The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) on Tuesday successfully conducted a trial run on the newly electrified double-line section between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) and Vaitarna (New Saphale) in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, marking the completion of the entire Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC). The trial run was conducted under the leadership of the DFCCIL Managing Director in the presence of senior officials. A container train in the down direction (JNPT to New Saphale) departed at 11.50 am, hauled by an electric locomotive. In the up direction (New Saphale to JNPT), another container train departed at the same time, powered by a diesel locomotive. The trial evaluated key technical and operational parameters, including track stability, behaviour of long welded rails under load, efficiency of overhead electrification systems, locomotive performance, signalling coordination, and the safe movement of rolling stock. It also assessed integration between mainline and loop line operations for seamless freight handling. With the successful trial, uninterrupted end-to-end connectivity has now been established on the WDFC. This is expected to significantly improve train operations by reducing the requirement of crew sets from three to one between New Makarpura and New JNPT due to fewer operational handovers. Freight trains are also expected to save nearly four hours in transit time, leading to faster turnaround of rolling stock, better asset utilisation, improved schedule reliability, and enhanced capacity to handle higher freight volumes. The completion of this final section paves the way for full-scale commercial operations on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, which is set to transform freight movement across the country with higher speed, greater efficiency, and increased capacity. Western Railway crosses 100 million tonnes of freight for fourth year, boosts key commodity traffic Western Railway has achieved a landmark milestone, surpassing 100 million tonnes (MT) of originating freight loading for the fourth consecutive year, reaching the mark on Thursday well ahead of the financial year's close. In a press release, the Western Railways said that its total freight loading for the period between April 2025 and Thursday, March 12, 2026, was 100.02 MT. The performance was broad-based, with several major commodity segments posting double-digit growth compared to the previous financial year. Container loading emerged as the largest contributor at 33.66 MT, growing over 10 per cent, while fertilizer loading recorded one of the sharpest jumps rising approximately 22 per cent to reach 18.92 MT. Cement loading stood at 14.53 MT, up over 3 per cent. Foodgrain loading grew the fastest among tracked segments, surging over 28 per cent to reach 1.00 MT. Iron and steel loading, at 0.69 MT, posted growth of around 24 per cent. Other commodities collectively accounted for 15.94 MT, registering growth of approximately 10 per cent. Coal and petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL) were among the other major segments contributing to the overall total. Beyond consolidating existing traffic, Western Railway also developed entirely new freight streams during the year. Commodities such as industrial salt, onion and automobiles were introduced from several locations, including Sanosara, Bhimasar, Vartej, the Vadodara Marshalling Yard, Kadi, and Gandhidham, diversifying the zone's freight portfolio and opening new revenue corridors. Officials attributed the milestone to a targeted strategy centred on attracting new freight streams, improving logistics efficiency and delivering customer-centric solutions to shippers. The fourth consecutive year above the 100 MT threshold signals a structural strengthening of Western Railway's freight operations rather than a one-off performance.
31 March,2026 08:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThree persons were arrested for the alleged possession of 37 kg of ganja in the western suburbs during the early hours of Tuesday, news agency PTI reported, quoting the police. A surveillance team from the Malwani Police intercepted the suspects on Marve Road and recovered the contraband, which the accused were allegedly attempting to sell, an officer said. “Ganja worth Rs 18.5 lakh was recovered from the accused, Lavkush Phulchand Verma (28), Ankit Kumar Mansingh (24), and Situ Ramkumar Verma (24), all natives of Uttar Pradesh, residing in Bhiwandi,” the officer said. The trio was arrested under the relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the officer added. He said a probe is underway to determine the source of the contraband and its intended recipients. 46-year-old man arrested with ganja worth Rs 4.27 lakh A 46-year-old man was arrested in Maharashtra’s Thane district for allegedly possessing ganja worth Rs 4.27 lakh, police said on Friday. Kuldeep Bacchu Singh, a resident of the Mithpada-Sangampada area, was apprehended on Wednesday by the Crime Branch Unit-II of Bhiwandi Police with 8 kg of the contraband, an officer said. The seized ganja is valued at Rs 4.27 lakh, he added. The accused, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, PTI reported. A probe is underway to identify the source of the contraband and its intended recipients, the officer said. Punjab Police conduct statewide anti-drug operation, carrying out 187 arrests in a day Punjab Police carried out a massive Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) across the state as part of its ongoing anti-drug campaign, ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’, resulting in the registration of 155 cases and the arrest of 187 individuals in a single day, Director General of Police (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said on Thursday. Speaking on the development, the DGP said the operation was conducted under the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and targeted identified drug hotspots across the state. “The operation was supervised by senior officers, including ADGs, IGs, and DIGs from the headquarters, along with district SSPs and DIGs. We have recorded 155 cases today, arrested 187 individuals, and recovered a huge quantity of heroin and tablets,” Shukla stated. Highlighting the impact of the year-long campaign, he said that ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ has been instrumental in curbing drug-related activities in Punjab. “The campaign has been operational for the past year and has led to the registration of around 80,119 cases, with 54,190 arrests made. Additionally, more than 2,384 kilograms of heroin have been recovered so far,” he added. (With inputs from PTI)
31 March,2026 08:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra government on Tuesday carried out a fresh administrative reshuffle, transferring several senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers across key departments. While Ashwini Bhide has been appointed as the commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), Lokesh Chandra, a 1993 batch IAS officer who served as the chairman and managing director of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL), has been appointed as additional chief secretary to the Maharashtra Chief Minister. Vikas Chandra Rastogi (1995 batch), who was serving as additional chief secretary (agriculture), has been moved to the finance department as Additional Chief Secretary (Financial Reforms). Vinita Vaid Singal (1996 batch), principal secretary, disaster management, rehabilitation and relief, has been posted as principal secretary, soil and water conservation department. Prithviraj BP to be Vasai-Virar civic commissioner, Tukaram Mundhe shifted to disaster management Among other transfers, Parimal Singh (2004 batch), project director of the Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjivanee Project (POCRA), has been appointed secretary (agriculture), while Tukaram Mundhe (2005 batch), secretary, Divyang Kalyan Department, has been posted as the secretary of the disaster management, rehabilitation and relief department. Lahu Mali (Special Category Status, 2009) has been appointed managing director of Shivshahi Punarvasan Project Ltd, Mumbai, while Manik Gursal (SCS, 2009) will take over as the secretary of the Divyang Kalyan Department. In other changes, Prerna Deshbhratar (2010 batch), currently the joint commissioner of state tax, Mumbai, has been posted as the commissioner of fisheries, Mumbai. Meanwhile, Prithviraj BP (2014 batch), additional municipal commissioner in Pune, has been appointed the Vasai-Virar Municipal Commissioner. The transfer order dated March 31, 2026, is part of a broader administrative reshuffle aimed at strengthening governance across departments in the state.
31 March,2026 06:37 PM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev ShivadekarThe Autorickshaw Driver Association, Maharashtra, has announced a statewide protest across all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) on April 8. The association alleges coercion in the registration process for the newly formed “Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Maharashtra Autorickshaw and Meter Taxi Drivers Welfare Board.” While issuing an official statement on Tuesday, President Shashank Rao and General Secretary Vilas Bhalekar claimed that autorickshaw drivers are being forced to pay Rs 500 as a registration fee and Rs 300 as an annual fee at RTO offices across the state. The association, while issuing a letter, also stated that autorickshaw drivers have been demanding an independent welfare board to implement beneficial schemes; however, the government allegedly set up the board without consulting major unions. The statement further noted, "For the past 20 years, these demands have been submitted to the Maharashtra State Government through the Joint Action Committee. “While forming such a welfare board, it was necessary for the government to consult representatives of major autorickshaw unions in Maharashtra. However, without any consultation, the government unilaterally decided and established the board,” the association further added. The Maharashtra Auto Rickshaw Association further alleged that drivers are being compelled to register with the board, failing which, essential services such as permit renewals and vehicle passing are being withheld. Calling the practice "illegal", the association said that many drivers, especially those facing financial constraints, have opposed the fees and refused to register. "A representation regarding the issue was submitted on March 23 to the Transport Minister and Transport Commissioner, but no action has been taken so far," the statement added. Auto Rickshaw Association announces protest on April 8 In view of their demands, the federation has called for a statewide protest march at all RTO offices across Maharashtra on April 8. They further warned of large-scale participation by autorickshaw drivers and owners. Mumbai Auto Rickshaw drivers to stage protest at Andheri RTO In Mumbai, the protest will be led by the Mumbai Autorickshaw Taxi Men’s Union and will take place at the Andheri RTO at 11 am. The federation has further urged authorities to immediately halt the alleged forced fee collection and engage with stakeholders to address the concerns of drivers.
31 March,2026 05:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a strong show of citizen-driven sustainability, over 813 kg of old but usable clothes were collected during a special drive in Vashi, ensuring they are reused instead of ending up in landfills. The initiative, held at Sahitya Mandir Hall, was jointly organised by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), Project Mumbai, and Marathi Sahitya Sanskriti va Kala Mandal. Residents from across Navi Mumbai turned up in large numbers, donating clothes in good condition. The collected garments have now been sent to the Textile Recovery Facility (TRF) at CBD Belapur, where they will be sorted, processed, and upcycled into new products, significantly reducing textile waste. NMMC Chief Dr Kailas Shinde said, “Citizen participation is key to effective waste management. Initiatives like these not only reduce the landfill burden but also promote responsible habits among people. Our focus is to build a sustainable and cleaner Navi Mumbai through such collaborative efforts.” Officials highlighted that the TRF project, run in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles, SBI Foundation, and Tisser India, also creates employment for women from self-help groups who are actively involved in sorting and recycling. Positive response from Navi Mumbaikars strengthens sustainability push Rohit Fadtare of Project Mumbai said, “The response from citizens has been extremely encouraging. People are now more aware and willing to contribute towards sustainability. This is not just a collection drive; it’s a movement towards responsible living.” Vaishali Kadam of Tisser Trust added, “Every piece of clothing reused or upcycled is a step towards reducing waste. At the same time, it empowers women by creating meaningful livelihood opportunities through the recycling process.” Along with clothes, plastic waste was also collected and sent for recycling, further strengthening the environmental impact of the drive. Civic officials thanked citizens for their enthusiastic participation and urged more residents to adopt eco-friendly habits, making Navi Mumbai a model for sustainable urban living.
31 March,2026 05:19 PM IST | Mumbai | Abhitash SinghMotorists heading towards Navi Mumbai via the Sion–Panvel Highway should brace for heavy traffic congestion during Tuesday evening’s peak hours. Two lanes of the Vashi Bridge — which passes over Thane Creek just before the Vashi toll plaza — have been shut to facilitate ongoing expansion joint repair work, officials said. Officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) told mid-day.com that the two lanes on the bridge have been closed for maintenance. The work is currently underway, and the affected lanes are expected to reopen by Wednesday. The temporary closure is likely to cause significant delays for commuters travelling from Mumbai towards Navi Mumbai, especially during the evening rush hour when traffic volume is high on this arterial route. Commuters are advised to plan their journeys accordingly and, if possible, consider alternate routes to avoid inconvenience. Key advisory for motorists Affected stretch: Two lanes of Vashi Bridge (Thane Creek Bridge) before Vashi toll plaza on Sion–Panvel Highway (towards Navi Mumbai) Reason: Expansion joint repair and maintenance work Duration: Lanes expected to reopen by Wednesday. The short-term disruption is part of routine maintenance to ensure the structural safety and smooth functioning of the busy Thane Creek Bridge, which handles heavy daily traffic between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
31 March,2026 04:32 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavIn a landmark administrative decision, senior IAS officer Ashwini Bhide has been appointed as the Municipal Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), becoming the first woman to hold the top post in the civic body’s history. The appointment has been widely welcomed as a progressive step towards greater representation of women in leadership roles. Mayor Ritu Tawde Calls It a ‘New Era’ for BMC Reacting to the development, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde described Bhide’s appointment as the beginning of a “new era” in the history of the BMC. In a statement shared on social media platform X, Tawde extended her congratulations and expressed confidence in Bhide’s leadership. बृहन्मुंबई महानगरपालिकेच्या इतिहासात नवे पर्व…! बृहन्मुंबई महानगरपालिकेच्या आयुक्त पदी श्रीमती अश्विनी भिडे जी यांची नियुक्ती झाल्याबद्दल त्यांचे हार्दिक अभिनंदन. बीएमसीच्या इतिहासातील त्या पहिल्या महिला आयुक्त ठरल्या आहेत, ही आपल्या सर्वांसाठी अत्यंत गौरवाची बाब आहे.… pic.twitter.com/jPkIefp4Lo — Ritu Tawde (@TawdeRitu) March 31, 2026 Calling it a moment of pride for the city, Tawde highlighted that the appointment signifies not only an administrative change but also a celebration of women’s empowerment. She further noted that with Bhide’s experience and disciplined work approach, Mumbai’s development is expected to scale new heights. Tawde also expressed optimism about working together with Bhide to achieve the vision of a “smart and safe Mumbai,” underscoring the significance of both the Mayor and Commissioner being women. Government Order and Additional Responsibilities The appointment was formalised through an order issued by the General Administration Department of the Government of Maharashtra. Alongside her role as BMC Commissioner, Bhide has also been given additional charge as the Managing Director of the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) until further orders. Leadership Transition at BMC Bhide succeeds outgoing Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, who is set to retire from service on Tuesday, March 31. Her appointment marks a significant leadership transition in one of India’s most prominent civic bodies. Prior to this role, Bhide was serving as the Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office under Devendra Fadnavis. She is known for her strong administrative acumen and decisive leadership style. Track Record in Key Infrastructure Projects Bhide has played a crucial role in several major infrastructure initiatives in Maharashtra, most notably her leadership in the Mumbai Metro projects. She had earlier served as the Managing Director of the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, where she oversaw the execution of critical urban transport developments. Her appointment is expected to bring a blend of experience, efficiency, and strategic vision to the BMC at a time when Mumbai continues to face complex urban challenges.
31 March,2026 03:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWith a clear focus on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Shiv Sena has initiated early groundwork by announcing a comprehensive organisational strategy across Maharashtra. Acting on the directives of party chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the party has appointed contact heads for all 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Strategic Push in Mumbai and Thane In a significant move, the party has entrusted major responsibility to Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party leader Dr. Shrikant Shinde. He has been appointed as the contact head for all six Lok Sabha constituencies in Mumbai - Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central, North East Mumbai, and South Mumbai - along with the crucial Thane constituency. To strengthen coordination and grassroots outreach, Dr. Shinde will be supported by Minister Yogesh Kadam, MLA Nilesh Rane, and former MP Rahul Shewale. This team is expected to streamline campaign efforts and enhance voter engagement in these politically significant regions. Focus on Key Urban and Semi-Urban Seats Further reinforcing its electoral machinery in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the party has appointed MP Naresh Mhaske as the contact head for the Bhiwandi and Kalyan constituencies. These areas are considered vital due to their demographic diversity and electoral influence. Statewide Appointments Across 48 Constituencies The Shiv Sena has simultaneously rolled out a detailed list of contact heads for constituencies across Maharashtra, indicating a structured and decentralised approach to election management. Prominent leaders have been assigned responsibility for specific regions to ensure effective coordination and booth-level mobilisation. Nandurbar will be overseen by former MLA Shirish Chaudhary, while Dhule and Dindori have been assigned to Shiv Sena Secretary Bhausaheb Chaudhary. Jalgaon will be managed by MLA Dilip Lande, and Raver by MLA Tukaram Kate. In Buldhana, Sanjay Sonar has been appointed, while Akola will be handled by former MLA Rajan Salvi. Amravati has been assigned to MLA Kishor Appa Patil, and Wardha to MLA Dr. Manisha Kayande. Ramtek will be overseen by Anil Kokil, while Nagpur has been entrusted to former MP Sanjay Nirupam. Bhandara-Gondia will be managed by Vilas Chaware, and Gadchiroli-Chimur by former Minister Jagdish Gupta. Chandrapur will be handled by MLA Krupal Tumane. Yavatmal-Washim has been assigned to Shiv Sena Deputy Leader Preeti Band, while Hingoli will be overseen by Deputy Leader Anandrao Jadhav. Nanded will be managed by Datta Dalvi, and Parbhani by Bhaskar Ambekar. Jalna has been given to MP Sandipan Bhumre, while Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar will be overseen by Vilas Parkar. Nashik has been assigned to MLA Suhas Kande, Palghar to Pandurang Patil, and Raigad to Anil Navghare. Kolhapur, Maval, and Pune will be jointly handled by Minister Uday Samant, while Baramati has been assigned to Kiran Landge. Shirur will be overseen by MLA Sharad Sonawane, and Ahilyanagar by Shiv Sena Secretary Ram Repale. Shirdi will be managed by MP Dr. Jyoti Waghmare, while Beed has been assigned to Manoj Shinde. Dharashiv will be overseen by former MP Unmesh Patil, and Latur by Mangesh Kudalkar. Solapur has been entrusted to MP Dhairyashil Mane, while Madha will be handled by Chandrahara Patil. Sangli has been assigned to Yogesh Jankar, Satara to Sharad Kanse, Ratnagiri to corporator Rajesh More, Sindhudurg to Bala Chinderkar, and Hatkanangle to MLA Suhas Babar. Early Organisation Signals Election Readiness The early announcement of contact heads highlights Shiv Sena’s intent to strengthen its organisational base well ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. By allocating clear responsibilities and deploying experienced leaders across constituencies, the party aims to ensure better coordination, voter outreach, and strategic planning at the grassroots level. Political observers note that this move reflects a proactive campaign approach, positioning the party to respond effectively to evolving electoral dynamics in Maharashtra.
31 March,2026 02:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThere's a moment every founder with a global team eventually hits. You're reviewing the monthly expenses, the payroll looks fine, the SaaS stack is reasonable, and then you get to the phone bill. And it's... a lot. More than you remembered approving. More than it should be for what is essentially people talking to each other. International calling costs are one of the last truly unoptimized expenses in the modern business stack. And the reason is simple: it doesn't feel urgent until it is. Why Most Teams Never Fix This The average startup spends weeks evaluating project management tools, debating CRM options, and agonizing over cloud infrastructure costs. The phone setup? Usually whatever someone configured in the early days, still running, nobody touching it. This inertia is expensive. Legacy VoIP setups and traditional carrier plans were built for a different era — one where a company had a headquarters, a physical office with a switchboard, and a predictable call volume to a handful of countries. None of that describes how global teams operate today. Today's distributed team might have a founder in Canada, a sales rep in Colombia, a developer in Portugal, and a support agent in the Philippines. Getting all of them onto a unified, affordable calling setup using traditional telecom logic is either expensive, complicated, or both. What's Actually Eating Your Calling Budget The per-minute rate is the most visible cost, but it's rarely the biggest one once you account for everything: Carrier markups on international routes. Most providers route calls through multiple intermediaries. Each hop adds cost. A call from Southeast Asia to the US can pass through three or four carriers before it connects, with each taking a margin that ends up on your bill. Subscription waste. Flat-rate "unlimited" plans sound appealing but are almost never the right fit for distributed teams with uneven usage. You end up paying for capacity that half your team never uses while the other half runs over. Setup and maintenance friction. Every time you onboard a new remote hire, someone has to configure their calling setup. If that involves downloading software, setting up a VPN, or waiting on IT — that's hours of productive time gone, multiplied across every new hire for as long as you're growing. Poor call quality leading to lost deals. This one is invisible in the budget but very real in the outcome. Grey-route carriers — common in cheap calling solutions — produce the lag, robotic audio, and random disconnects that make your team look unprofessional on calls that matter. The Simpler Alternative Teams Are Moving To The shift happening across lean, global teams is away from carrier-dependent setups and toward browser-native calling — tools that run entirely in a web browser using WebRTC technology, with no apps to install and no hardware to manage. ZenCall is one of the platforms leading this shift. It lets teams make and receive international calls directly from any browser, at rates starting from $0.02 per minute across more than 200 countries. Credits don't expire, there are no monthly minimums, and a new team member can be up and running in under two minutes — just log in and dial. For teams dealing with high call volumes, the math is straightforward. If you're currently paying $0.15 per minute for international calls and switching to $0.02 per minute, a team making 200 minutes of calls per day saves over $9,500 per year. That's before you factor in the time saved on IT setup, the elimination of app management, and the improvement in call quality that comes with Tier-1 carrier routing. Local Numbers Without a Local Office One feature that consistently surprises founders is the ability to get local phone numbers in foreign markets without any physical presence. A startup based in Medellín can have a New York area code. A team in Eastern Europe can call US prospects from a number that looks local to the recipient. This matters because answer rates on calls from local numbers are significantly higher than calls from international or unknown numbers. For outbound sales teams, this alone can justify the switch — and with ZenCall, local numbers in the US and Canada can be provisioned in under a minute with no paperwork or carrier negotiations involved. Security: The Cost of Going Cheap There's a version of this problem that doesn't show up in the telecom bill at all. Many low-cost consumer VoIP apps subsidize their pricing by collecting call metadata, analyzing usage patterns, or routing traffic through grey-market carriers with inconsistent encryption. For startups handling sales negotiations, investor conversations, or calls with clients in regulated industries, this is a real liability. Modern browser-native platforms built on WebRTC encrypt audio end-to-end in real time, without requiring any configuration from the user. Security is built into the infrastructure — not an add-on you unlock at a higher pricing tier. The Right Time to Fix This Is Before You Scale The painful version of this lesson is learning it after you've grown. Once you have 40 people on a calling setup, migration is a project. When you have 8, it's an afternoon. If your team is making regular international calls and you haven't audited your telecom costs in the last six months, it's worth 20 minutes of your time. Pull the last few bills, calculate your actual per-minute rate by country, and compare it against what a modern browser-native platform would cost you. Most founders who run this audit find they've been paying a legacy tax for years — not because a better option didn't exist, but because switching never felt urgent enough to prioritize. ZenCall offers a straightforward way to run that comparison without committing to anything: no contracts, no setup fees, no minimum spend. It's urgent enough now.
31 March,2026 01:50 PM IST | MumbaiMaharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that personnel serving in the state police’s specialised anti-Naxal unit C-60 will be honoured with medals. CM Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, directed officials to fully digitise policing processes, from filing FIRs to submitting chargesheets, and emphasised the need to improve conviction rates through the use of advanced technology, the PTI reported. Addressing reporters after a half-yearly conference with senior police officials on Monday, he said, “Those who have served a minimum of three years in the C-60 force that combats Naxalites will receive a medal. The decision was taken today.” The conference reviewed the implementation of new penal codes, technological adaptations, and reforms discussed earlier at the DG-IG conference, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “At the DG-IG conference, states were given 106 action points, and Maharashtra officials made presentations on the progress,” the CM said, the news agency reported. “Maharashtra has nearly eliminated Maoist activity. A total of 244 police personnel have lost their lives over the years in anti-Naxal operations,” he added, praising the security forces. AI push and conviction rate targets Emphasising the adoption of technology, Fadnavis said Artificial Intelligence tools will be integrated into policing. “AI is being used for tool creation and can also be used in filing FIRs and chargesheets. I have tasked the Director General of Police with ensuring that the entire process, from registering FIRs to filing charge sheets, is completely digitised. An evidence management system should be upgraded using blockchain technology,” he said, PTI reported. He noted that the state’s conviction rate has improved but remains around 50 per cent, with a target of 95 per cent. Conviction rates in sessions court trials remain lower, he said, adding that strategies were discussed to improve outcomes. “AI will be used to analyse cases from the past four to five years, with the Crime Investigation Department examining gaps to help formulate policies for improving efficiency and conviction rates,” he said. Road safety, anti-drug drive, and crime monitoring On road safety, the CM said police interventions have helped reduce accidents, citing a pilot project in Nagpur that brought down accidents by 30 per cent. He added that accidents on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway have also declined. “Discussions were held on national security and cyberspace. A ‘drug-free campus’ initiative will be implemented, with a detailed strategy to be presented soon. We will launch a strong drive against drugs,” he said, PTI reported. Fadnavis also said forensic case pendency has reduced, but efforts are underway to enable real-time processing. Districts with higher crime rates will be graded and asked to improve performance over the next six months, he added. “The Director General of Police will felicitate high-performing officers, while those lagging behind will be asked to improve,” he said. AI tool to identify illegal migrants under development On an AI tool being developed to identify Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in the state, Fadnavis said it is still under development at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. “The results so far are encouraging. We will share more details once it is fully ready,” he added. (With PTI inputs)
31 March,2026 01:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA fire erupted at an X-Ray department room at Sion hospital in Mumbai at around 11:57 am on Tuesday, civic officials said, adding that no injuries were reported in the incident. According to the hospital dean, Dr. Pramod Ingale, the fire was caused by a blast in the air conditioning unit. Thick smoke rose from the area, creating a brief panic among patients and staff. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, he said. "The fire was confined to AC Unit of X-Ray department," officials said. Thick smoke creates panic "The was a blast in the AC due to which the fire broke out. The thick smoke went upwards which did create a bit of panic. However, no human was injured. There is no damage to any equipment. However, there are minor damages to the infrastructure. All patients have been moved to a safe spot," Dr. Ingale said. There was no damage to medical equipment, although minor structural damage occurred. All patients were safely moved to a secure location, the official said. Fire extinguished The Mumbai Fire Brigade rushed to the scene and successfully extinguished the fire. Further details were awaited.
31 March,2026 12:52 PM IST | Mumbai | Ritika GondhalekarADVERTISEMENT
