Mumbai continues to struggle with air pollution, even as a study shows that most polluted cities in India lack proper clean air action plans. According to a study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) titled “Tracing the Hazy Air 2026”, 96 per cent of India’s persistently polluted cities do not have a clean air action plan. Using satellite data, the study analysed PM2.5 pollution levels in 4,041 cities and towns across India. It found that 1,787 cities exceeded the national annual PM2.5 limit every year between 2019 and 2024, excluding the Covid-affected year of 2020. It means nearly 44 per cent of Indian cities are facing long-term or chronic air pollution, the report suggests. Limited coverage under clean air programme The study noted that only 67 cities are currently covered under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Even among these cities, progress has been limited. Only 51 cities met the initial target of reducing PM10 pollution by 20–30 per cent, while just 23 cities achieved the revised 40 per cent reduction target. Mumbai’s air quality trend In Mumbai, annual PM2.5 levels in 2025 remained similar to those recorded in 2024, showing no major improvement in air quality. Within the city Deonar was the most polluted monitoring station followed by Worli and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). However, Kandivali East recorded the highest number of days when PM2.5 levels exceeded the daily national air quality standard in 2025. Maharashtra pollution status The study found that eight cities in Maharashtra exceeded the annual PM2.5 standards set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). It also revealed that all Maharashtra cities covered under the NCAP failed to meet PM10 standards, indicating continued problems with coarse particulate pollution. Most polluted cities in India At the national level, the study identified Byrnihat, Delhi and Ghaziabad as the most polluted cities in terms of PM2.5 levels. For PM10 pollution, Delhi ranked worst, followed by Ghaziabad and Greater Noida, the report stated. It said that overall 190 cities exceeded the annual PM10 standard, 103 cities exceeded the annual PM2.5 standard Call for stronger action The findings highlight the urgent need for stronger air pollution control measures, especially in major cities like Mumbai, where pollution levels remain consistently high despite existing programmes.
09 January,2026 11:22 PM IST | Mumbai | Eshanpriya MSThe Central Railway, while sharing Mumbai local train updates, on Friday said that special traffic and power blocks on the Kalyan-Badlapur section during the nights of January 10-11 and January 11-12, 2026. The blocks will be operated for infrastructure work linked to platform extension and the proposed third and fourth railway lines, officials said. According to the Central Railway, the blocks will be carried out for the following -- - Dismantling of a Foot Over Bridge (FOB) at Badlapur for extension of Platform No. 2 to accommodate 15-coach local trains - Launching of girders for FOBs 1 and 2 at Chikhloli - Works related to the proposed 3rd and 4th railway lines between Kalyan and Badlapur Block schedule and sections affected - Block 1 Date: Night of January 10/11 (Saturday-Sunday) Time: 12.00 am to 5.00 am Section: Ambarnath to Vangani (Up and Down lines) - Block 2 Date: Night of January 10/11 Time: 1.30 am to 4.00 am Section: Ambarnath to Badlapur (Up and Down lines) - Shadow Block Date: Night of January 10/11 Time: 2.00 am to 3.00 am Section: Kalyan to Ambarnath (Up and Down lines) - Block 3 Date: Night of January 11/12 (Sunday-Monday) Time: 1.45 am to 3.15 am Section: Ambarnath to Badlapur (Up and Down lines) Express trains to be diverted Several up Mail and Express trains will be diverted via the Karjat-Panvel-Diva route, and may arrive 10 to 20 minutes late. Diverted Trains Include the following -- - 11020 Bhubaneswar-CSMT Konark Express train - 18519 Visakhapatnam-LTT Express - 12702 Hyderabad-CSMT Express - 11140 Hospete-CSMT Express "Trains scheduled to halt at Kalyan will instead halt at Panvel and Thane for passenger convenience," the officials said. Suburban Train Services Affected The statement further said that the suburban local services will not operate between Ambarnath and Vangani during the block period. Train cancellations: - CSMT-Badlapur local (11.51 pm) on January 10/11 - Badlapur-Thane local (11.04 pm) on January 10/11 Short Termination and Origination: - CSMT-Karjat local (12.12 am) will terminate at Ambarnath - Karjat-CSMT local (2.30 am) will start from Ambarnath at 3.10 am First and last local trains Last locals before the block -- - CSMT-Karjat local at 11.30 pm - Badlapur-CSMT local at 11.29 pm First local train after the block -- - Thane-Karjat local at 5.00 am - Karjat-CSMT local at 3.35 am Public Cooperation The Central Railway said the blocks are essential for safety and infrastructure upgrades. Passengers have been requested to plan their journeys in advance and cooperate with the Railway Administration during the temporary inconvenience.
09 January,2026 11:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe residents of Shivaji Park have deferred their plans to hold an awareness campaign for the problems of red soil pollution at Shivaji Park playground on Saturday, January 10. The residents cited that the Mumbai police denied them permission to hold the gathering, attributing it to violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) which is in place due to upcoming civic polls. While flyers, posters and invites were prepared for the campaign, the residents have deferred it by one week. At midday, we tried to reach officials from the Shivaji Park police station on Friday, who remained unavailable for comment or a confirmation about this issue. The Model Code of Conduct is a set of rules to regulate the behaviour of political parties and candidates during elections. It aims to ensure free and fair elections by maintaining a level playing field and preventing the misuse of government machinery for political campaigning. It also imposes some restrictions pertaining to political demonstrations. The residents of Shivaji Park, via its registered ALM named Shivaji Park ALM, had decided to conduct a signature campaign on Saturday between 5 pm and 7 pm at the Shivaji Park playground. However, after denial of police permission to the residents, the campaign has been moved to January 18, after the elections. Vaibhav Rege, secretary of the ALM, told mid-day, "We were going to conduct a peaceful gathering of residents before the elections to raise awareness about the issue of pollution from the red soil at Shivaji Park. The police told us that cases would be lodged against us if we gathered at Shivaji Park and denied us permission." Rege pointed out that the residents were of the consensus that the ALM should still go ahead with an awareness campaign for the citizens, as it is a non-political initiative. However, he said, "It has been deferred, as we were subjected to insensitive comments from authorities. One of which was 'Will your people die if you do not create awareness over this weekend?'" Shivaji Park is scheduled to see a rally on 11th January from the MNS and Shiv Sena.
09 January,2026 10:03 PM IST | Mumbai | Eshanpriya MSA fire broke out at a building in central Mumbai's Parel, civic officials said on Friday, adding that no injuries were reported in the incident. The blaze was reported at the Lodha Grandeur building in Parel area, officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) said. The incident was reported at around 6.21 pm, following a call received by the BMC’s MFB Control Room. The building is located opposite the Parel ST Depot on Sayani Road. Fire confined to bamboo scaffolding According to officials, the fire was confined to bamboo scaffolding and stored bamboo material on the ground floor of the building. However, heavy smoke spread throughout the entire building, causing concern among residents. Emergency agencies rush to spot Teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, Adani, and BMC ward staff were rushed to the spot to control the situation and manage safety arrangements. Fire brought under control The fire was classified as Level 1 (minor) and was successfully extinguished by 7.36 pm, officials confirmed. No injuries or casualties were reported in the incident. Authorities said the situation is now under control and further checks are being carried out to ensure safety in the building. Fire breaks out at restaurant in Mumbai's Fort, no injuries reported Meanwhile, in an another incident on Thursday, a fire broke out at a restaurant in south Mumbai's Fort area on Thursday afternoon, civic officials had earlier said. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), the incident was reported at 12.59 pm from Native Bombay restaurant, located on Kochi Street in Ballard Pier, Fort. The fire occurred in the kitchen on the first floor of the restaurant. Fire officials declared it a Level-I (minor) fire at 1.08 pm and immediately mobilised emergency teams to the spot. Officials said that the fire engines, along with personnel from the police, BEST and local ward staff, were deployed to control the situation and ensure public safety. As per the latest update issued at 1.17 pm, no injuries have been reported. Firefighting operations were carried out to prevent the flames from spreading to other parts of the building.
09 January,2026 09:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs many as 240 Mumbai local trains will remain cancelled on January 12 and 13 due to the ongoing Western Railway sixth line work, an official statement said on Friday. The Western Railway announced a major block on the Kandivali-Borivali section in connection with the construction of the 6th railway line. The ongoing 30-day block began on the night of 20th/21st December, 2025 and will continue until 18th January, 2026. Night blocks on Jan 11-12 and 12-13 According to Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek, the following night-time blocks will be undertaken: - January 11 and 12, 2026: Dismantling of Point No. 104 on the car shed line at Kandivali. - UP Fast Line: 11:15 pm - 3:15 am - DOWN Fast Line: 1:00 am - 4:30 am - January 12 and 13, 2026: Making connection of crossover 101/102/103/104 at Kandivali. - UP Fast Line: 11:15 pm - 3:15 am - DOWN Fast Line: 1:00 am - 4:30 am Suburban trains to be cancelled Due to the blocks, speed restrictions, and suspension of the 5th line, a number of suburban train services will be cancelled. Summary of train cancellations Date UP Trains DOWN Trains Total Jan 12 60 60 120 Jan 13 60 60 120 "In total, 240 suburban trains will be affected over the two days," officials said. Passenger advisory Passengers are advised to check train schedules in advance and plan their journey accordingly. Detailed information on affected trains is available with the concerned Station Masters. Western Railway has requested commuters to cooperate during this period of construction to improve overall service capacity on the busy Kandivali-Borivali section. Central Railway to operate mega block on Jan 11 Meanwhile, Central Railway on Friday said that it will operate a mega block on its its Main and Trans-Harbour lines on January 11. The block will be undertake to carry out essential engineering and maintenance works. The block will affect services on the Main Line and the Trans-Harbour Line, leading to diversions, suspensions and cancellations of several local trains, an official statement said. On the Main Line, UP and Down slow lines between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai, and Vidyavihar will remain under block from 10.55 am to 3.55 pm, a statement issued by Central Railway said. Changes to down slow services During the block period, Down slow services leaving CSMT Mumbai between 10.48 am and 3.45 pm will be diverted onto the Down fast line between CSMT and Vidyavihar. These trains will halt at Byculla, Parel, Dadar, Matunga, Sion and Kurla stations before being diverted back to the Down slow line at Vidyavihar. Changes to UP Slow services Similarly, UP slow services leaving Ghatkopar between 10.19 am and 3.52 pm will be diverted onto the UP fast line between Vidyavihar and CSMT. These services will halt at Kurla, Sion, Matunga, Dadar, Parel and Byculla stations. Trans-Harbour line services suspended On the Trans-Harbour Line, UP and Down services between Thane and Vashi/Nerul will remain suspended from 11.10 am to 4.10 pm. During the block period several trains will remain cancelled, these include: - Down line services for Vashi, Nerul and Panvel leaving Thane between 10.35 am and 4.07 pm will remain cancelled. - UP line services for Thane leaving Panvel, Nerul and Vashi between 10.25 am and 4.09 pm will also remain cancelled. Advice to commuters Central Railway has advised passengers to plan their journeys in advance and cooperate during the mega block, which is being carried out for the safety and reliability of suburban train services.
09 January,2026 09:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Election 2026 on January 15, the civic body has announced a final opportunity for officials and staff to attend the second phase of election training. Those who missed the previous sessions have been asked to complete the training on Saturday. Dr Ashwini Joshi, additional municipal commissioner (city), warned that officials or staff failing to attend the training or neglecting duties during the election process will face strict disciplinary action under election laws from Sunday. According to the schedule released by the Maharashtra State Election Commission, polling will be held on January 15 from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm, with the counting of votes the next day under the supervision of 23 returning officers. A total of 1.34 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes at 10,231 polling centres across Mumbai, with 64,375 officials and staff appointed to manage the process. BMC Election 2026: Training mandatory, says civic body Officials and staff have been provided training in two phases, and the second phase saw some absentees. The civic body has emphasised that attending the training is mandatory. Those yet to complete it must contact their respective Returning Officers immediately to ensure active participation in the election process. Dr Joshi reiterated that any dereliction of duty or absence during the elections will be met with stringent disciplinary measures under the relevant provisions of election law.
09 January,2026 09:03 PM IST | MumbaiIn yet another instance of ticket fraud, the Mumbai Central ticket checking staff detected a fake local train ticket (UTS pass) during a routine inspection on the Churchgate-Virar suburban route on Friday. As per the information received by the officials, Deepika Murty, Chief Ticket Inspector (CTI), (Sports Squad), Mumbai Central, was on duty between 7:00 am and 11:00 am when the incident came to light. At around 10:20 am, while checking tickets in the women’s first-class coach of Churchgate AC local. Shortly after the train departed from platform 7 of the Andheri Railway Station, the official inspected the ticket of a woman passenger that appeared to be fake. Fake UTS AC local pass The passenger showed a UTS AC local pass on her mobile phone that showed validity from January 1, 2026, to January 31, 2026. Upon questioning about the ticket, which seemed highly suspicious, the passenger gave evasive replies that further triggered the doubt of the ticket inspector. Furthermore, she was subsequently disembarked at Bandra Railway Station for further verification of the pass that she possessed. The ticket was investigated by the DCTI Control, and they confirmed that the UTS pass shown on the mobile phone was fake. However, the woman then admitted that the pass was forged and had been created by her friend, who had forwarded a fake UTS application to her via WhatsApp. With the help of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), the passenger who had a fake UTS train ticket pass was taken to Bandra Government Railway Police (GRP) station. Officials informed that an FIR has been registered against the woman and her friend in connection with the ticket fraud, and the authorities are investigating it. Moreover, the railway authorities have once again urged commuters to purchase tickets only through authorised platforms and warned that strict action will be taken against those found using fake or fraudulent tickets.
09 January,2026 08:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWith just a few days to go for BMC Election 2026, the civic body on Friday began distributing the voter information slips to the electorate. The slips distributed by the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) contain key details such as the voter’s name, address, part number in the electoral roll, polling station name, and room number. They are being delivered directly to voters in their homes to help them easily identify their designated polling booths and avoid confusion on polling day. As per the civic body, the slips are being distributed through the officers and employees of the solid waste management department appointed in each administrative ward. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) further informed that this is a statutory initiative to simplify voting for all registered voters across the city and is a mandated exercise as per SEC's directives. Briefing more about it, the Mumbai civic body on Friday said, "The voter slip is handed over to the voter or the head of the family, and not to any other person.” “The BMC staff have been given instructions to distribute the voter information slips through the chairpersons of housing societies, non-governmental organisations, and representatives of social and non-political organisations in their respective areas. A daily report of this entire process is submitted to the election office," the BMC further stated. It also emphasised that if voters are unavailable at their residences during the distribution, the slips will be given to them outside their respective polling stations on the day of polling, January 15, through the booth-level officers (BLOs) and municipal employees. BMC Election 2026: Polling to be held from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm BMC Election 2026 will be held after a long delay of over 34 months as the previous term ended in February 2022 without elected corporators. Along with BMC, 28 municipal corporations in Maharashtra will also go for polls on January 15. The polling will be held from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm and the counting of votes will take place on January 16. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) had come into force on December 15 across all the municipal corporation areas.
09 January,2026 07:04 PM IST | Mumbai | Eeshanpriya MSCentral Railway, while sharing Mumbai local train updates, on Friday said that it will operate a mega block on its its Main and Trans-Harbour lines on January 11. The block will be undertake to carry out essential engineering and maintenance works. The block will affect services on the Main Line and the Trans-Harbour Line, leading to diversions, suspensions and cancellations of several local trains, an official statement said. On the Main Line, UP and Down slow lines between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai, and Vidyavihar will remain under block from 10.55 am to 3.55 pm, it said. Changes to down slow services During the block period, Down slow services leaving CSMT Mumbai between 10.48 am and 3.45 pm will be diverted onto the Down fast line between CSMT and Vidyavihar. These trains will halt at Byculla, Parel, Dadar, Matunga, Sion and Kurla stations before being diverted back to the Down slow line at Vidyavihar. Changes to UP Slow services Similarly, UP slow services leaving Ghatkopar between 10.19 am and 3.52 pm will be diverted onto the UP fast line between Vidyavihar and CSMT. These services will halt at Kurla, Sion, Matunga, Dadar, Parel and Byculla stations. Trans-Harbour line services suspended On the Trans-Harbour Line, UP and Down services between Thane and Vashi/Nerul will remain suspended from 11.10 am to 4.10 pm. During the block period several trains will remain cancelled, these include: - Down line services for Vashi, Nerul and Panvel leaving Thane between 10.35 am and 4.07 pm will remain cancelled. - UP line services for Thane leaving Panvel, Nerul and Vashi between 10.25 am and 4.09 pm will also remain cancelled. Advice to commuters Central Railway has advised passengers to plan their journeys in advance and cooperate during the mega block, which is being carried out for the safety and reliability of suburban train services. Central Railway earns Rs 183.80 crore from parcel services, sees 37 per cent growth Meanwhile, Central Railway last month said that it has reported a strong performance in parcel transportation during the Financial Year 2025-26. UP to November 2025, the zone earned Rs. 183.80 crore from parcel and luggage services, registering a growth of more than 37 per cent compared to the same period last year, it said. In the previous financial year, Central Railway earned Rs. 133.70 crore, showing a significant rise in revenue due to focused marketing efforts and innovative transport initiatives. Parcel train operations increase During FY 2025-26 (April to November 2025), Central Railway operated 143 trips of time-tabled parcel trains, including Lease and Indent Parcel Cargo Express services. These services played a key role in boosting parcel movement across the zone. Mumbai division leads revenue contribution The Mumbai Division emerged as the top contributor to parcel earnings. It generated Rs. 136.20 crore in FY 2025-26, compared to Rs. 95.20 crore in the previous year, reflecting a growth of over 43 per cent. The Bhusaval Division recorded the highest percentage growth, with parcel revenue increasing by 93 per cent. Earnings rose from Rs. 8.90 crore in FY 2024-25 to Rs. 17.20 crore in the current financial year. Other divisions also contributed steadily-- - Pune Division: Rs. 20.20 crore - Nagpur Division: Rs. 7.60 crore - Solapur Division: Rs. 2.60 crore
09 January,2026 06:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a video on X, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, and Marathi film actor Mahesh Manjrekar discuss the state of Mumbai, ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Election 2026. The leaders claimed in the video that after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Mumbai, they city gradually began slipping away from the control of Marathi manoos. They further alleged that the party has handed over Mumbai to entrepreneur Gautam Adani. BJP has taken Mumbai’s economy to Gujarat, alleges Raj Thackeray In the video, Raj Thackeray says, “The BJP has taken over Mumbai’s entire economy and shifted it to Gujarat. All the major projects have been handed to businessmen from Gujarat, and now they are not only taking away the city’s economy but also trying to shift Mumbai itself to Gujarat. The government is attempting to divide the city. All the airports are under Adani. They are strategically planning to give all the profits of Mumbai to Gujarat.” He further alleged that these developments began taking place after Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power. “The only difference between Adani and (industrialist Mukesh) Ambani is that, before PM Modi came to power, Ambani was in control, whereas Adani rose to prominence only after the PM’s victory,” said Raj Thackeray. पक्षप्रमुख मा. श्री. उद्धवसाहेब ठाकरे आणि महाराष्ट्र नवनिर्माण सेना अध्यक्ष@RajThackeray ह्यांची सामनाचे कार्यकारी संपादक संजय राऊत आणि दिग्दर्शक महेश मांजरेकर ह्यांनी घेतलेल्या संयुक्त मुलाखतीचा दुसरा भाग! pic.twitter.com/2fYLxucnL5 — ShivSena - शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) January 9, 2026 ‘Is it fair to give away all the power to one businessman?’ asks MNS chief “If the Congress or any other political party had favoured only one specific businessman, would the BJP have remained quiet and let it happen? Would they have stayed silent," the MNS chief further questioned. He also claimed that PM Modi and the Home Minister are fixated only on developing one state of the country. "They are not working to make Mumbai better,” Raj Thackeray alleged. His cousin and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said, “We are repeatedly saying that Mumbai’s Mayor should be a Maharashtrian, whereas the BJP is saying that Mumbai’s Mayor should be a Hindu. What are they trying to convey here? Are they implying that Marathi people are not Hindu? Does the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, mean that?” Raut alleged that Maharashtra started falling behind after PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah came to power. "Maharashtra was the country’s growth engine. After PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah came to power, Maharashtra started falling behind. They are trying to make Gujarat the growth engine of India while leaving Maharashtra behind,” said the Rajya Sabha MP, accusing the BJP leaders. BJP views Mumbai as a hen that lays golden eggs: Uddhav Thackeray “We consider Mumbai our city, our home, but these people [BJP] view it as a hen that lays golden eggs,” said Uddhav Thackeray. Raj Thackeray again raised the language issue, saying that "Marathi leaders should reflect before giving away the state". "Every Maharashtra party leader should think about the state and its condition. From EVMs to ballots, the BJP has played foul in elections across all states in the country. Even the Election Commission of India seems to be leaning towards the BJP and acting in its favour,” he said. "Some parties may try to buy votes by giving money, liquor, drugs, or whatever else, but the people of Maharashtra should not fall into their trap. This is a question of the future of Marathi people and Maharashtra,” said his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, adding, “We do not distinguish between Muslims, Hindus, or any religion. A person who loves the country is ours.” Why is BJP bringing religion into civic polls, questions Uddhav Thackeray Raj Thackeray said, “Now that the BJP is claiming to fight for Hindus and align with them, let me remind you that during the Congress’s governance, India was ninth in beef exports. Under the BJP, India has risen to the first position. The only man who truly fought for Hindus and their rights, and showed that you could win without exploiting Hindutva, was Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray. During Balasaheb’s time, the BJP was favouring the Gandhis, not Hindus.” Civic problems are faced by everyone, not just by people of one specific religion, he added. Uddhav Thackeray said, “Why is the BJP bringing religion into a municipal election? Issues like corruption and bad roads affect people of all religions, so why is the BJP dragging religion into this?” BMC Election 2026 will be held on January 15 with the counting to be held the following day. The Thackeray cousins will face a stiff contest from BJP and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-headed Shiv Sena.
09 January,2026 06:39 PM IST | Mumbai | Anushree GaikwadAhead of the Maharashtra local body elections, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) enforcement team of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) seized cash worth Rs 16.16 lakh on Friday, officials said, reported the PTI. Civic elections in Navi Mumbai will be held on January 15, along with polls in 28 other municipal corporations across Maharashtra. The Model Code of Conduct is currently in force to ensure free and fair elections. According to an official release, the NMMC has deployed 27 Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) at major entry points to the city and at nine key locations to strictly enforce the code of conduct. Car intercepted near APMC market A car was stopped at a check post near the APMC market at around 12.30 pm. During inspection, officials found a large amount of cash inside the vehicle. Officials said that further action is being taken in line with the Election Commission’s guidelines to determine the source and purpose of the seized cash. Thane Police takes over 2,500 preventive actions; seize arms, liquor and cash ahead of KDMC polls Meanwhile, earlier this week, the Thane Police officials said that they have taken over 2,500 preventive actions and seized arms, liquor, and cash ahead of KDMC polls, reported the PTI. According to the police, the action was taken in Kalyan Zone III in preparation for the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections scheduled for January 15. Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Zende on Monday said that a total of 2,527 preventive actions have been initiated under various provisions of the law to deter potential law-and-order disturbances during the election period, as per the PTI. Licensed weapons deposited and arms seized According to Zende, of the 1,301 licensed firearms within the zone’s jurisdiction, 1,110 have already been deposited, while 49 are yet to be surrendered. The remaining weapons are in the custody of banks and other authorised agencies. Thane Police have also seized two country-made firearms, two cartridges, 45 knives, five choppers (koytas) and three swords as part of the enforcement drive, officials said, the news agency reported. Crackdown on illegal liquor and narcotics The police have confiscated 779.57 litres of illicit country-made and foreign liquor. In addition, 1.78 kilograms of ganja and 120 bottles of codeine syrup have been seized. Atul Zende said that 107 individuals have been detained for their alleged involvement in the illegal liquor trade. Cash seizure and action against criminals The DCP further revealed that cash amounting to Rs 9 lakh was recovered near the Gavdevi Temple in Kachore, Kalyan East. Ten known criminals have been externed from the district, while several others have been booked under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act and the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), according to the PTI. Security deployment for poll day Police said that as part of the comprehensive security arrangements, 24 drones have been deployed for surveillance. The police force assigned for election duty includes two Deputy Commissioners of Police, eight Assistant Commissioners of Police, 45 Police Inspectors, 293 Assistant and Sub-Inspectors, 2,134 police constables, 1,456 Home Guard personnel and nine platoons of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) personnel, the news agency reported. Get all BMC Election 2026 updates here | Your ward info below Read more: All about BMC Election Read more: Know Your Ward (with PTI inputs)
09 January,2026 06:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
