and Dwarka (307), remained in the "very poor" category, highlighting the widespread nature of pollution across Delhi. According to AQI categorisation, 0-50 is 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'. According to CPCB, the AQI, which ranges from 0 to 500, is divided into six categories, each reflecting the level of pollution and associated health risks. Further to combat the continuously detoriating air quality in the national capital and its adjoining areas, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, has released a statement regarding the alarming levels of pollution in Delhi. The statement issued on Friday in response to a question raised by MP Dr. Laxmikant Bajpayee in the Rajya Sabha, asking whether it is a fact that "one in every seven deaths in Delhi can be attributed to the city's toxic air as claimed by several studies and reported in the media".
07 December,2025 10:49 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTeams from Western and Central Railway in Mumbai reached both the city’s airports — T1 and T2 — on Sunday morning to assist passengers stranded due to the ongoing IndiGo crisis. “We have set up helpdesks at both airports to guide and assist passengers with information on additional trains and to help them with ticket bookings,” Western Railway chief public relations officer Vineet Abhishek told Mid-Day. Indian Railways has introduced 84 special trains to support passengers affected by widespread flight cancellations. These services aim to ease travel for thousands caught in the disruption, with railway zones across the country adding more trains and deploying extra resources. Since last week, India’s civil aviation sector has been grappling with severe disruptions, including cancellations, long delays, and rescheduled flights by IndiGo. The crisis stems largely from a sudden shortage of pilots and crew after the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms issued by the DGCA last year. The situation has left thousands of passengers facing significant inconvenience, long queues, and inadequate facilities, with many stranded at airports for hours. Travellers have also urged the airline to provide timely updates and better support to reduce hardship.
07 December,2025 10:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarTwo key developments have expedited the improvement of suburban local trains on Western Railway from this week. The first being ‘Project Virar’ that began with a workforce of 200 where the station is being upgraded to merge with a new Virar-Dahanu rail corridor that segregates suburban and outstation trains and the second is the completion of dedicated freight corridor till New Kharbao near Bhiwandi, which will take off all goods trains from passenger lines. Under 'Project Virar', the station is getting changes done to existing and building new platforms. The new 3rd and 4th line corridor between Virar and Dahanu is expected to complete by 2027, not only leading to an increase of local trains but also cutting down crowds. A few weeks earlier, the new dedicated freight corridor work has also crossed Virar reached Bhiwandi, which means goods trains can now bypass Virar, taking off yet another load on existing tracks, paving the way towards faster adoption of “only-local trains” traffic. Elaborating on the Virar platform works, WR chief public relations Vineet Abhishek said Western Railway is undertaking important platform-related works in connection with the 3rd and 4th line project between the Virar – Dahanu Road section. As part of these works, widening of Platform No. 3A and the construction of a new Home Platform 5A at Virar station are being carried out. He said these works will enhance station capacity and support smoother operations for the increasing rail traffic in the future. Due to these works, local services of Western Railway are being modified with immediate effect till further notice train No. 92083 Dadar – Virar Local departing Dadar at 10:55 am will short terminate at Vasai Road station and train No. 92100 Virar – Dadar Local departing Virar at 12:10 pm will originate from Vasai Road at 12:20 pm. Additionally, no train services will be handled at Platform No. 3A of Virar station until further notice. The works on these platforms will enable seamless integration with the new lines that are under works. On the goods train front, the DFCCIL successfully conducted a trial run of a goods train hauled by a diesel locomotive from New Saphale (DFCCIL) on October 29. This will take off the burden from Virar-Vasai belt and make New Kharbao near Bhiwandi the integration point for freight trains, taking them off the WR main lines, creating more paths. At present, there are just two lines for up and down trains between Virar-Dahanu, four lines between Borivali-Virar and six lines between Malad and Khar. The Virar-Dahanu quadrupling project, under Mumbai Urban Transport Project at a cost of Rs 3,578 crore is at advanced stage with all land acquired and work on station buildings at Virar, Vaitarna, Saphale, Kelve Road, Dahanu Road and Umroli stations and simultaneously work on bridges is also currently on. WHAT EXACTLY IS HAPPENING As part of the infrastructure upgrades under the Virar–Dahanu Road quadrupling project, significant redevelopment and track remodelling works are underway at Virar Station. Platform 3A – Widening and Upgrade • Platform 3A, currently serving as the terminating platform for Dahanu Road–Virar suburban services, is undergoing a major widening exercise.• Track removal (uprooting) has been completed to facilitate this.• Post-widening, Platform 3A will have a width of 10 meters, and a double-discharge face will be created on the west side.• The same track line will be extended and connected to the existing Platform 3 (currently the Churchgate–Virar terminus), enabling through movement from Churchgate to Dahanu.• This alignment will serve the proposed Churchgate–Dahanu Slow Line, enhancing operational flexibility and future train path creation. Platform 2 – Status Quo Maintained • Platform 2 will continue to function as a terminal platform for trains arriving from Churchgate side, without change to its configuration. New Platforms – South of Existing PF1 • Two additional platforms are being constructed south of the existing Platform 1 and one additional platform will be located on the east side of the mainline, directly opposite the existing Platform 1.• These platforms will support increased suburban train handling capacity and future reconfiguration of terminating and through services.
07 December,2025 09:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarAs the much-resisted skywalk on MG Road in Borivli East approaches completion, it has already sparked mixed reactions among residents and daily commuters. The absence of visible provisions for escalators has raised concerns about whether the facility will truly serve its purpose. Many regular pedestrians who navigate the busy stretch daily, dodging hawkers and vehicular traffic, opine that the absence of escalators would be the biggest discouragement. “Whom does the skywalk cater to, is my first question as a commuter. As a two way road, it was wide enough for people to walk. There was no need to build a skywalk. If it was for ease of commuting, why is there no provision for escalators?” said Girija O, a resident. “The authorities should have rather used the space to construct wider footpaths instead. Those walking would have been much happier with that, considering that they can walk safely without having to climb so many stairs,” said Prajyot Padyar, another resident. Others are concerned that like so many other skywalks, this one too will meet the same fate of turning into a hotspot for anti-social elements. Many fear that without strict monitoring and regular police patrolling, the skywalk could become yet another neglected structure that fails to deliver the safety it promises. “We just hope that this skywalk does not become another home to drug addicts, drunkards, and homeless people. It is a lot of steps to climb before one can use the bridge, and if the environment is hostile, we’ll have even fewer reasons to do it,” said Shubham Karanje, a resident.
07 December,2025 07:24 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika GondhalekarAs the countdown begins for operations at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) now expected to start from December 25, a crucial infrastructure gap looms large in Ulwe. Though the area is rapidly developing with an expanding population nearing 1.5-2 lakh, there is not a single authorised petrol pump in Ulwe, leaving residents dependent on risky and illegal alternatives. Sanjay Yadav, Kuldeep Tiwari and Samarth Solanki More than three years ago, the city-planning agency CIDCO had itself identified the need for fuel stations, but not a single pump has materialised. “We are running to Belapur or Kharghar just to fill petrol. When airport taxis and commuters begin rolling in, our daily journeys will become a nightmare without a nearby pump” says Sunny Pandey, a sales professional and resident of Sector-24. Illegal sales mostly in bottles or cans have mushroomed. Some black-market sellers are reportedly charging as high as '125-130 per litre, compared to '103 to 104 at regular pumps. Residents say it is not just costlier, it’s dangerous. “This isn’t just a matter of convenience,” warned Samarth Solanki, social activist and resident of Sector-18. “It’s a ticking time bomb as storing petrol in kirana shops or homes invites tragedy,” he added. Sunny Pandey, resident of Sector-24 There is a chilling precedent to his fear. In a recent tragic incident, a family of four, lost their lives in a cylinder blast triggered by illegal petrol storage and handling in Ulwe. “They were forced into black sales and it destroyed a home,” recalls Sanjay Yadav, a local resident and civic-watchdog. Activist Kuldeep Tiwari laments that with NMIA and rising traffic poised to transform Ulwe into a major commuter hub, the absence of an authorised fuel station is not just inconvenient it’s irresponsible. Despite several attempts, CIDCO officials could not be reached for comment.
07 December,2025 07:14 AM IST | Mumbai | Amarjeet SinghADVERTISEMENT
