The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday signalled a generational shift by placing party leader and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray at the forefront of its poll campaign for the upcoming BMC Election 2026. Addressing party workers and leaders, Aaditya Thackeray showcased his party's past records, achievements and works done by the Shiv Sena (UBT) for Mumbai. Attacking the political rivals, Aaditya Thackeray said, "It is time to stop the vote thieves, money thieves and credit thieves. It is time to stop those who have destroyed Mumbai. We are here to keep Mumbai for Mumbaikars." Poll theme and past party record Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday announced that the Shiv Sena (UBT's) poll theme for the upcoming elections will be "Karun Dakhvala, Te Abhimanane Sanguya" (We did it, let’s say it with pride). He presented details of Shiv Sena’s work in the BMC since 1997, when the party first came to power in the civic body. He said the Shiv Sena (UBT) had transformed the BMC’s finances, claiming it was taken from a Rs 650 crore deficit in 1997 to fixed deposits worth Rs 92,000 crore by 2022. Aaditya also highlighted work done in key areas such as education, healthcare, transport and water supply. As a mark of respect, Aaditya Thackeray invited all former Mumbai mayors from the party onto the stage and thanked them for their contribution to the city’s development. मुंबईच्या भविष्यासाठी ‘करून दाखवलंय ते अभिमानाने सांगूया!’ | मुंबई पदाधिकारी मेळावा | एन.एस.सी.आय. डोम, वरळी, मुंबई - #LIVE https://t.co/EIQ5n438jT — ShivSena - शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) December 16, 2025 Attack on current administration Referring to the poor condition of Mumbai’s roads, Aaditya Thackeray said that the civic works had suffered under the administrator-led system. He alleged that no meaningful work was being carried out at present. “These are our achievements, and we must tell people about them with pride. We have to speak about them loudly," he said while addressing the party workers. Project credits The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader accused the BJP of wrongly taking credit for projects such as the Mumbai Coastal Road. Showing photographs from the early stages of the project, he said sarcastically, “Do you see Fadnavis in this photo?" Highlighting party's past achievements Aaditya Thackeray also spoke proudly of the party’s efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic, noting that Shiv Sena (UBT) had established field hospitals across the city under directions from former chief Uddhav Thackeray. He stressed that these initiatives helped save many lives and brought global recognition to the "Dharavi Model" during the pandemic. He urged party workers to take pride in the work done.
16 December,2025 11:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA new elevated deck has been opened for passenger use at Vasai Road railway station to ease congestion on busy platforms, an official statement said on Tuesday. The facility has been commissioned by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) and is expected to significantly improve crowd movement at the station, it said. The elevated deck measures 60 metres in length and 10 metres in width. It has been constructed over Platforms 6 and 7 and is equipped with 3-metre-wide staircases, officials said. Railway officials said the deck will help passengers move more smoothly between platforms, especially during peak travel hours. Vasai Road is among the busiest stations on the Western Railway suburban network, and the new infrastructure is aimed at improving passenger safety and convenience. Temporary Closure of FOB Staircase In August, as part of the ongoing station improvement and elevated deck-related works, Western Railway had announced the temporary dismantling of a staircase at the station. In an official statement, Western Railway had stated that the south-side staircase of the second north-most Foot Over Bridge (FOB) at Platforms 6 and 7 will be dismantled on the night of August 29. The work was being carried out to facilitate foundation construction for the elevated deck. Alternative arrangements for passengers During the period of work, passengers have been advised to use the north-side staircase of the second north FOB, as well as the south-side staircase of the existing north FOB. Western Railway has expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to commuters and has appealed for their cooperation during the improvement works. Dadar set to become Mumbai’s new midtown terminus under Rs 70-crore plan Meanwhile, in a major capacity-augmentation move, Western Railway has drawn up plans worth Rs 70 crore to expand Dadar station into a bigger midtown terminus, creating space for more express trains and easing pressure on Mumbai Central. The proposal includes new lines, extended platforms, yard rearrangement, and significant overhead equipment (OHE) and signalling upgrades, marking the most ambitious remodelling of Dadar in decades. The new plans will integrate the station with the fifth and sixth lines, which aim to segregate mail express and suburban trains.
16 December,2025 09:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra has set an ambitious goal of winning over 150 seats in the January 15 elections to the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), news agency PTI reported, quoting party leaders on Tuesday. Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam emphasised that the ruling alliance is working with a clear focus on crossing the 150-seat mark in India’s largest civic body. “Our discussions are aimed at ensuring Mahayuti candidates win across all 227 wards, with a clear objective of securing 150-plus seats in the BMC,” Satam told reporters. Addressing the media after a meeting of ruling alliance leaders, Maharashtra BJP Minister Ashish Shelar also said the Mahayuti was targeting 150 seats in Mumbai. Shelar further asserted that Mumbai would have a Marathi mayor after the civic polls, which are being held after a delay of nearly four years. “The Mahayuti leadership has finalised its broad electoral strategy and will meet again in the coming days to fine-tune preparations,” he added. Without naming Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, Shelar said some people had already begun putting up posters admitting their “defeat” and claimed that Mumbaikars had decided to embrace change in the upcoming polls, PTI reported. He dismissed allegations about attempts to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra as baseless. “Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified this during the recently concluded winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur,” Shelar said. The minister also ruled out any alliance with NCP leader and former minister Nawab Malik, who is heading his party’s BMC campaign. “We will not form any alliance with Nawab Malik, and I have clearly communicated this to NCP leaders,” he asserted. Satam added that initial-level discussions among Mahayuti partners, including representatives of the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, had concluded. 'Will not contest elections with NCP as long as Nawab Malik heads its civic poll campaign' “We have also held discussions with the RPI (A). Micro-level management meetings will be held next,” he said, adding that Mumbaikars had already resolved to vote for the Mahayuti. Former MP and Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale also said the meeting focused on strategies to win 150 seats in the 227-member civic body. “We had a positive discussion and fully endorse the BJP's stand. We will not contest elections with the NCP as long as Nawab Malik heads its civic poll campaign,” he said. An NCP leader, however, said the party had been preparing for the civic polls for a long time and was holding weekly meetings to strengthen its organisation in Mumbai, PTI reported. “After consultations with Ajit Pawar (Deputy CM who also heads NCP), we will decide the exact number of seats we will contest. In multi-cornered local elections, individual candidates matter,” he noted. The long-delayed elections to the BMC, Asia’s largest civic body with a budget of Rs 74,000 crore for 2025-26, will be held on January 15, with results declared the next day. The undivided Shiv Sena had ruled the civic body for nearly two decades, with the BJP as its junior ally. (With PTI inputs)
16 December,2025 08:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad on Tuesday said the party will contest the upcoming BMC Election 2026 on local civic issues, asserting that voters will not be influenced by what she described as the BJP’s "religious agenda", reported the PTI. Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including Mumbai, are scheduled to be held on January 15. Speaking to reporters, Varsha Gaikwad alleged that the BJP-led Mahayuti government, through the administrator appointed to run the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), had diverted or misused civic funds for the benefit of select contractors and industrialists. “Congress will fight these elections for Mumbai’s development and the future of its citizens,” she said. Civic services have suffered: Gaikwad The Mumbai North Central MP claimed that corruption increased during the administrator’s tenure, while citizens were deprived of basic services such as good roads, reliable water supply, clean air, education and healthcare. She pointed out that the BJP, along with the undivided Shiv Sena, had ruled the BMC for nearly 25 years, and that the civic body has now been under an administrator appointed by the BJP-led state government for the past three years. During this period, she alleged, the BMC’s treasury was misused. Polls should focus on Mumbai’s issues: Gaikwad Accusing the BJP of attempting to polarise voters on religious lines, Gaikwad said the Mumbai civic elections should be fought strictly on issues affecting the city and its residents. “The BMC elections are about Mumbai’s problems and solutions, not religious politics,” she said. National Herald case reference Referring to the National Herald case, Gaikwad said the court’s refusal to take cognisance of the charge sheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others had exposed what she called the BJP’s attempt to defame the Congress leadership. She also alleged that the BJP was misusing central agencies to target opposition leaders. Key Congress body to meet on Dec 25-26 to finalise candidates for civic corporation polls Maharashtra Congress on Tuesday said it will finalise its candidates for the January 15 polls to 29 municipal corporations at a two-day meeting of the State Parliamentary Board beginning on December 25. State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal told reporters that he held a meeting with party leaders from 28 of the 29 poll-bound civic bodies to chalk out a strategy for the elections. (with PTI inputs)
16 December,2025 08:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the BMC Election 2026 in January, the Mumbai civic body has launched a crackdown on political banners, posters, hoardings and flags in the city as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect on Monday. The BMC officials on Tuesday said that as many as 1323 political banners and 293 flags were removed from government, public and private properties since Monday. A total number of 2,103 unauthorised political advertisement displays across Mumbai were removed. The operation was carried out on the instructions of Municipal Commissioner and Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani, under the leadership of Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr Ashwini Joshi, and with guidance from Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Special) Chanda Jadhav, officials said. Following the instructions, a special drive was carried out over the last 24 hours and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken action against hundreds of illegal banners and hoardings in the city. Large number of illegal political banners removed The Mumbai civic body recorded several cases and removed a large number of illegal political advertisements from government, public and private properties across the city. Civic officials said the drive will continue throughout the election period to ensure free and fair polls. Political parties and candidates have been warned against violating election norms, especially by putting up advertisements without permission. "On December 15 no cases were lodged during the action taken by the BMC," said an official. No. of cases recorded on December 15, 2025 Messages on Walls Posters Cutouts Banners Flags Total Defacement Govt Property 0 112 0 158 0 270 0 Public Property 5 108 262 1147 291 1813 364 Private Property 0 0 0 18 2 20 0 Total 5 220 262 1323 293 2103 364 The BMC has urged citizens to cooperate and report violations so that the Model Code of Conduct is implemented effectively across Mumbai. Citywide enforcement drive The BMC said the drive was conducted at a war footing by its Licensing Department to ensure strict compliance with election rules. The removed materials included political hoardings, banners, kiosks, stickers, flex boards, flags, signboards and wall writings, an official statement said. Dr Ashwini Joshi said strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct is essential to maintain transparency and fairness in the election process. She said the civic administration has taken timely preventive steps to avoid any undue political influence and has ensured that no political advertisements remain in public spaces after the code came into force. The drive will continue in the coming days to prevent violations. Appeal to political parties Deputy Municipal Commissioner Chanda Jadhav said the campaign is focused on major junctions, main roads, public places and areas around government buildings, where unauthorised political material had been displayed. She appealed to political parties, office-bearers and workers to cooperate with the civic body and avoid putting up any material that violates the Model Code of Conduct during the election period.
16 December,2025 07:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Czech Republic has reopened its Consulate in Mumbai, marking the return of consular operations to the city after nearly 15 years. The move is expected to significantly ease access to Czech (Schengen) visas for travellers from western and southern India, while strengthening leisure, business and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) travel ties with Czechia. The reopening was announced at a press conference and networking evening held in Mumbai on December 9 organised by CzechTourism, the Consulate General of the Czech Republic, and Prague Airport. The event aimed to present a unified approach to promoting Czechia across tourism, trade, education, business and cultural exchanges in India. Speaking on the occasion, Barbara Andelova, International Marketing Manager – New Markets, CzechTourism, said the return of the consulate to Mumbai was a major milestone. “Mumbai has always meant a lot to us and having the Czech consulate return after fifteen years is very exciting. It brings us closer to travellers and partners in a region that have been promoting Czechia beyond Prague. We’re seeing Indians explore the wine regions and spa towns of Czechia alongside heritage cities like Prague and Brno. Another office for the India mission of the Consulate and combined efforts with Prague Airport and Czech Trade will bring Indians closer to Czechia’s offerings,” she said. The conference panel included Consul General of the Czech Republic Katerina Vovkova, along with Veronika Senjukova, Consul and Deputy Head of Mission, and Maros Martin Guoth, Vice Consul for Economic Affairs, underscoring the government’s focus on strengthening bilateral engagement. Commenting on the reopening, Vovkova said the move would ease access to consular services for Indian applicants. Reopened Mumbai consulate to ease visa access, support multi-city Czech travel “Reinstating the Mumbai office is a meaningful step toward strengthening bilateral ties and restoring services that many students, professionals, tourists and businesses have been awaiting. Adding the presence of a consular office will make access significantly easier for applicants across western and southern India. We aim to initiate processes one step at a time and shall evaluate progress every quarter to maintain and improve affairs,” she said. Indian travellers are increasingly expanding their Czech itineraries beyond Prague to destinations such as South Moravia, Karlovy Vary and Český Krumlov, with interest also growing in longer stays and multi-city travel. Officials said the additional consular office would support deeper destination engagement and smoother travel planning. The Czech Tourism office for India, the Middle East and Israel is represented by VFS Global – Tourism Services, which manages both B2B and B2C promotional activities. GB Srithar, Head of Tourism Services, VFS Global, said the timing of the reopening aligned with India’s outbound travel growth. “The opening of the Czech Consulate office in Mumbai comes at a time when outbound travel from India is expanding rapidly, particularly from the western and southern regions. This development will not only strengthen visa access but also enhance Czechia’s accessibility. We are happy to collaborate with Czech Tourism to promote its diverse and rich offerings across heritage, culture and immersive experiences,” he said. Czech Tourism said it plans to roll out new promotional campaigns in early 2026, focusing on gastronomy, culture, heritage and wellness experiences, to further boost Indian arrivals. Czechia, located in Central Europe, is home to more than 1,200 castles, 16 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, renowned thermal spas and historic European glassworks. Popular destinations include Prague, Brno, Karlovy Vary, Český Krumlov, Telč and Olomouc, along with the South Moravian wine region and the Lednice-Valtice complex.
16 December,2025 06:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOver one crore voters in Mumbai will decide who governs the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the next five years when elections to the country’s richest civic body are held next month. The BMC on Tuesday published the final electoral rolls on its official portal, showing a total of 1,03,44,315 voters spread across all 227 wards of Mumbai. The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) announced the election programme on Monday. High-stakes elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including cash-rich Mumbai civic body, will be held on January 15, with counting of votes scheduled for January 16. The upcoming polls will see a direct contest between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for control of key urban centres in the state. In Mumbai, civic elections are being held almost nine years after the last polls in 2017. The five-year term of BMC corporators ended on March 7, 2022, following which the civic body has been run by an administrator appointed by the state government. Voters in Mumbai According to the final rolls, Mumbai has 55,16,707 male voters, 48,26,509 female voters, and 1,077 registered as ‘other’ voters, reported the PTI. During the 2017 BMC elections, the city had 91,80,497 voters, including 50,30,363 men, 41,49,753 women, and 381 other voters, indicating a significant rise in the electorate over the past eight years. Data released by the civic body shows that Polling Ward 164 in the administrative ‘L’ ward has the highest number of voters at 62,945, followed by Polling Ward 66 in ‘K-West’ ward with 61,799 voters, as per the PTI. On the other hand, Polling Ward 142 in ‘M-East’ ward has the lowest number of voters at 31,575, followed by Polling Ward 1 in ‘R-North’ ward with 31,916 voters. ‘Other’ voters data Among the 1,077 other voters, the highest number -- 281 -- has been recorded in Polling Ward 34 under ‘P-North’ ward, followed by 111 in Polling Ward 124 under ‘N’ ward, according to official data, according to the PTI. With the final voter list now published, political parties have intensified preparations for what is expected to be one of the most closely watched civic elections in Maharashtra, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
16 December,2025 05:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentShiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said that his party and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will contest the upcoming BMC Election 2026 together, reported the PTI. He said that the alliance which was likely to be announced soon will also be in major cities, including Thane, Pune and Nashik apart from Mumbai. Raut said that a formal announcement of the alliance is likely to be made in the coming week. Speaking to reporters, Sanjay Raut said that the discussions between Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray are progressing, and both leaders are expected to share the stage during the official announcement of the tie-up. Focus on Mumbai civic polls Sanjay Raut said that although elections will be held in 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, the “real battle” will be for Mumbai. He noted that the city has a special political and historical significance, having played a key role in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, according to the PTI. Elections to all 29 municipal corporations in the state, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), are scheduled to be held on January 15. According to Raut, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS will jointly contest civic polls in cities such as Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayandar, Pune and Nashik. He said decisions regarding alliances in other municipal bodies will be taken by the respective local units. The Rajya Sabha MP also met MNS chief Raj Thackeray earlier in the day, reportedly to discuss seat-sharing and other related issues. After the meeting, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar confirmed that talks between the two parties would continue, adding that, for now, Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS are coming together. Congress' role uncertain Sanjay Raut said he had spoken to the Congress leadership and urged the party to contest the civic polls as part of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which he believes should also include the MNS. However, he claimed the Congress has left the decision to its local leadership. “I don’t see Congress coming together at this point,” Raut said, adding that the party should avoid taking steps that could indirectly benefit the BJP. He also warned that people would remember the Congress’s stand in future Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections, according to the PTI. He said that he will also hold discussions with NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, another key constituent of the MVA. While the NCP (SP) may not have a major presence in Mumbai, he said the party should contest alongside Shiv Sena (UBT) in other civic bodies across the state. The upcoming civic polls will be the first major local elections after the splits in the Shiv Sena in 2022 and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 2023, developments that significantly reshaped Maharashtra’s political landscape, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
16 December,2025 04:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA Level-1 fire broke out at the Perfect Paper Corn Company in the Charkop area of Mumbai’s Kandivali West on Tuesday afternoon, officials said. The incident was reported to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC’s) Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) at 2.37 pm. The fire, confined to electric wiring, installations, and paints, affected an area of approximately 3,000 square feet on the ground floor of the ground plus one-floor building. Smoke was reported inside the premises. The MFB declared the blaze a Level-1 fire at 3:02 pm. Several agencies were mobilised, including the MFB, police, Adani Power, 108 ambulance, and ward staff. No injuries have been reported so far, officials added. Mathura: 13 dead, 25 injured in Yamuna Expressway pile-up; buses catch fire At least 13 people were killed and 35 others injured in a devastating multi-vehicle pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura during the early hours of Tuesday, news agency PTI reported. The collision, which occurred amid dense fog, also triggered a massive fire, leading to chaos at the scene. The accident took place around 4.30 am when at least seven buses and three smaller vehicles collided with each other due to poor visibility. The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Baldev Police Station. Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar, while briefing the media, said, “The vehicles collided due to low visibility on the Agra-to-Noida side of the Yamuna Motorway. Some vehicles also caught fire. All injured have been sent to the hospital.” Providing further details, Baldev Police Station House Officer (SHO) Ranjana Sachan said, “Two of the deceased were identified as 44-year-old Akhilendra Pratap Yadav, a resident of Prayagraj, and 75-year-old Rampal, from Maharajganj district.” She added, “13 people died of burns.” On the condition of the injured, the SHO said, “Of the injured, fifteen were admitted to the district hospital, nine each to a community health centre and a private hospital in Baldev, and two to SN Medical College, Agra.” The Mathura Police, in a post on X, stated that the pile-up near Milestone 127 involved seven buses and three smaller vehicles, adding that none of the injured are in critical condition. SSP Shlok Kumar further said, “The passengers were sent to their destinations in government vehicles.” He added that traffic diversions had been put in place as the road remained blocked following the accident. (With PTI inputs)
16 December,2025 04:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai is gearing up for its biggest civic battle. With 227 seats up for grabs, millions of voters, and strict spending limits for candidates, the stakes have never been higher. From ward-wise distribution to key voter statistics, understanding the numbers behind the polls gives a clearer picture of what’s at play in Asia’s richest civic body. After a delay of 34 months, elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will finally be held on January 15, 2026, with counting scheduled for January 16, 2026. The previous five-year term ended in February 2022. The State Election Commission (SEC) announced the schedule, confirming that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into effect immediately. Including the BMC’s 227 seats, a total of 2,869 seats across 29 municipal corporations will go to the polls. Along with Mumbai, municipal elections will also be held on the same day in Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar, Panvel, Kalyan-Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur city and 20 other municipal corporations across Maharashtra. We break down the seats, voters, spending limits, ward details and all the essential statistics you need to know ahead of the 2026 BMC elections. Key figures for BMC polls Polling stations: 10,111 Control units: 11,349 Ballot units: 22,698 Election officers: 290 Assistant election officers: 870 Total staff required: 1,96,605 Overall polling infrastructure (all 29 civic bodies): Polling stations: 39,147 Control units: 43,958 Ballot units: 87,916 Key voter statistics: Male voters: 1,81,93,666 Female voters: 1,66,79,755Other voters: 4596 Total voters (29 corporations): 3,48,78,017 Seat breakup: OBC: 759 ST: 77 SC: 341 Women reserved: 1,442 Others: 250Total seats: 2,869 Important dates Election notifications: BMC – Dec 16, 2025; Other corporations – Dec 18, 2025 Nominations: Dec 23–30, 2025 Scrutiny: Dec 31, 2025 Withdrawal of nominations: Jan 2, 2026 Symbol allotment and final list: Jan 3, 2026 Spending limits (per candidate) BMC and A-class: Rs 15 lakh B-class: Rs 13 lakh C-class: Rs 11 lakh D-class: Rs 9 lakh (Source: State Election Commission) Notes: Mobile phones are not permitted inside polling stations. Pink polling stations, staffed entirely by women, will be set up in areas with higher female voter turnout. Nomination forms can be filled online but must be submitted offline. Caste validity certificates must be submitted within six months of the results; failure will cancel the election retrospectively. The Raj Thackeray-led MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) had raised objections to over 11 lakh duplicate names in the voters’ list, demanding necessary corrections before polling. The SEC said BMC officials removed several duplicate entries through field verification and software checks. “If there are any remaining duplicates, they have been marked with a star. This will help identify voters with multiple entries on voting day,” the SEC said. The BMC polls are expected to witness a direct contest between two major alliances in the state: the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The Mahayuti, which currently governs Maharashtra, comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The main opposition alliance, the MVA, includes the Indian National Congress, the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, and the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the NCP-SP. After remaining politically apart for nearly two decades, the Thackeray brothers—Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray—have reunited. The move is being seen as a significant development in Mumbai’s political landscape, with the alliance expected to reshape electoral dynamics in the civic polls. The last BMC elections were held in 2017. Reacting to the poll announcement, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “I am sure people will once again vote for development and progress.
16 December,2025 04:12 PM IST | MumbaiIn the wake of an alleged molestation of a young woman passenger by a bike rider in Kalyan, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has called an urgent meeting of the motor vehicles department (MVD) to review the functioning of app-based bike taxi and cab aggregators operating in the state. According to officials, the emergency meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday at 10.30 am at the minister’s office in Mantralaya. Following the incident, Sarnaik has sought an explanation on why the temporary permits granted to app-based aggregators such as Rapido, Ola, and Uber should not be cancelled, amid allegations that they are flouting transport regulations and operating illegal passenger services. The transport minister has directed the department to examine violations related to unauthorised passenger transport and take appropriate action in accordance with the law. He has also asked officials to review safety norms and regulatory compliance, particularly in view of concerns over passenger security. The minister’s move comes days after the Regional Transport Office (RTO) filed a case against Roppen Transport Pvt Ltd, which operates Rapido, for allegedly running illegal bike taxi services in Mumbai despite a government ban. mid-day.com had reported on December 5 that motor vehicle inspectors conducted a decoy operation in Nehru Nagar and Kurla by booking bike rides through the Rapido app to test the legality of the service. According to police, three bike taxis arrived as per the bookings and were fined Rs 10,000 under Sections 66 and 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act for operating without a valid permit, along with Section 142, which pertains to permanent disablement of vehicles. Rapido denies affiliation with suspect Rapido clarified that the accused “is not, and has never been, a Rapido Captain,” adding that his name was incorrectly linked to the brand in early reports. According to the company, the individual had applied to join Rapido but was denied onboarding as he failed to meet the company’s eligibility and verification standards. “As confirmed by the authorities, the complainant had booked a bike taxi ride on another platform on December 13, 2025,” the spokesperson said. The company further stated that all captains registered on Rapido undergo rigorous onboarding protocols, including background verification, strict KYC checks, mandatory training on conduct and safety, and immediate suspension upon receiving credible complaints. It also highlighted additional safety measures such as post-10 pm safety check-ins for women riders, 24×7 in-app SOS support, and prompts encouraging riders to verify captain and vehicle details before every trip. Rapido reiterated that it would extend full cooperation to law enforcement agencies whenever required.
16 December,2025 02:25 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
