Electricity supply in several parts of Mumbai's Andheri West, including Lokhandwala, as well as in Goregaon and Malad, was disrupted on Monday evening, leaving residents without power for nearly an hour. Internet services in the affected areas were also reportedly down. Dhaval Shah, president of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA), said, “The electricity went off around 7.20–7.30 pm, affecting the entire Lokhandwala area in Andheri West. The electricity supply has been restored in some buildings now. The supply company had assured that service would resume by 8.30 pm, but the cause of the outage was not specified.” SVP Nagar resident Sudhakar Ahire added, “I was told by the power supply company that the power supply has been disrupted in parts of Mumbai’s western suburbs due to some technical issue. They have begun work on a war footing to resolve the problem and restore electricity at the earliest.” Versova resident Hitendra Pachkale said, “There has been no electricity supply in my area since 7.30 pm. Seven Bungalows has also been affected. Residents contacted the power supply company, which assured us that electricity would be restored by 8.30 pm.” Residents in Goregaon reported a similar situation, with power and internet services down. In a post on social media platform X, Adani Electricity wrote, "There is currently a power outage in the western parts of Mumbai due to a tripping issue. Our team is actively working to resolve the problem and restore the power supply as quickly as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience and support during this time." #PowerOutageUpdate There is currently a power outage in the western parts of Mumbai due to a tripping issue. Our team is actively working to resolve the problem and restore the power supply as quickly as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience… — Adani Electricity (@Adani_Elec_Mum) January 30, 2026
30 January,2026 09:17 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavThe Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has called a meeting of all its party legislators in Mumbai to decide on the further course of action following the demise of its chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Ajit Pawar in a tragic air crash on Wednesday. According to party leaders, NCP will elect its legislative leader and also propose the name of Pawar’s wife, Sunetra, as the new leader, and urge her to take responsibility as Maharashtra’s Deputy CM. She would be the first woman to hold the post in the state. Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said, “Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Tai should take charge. There is nothing wrong with Sunetra Ajit Pawar taking charge as the Deputy Chief Minister. After all, everyone wants it to happen. In the legislative party leader meeting on Saturday, a final decision will be taken on this.” In fact, the veteran NCP leader claimed that if everything goes smoothly, one can even expect the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday itself. “As it is said, the show must go on,” Bhujbal added. mid-day, in its Friday edition, had reported that Sunetra Pawar is likely to take the Deputy CM’s post in the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government. Ajit Pawar death: NCP MP holds meeting with CM Devendra Fadnavis Meanwhile, NCP state president and Member of Parliament Sunil Tatkare, while speaking to the media in Mumbai, said that the Pawar family is occupied with religious rituals following the deputy CM’s death. “Once the rituals are completed, we will discuss the issue with all the family members of the Pawar clan,” Tatkare added. On Friday morning, Tatkare had a closed-door meeting with CM Fadnavis in Mumbai. Though there has been no official communication about the meeting, NCP sources claim that Fadnavis has agreed to stand firmly with any decision taken by the Pawar family and NCP. VIDEO | Nagpur: On the appointment of the Maharashtra Deputy CM, CM Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) said, “Whatever decision is taken will be taken by the Nationalist Congress Party. We will stand by the decision taken by the Nationalist Congress Party. Whether it is Ajit… pic.twitter.com/ZGK2XQJ1KC — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 30, 2026 Ajit Pawar was the leader of NCP’s Legislative Party and held crucial portfolios such as finance and planning, along with a few other departments. He died on Wednesday, January 28, in a plane crash near Baramati.
30 January,2026 09:10 PM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev ShivadekarThe reconstruction of the Sion railway flyover is progressing as scheduled, with all works expected to be completed by July 15, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Friday. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar inspected the project site on Thursday, reviewing the current status and outlining timelines for the remaining work. A foot overbridge is being used for east–west pedestrian movement, and one of the two public underpasses is likely to open in the next two weeks. “Work on the Sion flyover within railway limits, approach roads, and the two underpasses is being executed by BMC in coordination with the railway administration. The underpass on LBS (Lal Bahadur Shastri) Road is complete, and once operational, the pedestrian traffic on the western side of the railway bridge will be reorganised. Detailed planning for all four phases of work on the western side has been finalised, and these are expected to be completed by May 31, 2026,” Bangar said. He added that the eastern approach road will be handed over by the railways by May 31, after which remaining works will require an additional 30 to 45 days. “Considering this, the entire flyover project is expected to be completed and opened to traffic by July 15, 2026. Engineers and officials must remain on-site daily and resolve any issues immediately,” said Bangar. The work on the second underpass on the Dharavi side is progressing rapidly, BMC informed. Dismantling of the northern portion of the old railway bridge is complete, while work on the southern side has begun. Once half of the girder on the northern side is installed, the eastern approach will be transferred to BMC. Final girder installation by railway likely to be completed by May 31, says BMC The final girder installation by the railways is expected to be completed by May 31. Bangar emphasised the importance of availability of girders on schedule and urged both BMC and railway officials to work in close coordination to minimise inconvenience to commuters. The inspection was attended by BMC Chief Engineer (Bridges) Uttam Shrote, Deputy Chief Engineer (City) Rajesh Mulye, and Central Railway Deputy Chief Engineer (Construction) Rohit Mehla, along with other project engineers.
30 January,2026 07:36 PM IST | MumbaiLocal train services on Mumbai’s Central line were disrupted during the evening peak hours on Friday after a fire broke out next to the tracks between Kalwa and Thane stations, leading to heavy smoke and operational restrictions. The blaze was reported at around 5.27 pm in garbage accumulated in a drain beneath the railway tracks ahead of Kalwa station in Thane (West). Thick black smoke engulfed the tracks, creating hazardous conditions for train movement. In view of reduced visibility, a caution order was imposed, and local trains on the UP and DOWN Fast lines were instructed to proceed on hand signals until around 7.30 pm, affecting services on the Central line during the rush hour. Kalwa track fire doused at 7 pm Railway Police personnel, fire brigade teams, and staff from the Thane Municipal Corporation’s Disaster Management Cell doused the fire at 7 pm. No injuries were reported in the incident.
30 January,2026 07:23 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThree Mumbai local commuters fell off a train onto the tracks at Sion station during the morning rush hour on Friday following a fight, prompting the railways to switch off power to save the passengers and stop other trains from running over them. The action affected the punctuality of trains on the Central Line. "Around 10 am, there was a fight between a few commuters, and in the melee, they fell off the CSMT (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus)-bound slow train, which had just started off from Sion station. The three passengers have been injured. Sion is a non-operating station without a station master. As we received information at the control room, we switched off the power for eight to nine minutes so that no other train comes from the opposite direction till the three were rescued," a Central Railway (CR) official said. Condition of passengers stable, says Central Railway "Three persons were injured at Sion station around 10 am. There was some quarrel among themselves and they had ended up falling down beside the CSMT-bound track in the station area of Sion station. The OHE (overhead equipment) of the CSMT-bound and Kalyan-bound track was turned off for the same. They were taken to hospital and all are stable as of now," an official statement said.
30 January,2026 06:45 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Mumbai suburban system of Western Railway on Friday became one of the first sections of Indian Railways to get a 'Kavach' safety cover with the commissioning of the Virar to Vadodara section. The section from Virar to Dahanu falls under the Mumbai suburban section. The project is part of the larger Nagda-Vadodara-Surat-Virar-Mumbai Central corridor, which has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 397 crore. Officials from the Western Railways asserted, "The installation of the Kavach System on Western Railway is being carried out at a very fast pace, and on January 30, 'Kavach' will be commissioned on the Virar-Vadodara section. Train No. 20907, Dadar-Bhuj Sayaji Nagri Express, will be the first train to run with the 'Kavach' system from Mumbai, departing from Dadar" 'Kavach' is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system in India designed to prevent train accidents by automatically applying brakes if the loco pilot fails to do so. Adopted as a national system, it enhances safety through collision avoidance (TCAS), speed control, and emergency SOS messaging. What is 'Kavach'? 'Kavach' is an automated train protection system developed indigenously by Indian Railways that works an added layer for train safety. The system has been designed very thoughtfully to minimise risks arising from human error and enhances operational safety through multiple automated features. Key features of 'Kavach' Prevention of signal passing at danger due to human error Prevention of over-speeding Collision prevention (head on and rear-end) Auto whistling at LC gates Repeating signal aspect in CAB to reduce effect of poor visibility/ adverse weather/ fog situations Furthermore, the execution of 'Kavach' on this corridor involved highly sophisticated engineering and digital integration including Custom safety schemes for each station and signalling section Installation and programming of more than 8,000 RFID tags on tracks Setup of continuous radio communication through 57 radio towers Laying of optical fibre cables (OFC) along the entire route Installation of Kavach equipment at stations and level crossing gates Development of dedicated operational software Integration with existing signalling systems Installation of 'Kavach' systems in locomotives Extensive trials and safety testing Highlighting about the project, the official statement from Western Railways said, "Work is going on in full swing on Vadodara-Nagda and is expected to be commissioned by March, 2026." Western Railway also added, "Simultaneously, Kavach installation on locomotives is also progressing well and a total of 364 locomotives have been equipped with Kavach on Western Railway (WR) so far." The authorties also asserted that the installation of 'Kavach' on 2476 Route km has also been proposed for sanction.
30 January,2026 05:46 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarAround 200 unauthorised hawkers and illegal encroachments on footpaths along Ram Ganesh Gadkari Marg (Irla Marg) in Andheri West were removed on Thursday by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) K West ward. Officials said unauthorised encroachments were found on the footpaths of Ram Ganesh Gadkari Marg, which connects Swami Vivekananda Marg and Gulmohar Marg and is located near the entrance of the Cooper Hospital. Hawkers had set up illegal stalls, obstructing the movement of ambulances carrying patients in emergency situations to the hospital. The demolition drive was carried out using four encroachment removal vehicles, three JCBs, and other equipment. Nearly 100 BMC officers and staff, along with police personnel, were deployed during the operation. Joint drive clears illegal obstructions on three congested Andheri West roads Earlier on Wednesday, a joint drive by the Amboli police, traffic police, and the BMC brought major relief to residents of Andheri West, with three chronically congested roads finally cleared of illegal obstructions. Sawant Road, Veera Desai Road, and Duttaji Salvi Road — which routinely witnessed severe traffic snarls — were freed of illegal hawkers, abandoned vehicles, and unauthorised parking of dumpers, tankers, and JCB machines. As a result, commute time on these stretches has dropped sharply from nearly 25 minutes earlier to about 10 minutes now. Residents said repeated complaints to civic and police authorities in the past had failed to yield results. The breakthrough came after the Amboli police initiated a joint meeting with the BMC and traffic police, leading to coordinated enforcement on the ground. Sanjay Sawant, a resident of Gundecha Symphony Society on Veera Desai Road, said daily travel had become exhausting due to congestion. “Every day, we struggled to cross our own area. We were stuck for at least 25 minutes just to pass one lane. Tankers and JCB machines were parked everywhere. Despite several complaints, nothing changed earlier,” he said, adding that emergency services were frequently affected. “School buses and ambulances were often stuck. Now we can actually see the road. Earlier, all we saw were vehicles and traffic jams. More than 60 societies on this stretch were impacted. We are thankful to the BMC, traffic police, and Amboli police, and have even invited them for a felicitation,” Sawant said. Another resident, Nakul Vaid, said the situation had earlier turned unsafe. “There was no footpath left for walking as everything was encroached. Dumpers and tankers dominated the area, and residents were threatened whenever issues were raised. Traffic kept increasing, and public urination was common. We only hope this problem does not return,” he said. Suresh Makhija, a committee member of Gundecha Society, said the clearance had restored basic dignity for residents. “For years, heavy dumpers, cranes, and JCBs were parked here. Their drivers created a nuisance by bathing and urinating on the roads. For the first time in many years, the issue has been resolved. I am 76 years old and can finally walk safely on a footpath,” he said. SK Rout, chairman of Palash A and B Wing Cooperative Housing Society, said residents had noticed a visible change. “There is no unauthorised commercial vehicle parking, no roadside urination, and no antisocial elements gathering. Earlier, it took 25 minutes to cross Veera Desai Road. Now it barely takes 10 minutes,” he said. A senior police officer from Amboli police station said three FIRs were registered for illegal parking that posed a threat to public safety. “More than 150 illegal hawkers were removed. Earlier, only one lane was usable due to encroachments. All lanes are now clear. We have towed 37 abandoned vehicles and continue to tow 50 to 60 illegally parked vehicles daily,” the officer said. Senior Inspector Pramod Kokate of Amboli police station said the enforcement drive would continue. “We seized abandoned vehicles, JCBs, tankers, and trucks. Three FIRs were registered for dangerous parking that endangered lives. The action will continue in coordination with the BMC and traffic police to ensure congestion does not return,” he said.
30 January,2026 03:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) has started its probe into the plane crash in Baramati that killed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, an official said on Friday. The state police have issued orders about the CID probe into the accidental death case registered at Baramati in Pune district, following the January 28 crash, a senior official told PTI. “The Pune Rural police registered a case of accidental death under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which has now been transferred to the CID,” he said. Pawar (66), who had taken off from Mumbai, and four others on board a Learjet 45 aircraft died after it crashed barely 200 metres from the edge of the tabletop airstrip at Baramati, his hometown in Pune district, on Wednesday morning. Those killed in the tragedy included Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had 15,000 hours of flying experience, co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak with 1,500 hours of experience, Pawar’s personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, and flight attendant Pinky Mali. The official said a team of CID personnel has begun its work and will collect relevant documents from the Pune Rural police. The team will also visit the crash site near the Baramati airstrip, he added. The probe aims to rule out any sabotage to the aircraft before Pawar began his journey from Mumbai to Baramati. Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), functioning under the Civil Aviation Ministry, has also initiated a formal investigation into the crash. 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
30 January,2026 02:42 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIMumbai Police on Friday arrested a taxi driver for allegedly cheating an American woman by charging her Rs 18,000 for a taxi ride of just 400 metres near the Mumbai International Airport. The case came to light after the victim shared her ordeal on social media, prompting swift action by the Sahar Police. According to police officials, the accused has been identified as 50-year-old Deshraj Yadav, a permit taxi driver residing in Sahar Village. The incident occurred on January 12, shortly after the victim, Argentina Ariano, arrived in Mumbai from the United States for work. Taxi driver accused of scamming woman near Mumbai Airport, video goes viral Police said that Ariano hired a taxi from the airport to travel to a five-star hotel located close to the airport. Instead of taking her directly to the hotel, the accused allegedly drove her around the Andheri (East) area for nearly 20 minutes, creating the impression of a long journey. He later dropped her at a hotel in the same locality and demanded an exorbitant fare of Rs 18,000 for the ride, which was actually less than half a kilometre in distance. The matter came to public attention on January 26, when Ariano shared a video describing her experience on social media platform X. In her post, she alleged that she was scammed shortly after landing in Mumbai and also shared the registration number of the taxi. The post went viral the same day, receiving more than 1,00,000 views and drawing widespread outrage. Argentina Ariano (ArgentinaAriano) said on X: "Landed in Mumbai recently and took a taxi to HiltonHotels. The driver and another guy took us to an unknown location first, charged us USD 200 (Rs 18,000), and then dropped us at the hotel which was only 400m away. Taxi No: MH 01 BD 5405 taxidriver mumbai RepublicDay2026 india." Mumbai Police arrested taxi driver after Airport video goes viral Based on the viral post, the Sahar Police initiated an investigation. As the police were unable to establish immediate contact with the victim, they registered a First Information Report (FIR) suo motu on January 27 and later updated it on January 28. The case was registered under Sections 318(4) (cheating) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Using the taxi registration number mentioned in the social media post, the police traced the accused to Sahar Village. The vehicle involved, a white Toyota Etios, was seized as part of the investigation. The Sahar Police arrested Yadav within three hours of registering the case. He has since been produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody. Police officials also revealed that two individuals were involved in the crime. While Yadav has been arrested, his associate, identified as Taufiq Shaikh, is currently absconding. A search operation has been launched to trace and apprehend the second accused. Senior police officials stated that the case highlights the importance of social media in bringing such incidents to light and reiterated that strict action would be taken against anyone found cheating or exploiting tourists. Further investigation is underway to determine whether the accused were involved in similar incidents in the past. Earlier Airport taxi, auto overcharging cases led to arrests in Mumbai On December 24, 2024, Australian NRI businessman D Vijay (49) fell victim to a taxi driver for overcharging Rs 2,800 for a 10-minute journey from the Mumbai International Airport to a Vile Parle hotel. Following an email complaint from Vijay after he reached Nagpur, Sahar police arrested the cab driver, Vinod Goswami (32). On December 14, 2024, Sahar police arrested an auto-rickshaw driver, Ritesh Kadam (26), for taking Rs 3,500 from a 19-year-old US-based chemical engineering student, Vishwajeet Patil, from Sangli when the fare to Chembur showed Rs 106 on his meter. Police said the student had returned on a college holiday from the US, and was travelling to Dadar railway station after landing at Mumbai Airport. (With inputs from IANS)
30 January,2026 01:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a touching and symbolic gesture on Republic Day, the Malad Police Station turned the traditional flag-hoisting ceremony into a powerful statement on dignity, equality, and respect for labour. Departing from convention, the police entrusted the honour of hoisting the national flag not to a celebrity or a senior political figure, but to Anil Soda, a sanitation worker who has been serving at the Malad Police Station for several years. The initiative was aimed at giving true meaning to 'Shram-pratishtha' the dignity of labour. According to the Malad police, Anil and his wife were invited to hoist the tricolour together during the Republic Day celebrations. Sanitation workers, whose contributions often go unnoticed and unacknowledged, were brought to the forefront through this simple yet deeply meaningful act. A heart-touching moment for Anil and his family For Anil Soda, the moment marked what was possibly the first recognition of its kind in his life. The honour left Anil and his wife visibly emotional. Tears welled up in their eyes, tears that reflected pride, gratitude, and years of silent struggle. For many present at the ceremony, those tears became the true essence of Republic Day. As the couple stood with moist eyes, their emotions seemed to echo the long-suppressed pain and neglect faced by countless marginalised workers. Several attendees, moved by their story and the gesture itself, found it difficult to hold back their own emotions. The moment served as a reminder that a nation can truly be called a republic only when every individual is respected as a human being first and when honour is accorded not based on status or position but on honest work.
30 January,2026 01:23 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanDeputy CM Ajit Pawar at the BMC headquarters with the then CM Uddhav Thackeray and former Cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackeray, in January 2021. When Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar visited the BMC headquarters on January 28, 2021, to inaugurate the Heritage Walk, it marked the first time the 128-year-old civic building was opened to tourists. Pawar, a prominent and widely respected leader from the Maratha community, was told about the ‘Maratha Ditch’ — a deep trench built by the East India Company to protect British-controlled structures from possible Maratha attacks during India’s freedom struggle. The ditch existed in the Fort area before 1860. “We were standing on the deck above the entrance of BMC when I pointed to Mr Pawar the location of the erstwhile Fort of Bombay that was surrounded by the ditch,” said Bharat Gothoskar, founder of Khaki Tours, which conducts the heritage walks every weekend. Pawar later visited the BMC as part of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, accompanying then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who officially inaugurated the Heritage Walk. “It is sad that he passed away on the fifth anniversary of the Heritage Walk,” Gothoskar said.
30 January,2026 11:20 AM IST | Mumbai | Eshanpriya MSADVERTISEMENT
