The Train Manager and Motorman Rest Room Canteen at Churchgate Railway Station in Mumbai was formally inaugurated on Thursday by the divisional railway manager (DRM), Mumbai Central. The inauguration of this restroom and canteen will bring the much-needed relief to railway staff who have been experiencing difficulties for a very long time. According to a press release, the canteen had remained shut for a long time following a fire at a nearby cake shop, which affected operations in the area. With the reopening of this facility at Churchgate station, motormen, train managers, and the station staff welcomed the restoration of an essential amenity that plays a crucial role in their daily working routine. The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior railway officials, including the senior divisional electrical engineer (SR DEE), senior divisional operations manager (SR DOM), and senior divisional personnel officer (SR DPO). Station Manager Dhanaji Sawant and Assistant Railway Officer (ARO) Prafullachandra Bhatt were also present on the occasion. Representatives of various railway unions marked their presence, underlining the collective importance of the facility for employees. From the Western Railway Mazdoor Sangh, Divisional Secretary Kiran Patil and Divisional President Manish Khandelwal attended the event. The Western Railway Employees Union was represented by its divisional secretary, Prashant Kanade. Office bearers from the SC/ST Union, OBC Union, and other unions also participated in the inauguration of the Churchgate Rest Room Canteen. Western Railway collects over Rs 172 crore in fines in 10 months during ticket-checking drives Western Railway (WR) has collected over Rs 172 crore in fines through intensive ticket-checking drives conducted between April 2025 and January 2026, officials said on Thursday. According to WR, more than 27 lakh ticketless and irregular passengers, including cases of unbooked luggage, were detected during the period, resulting in a recovery of Rs 172.55 crore, nearly a 47 per cent increase compared to the corresponding period last year. In January 2026 alone, fines exceeding Rs 17 crore were collected from 2.82 lakh offenders, marking a 31 per cent rise year-on-year. Mumbai suburban AC locals under focus In the Mumbai suburban section, intensified checks led to the detection of 9.75 lakh ticketless or irregular travellers between April 2025 and January 2026, with total recoveries touching Rs 45.60 crore, including fines from AC local trains. During January 2026, WR recovered Rs 4.34 crore from over 1.02 lakh cases in suburban services. Special focus was also placed on AC suburban locals, where surprise checks were carried out to curb unauthorised travel.
06 February,2026 05:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentStand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has approached the Bombay High Court challenging the government’s ‘Sahyog’ portal, saying it was an attack on freedom of speech. In his plea, Kamra termed it as an “unconstitutional and unreasonable” attack on freedom of speech for enabling officials to order takedowns of social media content, reported news agency PTI. In the petition filed on Wednesday, Kamra has mainly contested the amended IT Rules of October 2025, as well as the Sahyog portal. He claimed that these tools “unlawfully” empower Central and state government officials “to peremptorily issue takedown or blocking orders without following the procedure mandated under the Information Technology Act”. According to the government, Sahyog was developed to automate the process of sending notices to intermediaries by the appropriate government or its agencies under the Information Technology Act, 2000, to facilitate the removal or disabling of access to any information, data, or communication link being used to commit an unlawful act. The portal aims to bring together all authorised agencies and intermediaries on a single platform to ensure immediate action against unlawful online content. Rule 3(1)(d) enables vague and arbitrary takedowns, Kamra tells HC “Rule 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules and the Sahyog portal are also ex facie unconstitutional, as they enable the blocking or takedown of information on internet platforms on wholly vague grounds,” the petition, filed through advocate Meenaz Kakalia, stated, reported PTI. The plea emphasised that such powers “amount to an unconstitutional and unreasonable restriction on the freedom of speech”. Kamra further claimed that these powers “go beyond the constitutionally permissible grounds that have been exhaustively enumerated under Article 19(2) of the Constitution”. “These new mechanisms render all information on the internet vulnerable to arbitrary takedowns, providing for no remedy against such action,” the petition stated, reported PTI. Kamra asserted that the portal effectively gives thousands of government officers at the Centre and in the states unchecked powers. The petition is likely to be heard in the coming days. Maharashtra council panel summons Kunal Kamra over remarks against Deputy CM Eknath Shinde Earlier this week, the Maharashtra legislative council's privileges committee summoned Kamra and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare for a hearing over their alleged insulting remarks against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. BJP MLC Prasad Lad, who is the chairperson of the privileges committee, while talking to the media on Wednesday, said that the notice was issued to Kamra and Andhare 15 days ago, as per PTI. Prasad Lal also added that Kamra and Andhare have been asked to appear before the committee for a hearing at 2 pm on Thursday, January 5. The BJP MLC emphasised, "If they fail to turn up after two summons, the committee will decide on action against them." Earlier in March 2025, Kunal Kamra posted his video 'Naya Bharat', in which he sang a parody of Bholi Si Surat, a popular song from the Bollywood movie Dil To Pagal Hai. With this parody song, he allegedly targeted Shinde, leading to multiple FIRs against him. (With PTI inputs)
06 February,2026 05:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra BJP leader Ram Patkar has urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to resolve overcrowding and other issues concerning commuters at Badlapur station, warning of an agitation if they are not addressed. Ram Patkar, a former Kulgaon-Badlapur civic president, on Friday said that he had written to the railway minister seeking a personal meeting, reported PTI. The BJP leader said that lakhs of suburban commuters in the Badlapur and Ambernath areas face life-threatening conditions due to excessive crowding, narrow platforms, inadequate passenger facilities and insufficient pedestrian access routes, and thus it needs to be addressed. The BJP leader also claimed that he has been writing to the railway ministry raising the issues for several months, but there has been no visible action on the ground. Patkar, while writing the letter, stated, "There is a strong public sentiment that human lives are being placed at grave risk due to administrative apathy," as per PTI. Furthermore, the BJP leader has also warned of a hunger strike if his demands are not looked into. Shiv Sena bags top post; BJP gets deputy mayor in Thane Municipal Corporation Shiv Sena’s Sharmila Pimpalolkar was on Tuesday elected the mayor of Thane, while BJP’s Krishna Patil was elected as the deputy mayor in an unopposed election held on Monday. The election was held under the chairmanship of the Presiding Officer and District Collector Dr Shrikrishnanath Panchal. The election was conducted during a special general body meeting convened at 11.30 am at the Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Auditorium of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). Municipal Secretary Manish Joshi and senior civic officials were also present at the meeting. The official announcement of the results was made by Dr Panchal following the completion of the election process. After the declaration, Thane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao congratulated the newly elected mayor and the deputy mayor. He welcomed them by presenting tulsi saplings. MNS to not ally with BJP in BMC mayoral race Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray has stated that the party will have no alliance with the BJP in the mayor election of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a senior party leader said on Monday. The announcement came during a meeting with MNS functionaries to review the results of the civic polls held on January 15, mainly in Mumbai and its satellite cities. During the meeting, MNS workers raised concerns about lack of cooperation from their ally, Shiv Sena (UBT), in some civic wards. They also expressed displeasure over being allotted “unwinnable” wards in Mumbai as part of the alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. (With inputs from PTI)
06 February,2026 04:40 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentMumbai In view of the upcoming Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) have announced the operation of additional buses to facilitate the smooth commute of students across Mumbai. The HSC (Class 12) examinations are scheduled from February 10 to March 11, while the SSC (Class 10) exams will be held from February 20 to March 18. With a large number of students expected to travel to examination centres across Mumbai during this period, BEST has directed its administration to ensure hassle-free transportation. According to the directive, depot managers, deputy depot managers, and assistant depot managers will arrange for extra bus services, if students or parents request for the service as well as on the basis of the requirements on on-ground traffic situations. BEST officials and inspectors will be posted at key locations to expedite traffic clearance and prevent delays, the administration stated. BEST staff asked to assist students; front-door boarding allowed during exam period Bus staff, including conductors, drivers, and inspectors, have been asked to assist students courteously and provide them with the necessary support during their journey. Additionally, students will be allowed to board buses through the front door throughout the examination period to ensure easier access. The move comes as part of broader efforts by authorities in Maharashtra to ensure that students reach their examination centres on time and without inconvenience.
06 February,2026 03:44 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarA 28-year-old commuter lost vision in his left eye after being hit by a stone during a fight on a Mumbai local train at Bandra Railway Station. On Tuesday, a fight broke out on a Dadar-bound train between two commuters, during which one of them jumped onto the tracks and pelted a stone at the other. However, the stone hit Khatri who was returning home from work on the Fast local around 11 pm from Andheri. Khatri was seriously injured in the incident and immediately alighted the train, following which he was rushed to Bhabha Hospital by the on-duty personnel at the station. Mumbai Police trace accused to Dadar The Bandra Railway Police registered a case on Wednesday in the incident and began their probe. Using CCTV footage and human intelligence, the police traced the suspect to Dadar. He was apprehended by the crime detection team and identified as Yogendra Vanshraj Bauddh, a labourer residing in Navghar East of Palghar district. The 26-year-old who hails from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, was formally arrested on Thursday at 2 pm. The operation was conducted under the supervision of Mumbai Railway Police Commissioner M Rakesh Kalasagar, Additional Commissioner Sunita Salunke-Thakur, and Assistant Commissioner Kishore Shinde, with the Bandra Railway Police Crime Detection Team carrying out the arrest.
06 February,2026 02:39 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarMumbai woke up to hazy conditions on Friday, with the visibility likely to improve as the day progresses, the India Meteorological Department (IMD). According to the IMD, the sky will remain clear in the afternoon through the evening, causing temperatures to rise steadily. The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 34 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is expected to be around 19 degrees Celsius, indicating warm daytime conditions with relatively cooler early mornings. The combination of morning haze and clear skies later in the day is typical of the ongoing winter transition period, with no significant change in weather conditions anticipated over the next 24 hours. Data from the SAMEER app indicated that the overall air quality index (AQI) in Mumbai stood at 118 on Friday, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category. Pollution levels varied significantly across locations, with Bandra-Kurla Complex recording an AQI of 133, Borivali East 78, Byculla 126, Andheri East 152, Chembur 107, Colaba 106, and Kandivali West 128. Ghatkopar registered an AQI of 129, Kandivali East 116, Malad West 148, and Mazgaon 127. Air quality improves slightly in Delhi with AQI remaining 'poor' The air quality in Delhi improved slightly on Friday morning, with the overall air quality index (AQI) recorded at 226 ('poor') at 8 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, news agency ANI reported. On Thursday, the AQI was 241. On Friday morning, several areas of the national capital were blanketed by a thin layer of fog, despite which various locations witnessed considerable improvement in air quality, with the AQI in the 'moderate' category. As per AQI classification, a reading between 0 and 50 is 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'. Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the minimum temperature in the national capital is likley to be 9.4 degrees Celsius. There has been a surge in the minimum temperature by up to 1-2 degrees Celsius. (Inputs from ANI)
06 February,2026 12:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai North-West Member of Parliament (MP) Ravindra Waikar on Tuesday urged the Centre to announce a special fund and comprehensive scheme for the pollution control and rejuvenation of Mumbai’s rivers on the lines of the ‘Namami Gange’ project, citing severe pollution and growing health risks for residents living along riverbanks. Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377, Waikar said the proposal has been formally placed on the floor of the House. He flagged the deteriorating condition of Mumbai’s four major rivers — the Mithi, Dahisar, Poisar, and Oshiwara — and said urgent intervention was needed to restore them. In his submission, Waikar said the rivers, once lifelines of the city and key components of its natural drainage system, have been reduced to “large and hazardous open drains” due to unchecked urbanisation. He said the pollution has led to serious public health concerns for people residing along the riverbanks, while untreated wastewater flowing into the Arabian Sea has caused extensive damage to the marine ecosystem. Budget Session 2026: Despite heavy spending, untreated sewage continues to pollute Mumbai rivers The MP pointed to Versova beach as a stark example of environmental degradation caused by river pollution. He also highlighted that despite the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) spending around Rs 400 to Rs 600 crore annually on river cleaning and pre-monsoon desilting, the lack of adequate sewage treatment infrastructure continues to undermine these efforts. Waikar said untreated sewage is still being discharged into the rivers due to insufficient and delayed sewage treatment plant (STP) projects, and called for faster implementation of modern and efficient STPs to address the problem. He also stressed the need to prioritise eco-restoration measures to conserve aquatic biodiversity. Drawing a comparison with the Centre’s flagship ‘Namami Gange’ programme, Waikar urged the government to announce a ‘Special River Rejuvenation Package’ for Mumbai. He said scientific rejuvenation and beautification of the city’s rivers — on the lines of London’s River Thames — could give a fresh impetus to Mumbai’s tourism sector, similar to the boost seen after the development of the coastal road project.
06 February,2026 12:19 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavTwo persons were arrested after a 74-year-old retired IIT-Bombay staffer was cheated of Rs 4.62 crore through threats of CBI action, with the money transferred to their bank accounts, police said. The police officials further said the complainant, a woman, earlier worked as a medical officer with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, as reported by news agency PTI. An official while briefing about the incident asserted that Narendra Sinha and Gunjan Devkumar Dineshchandra were arrested for allegedly providing their bank accounts to cybercriminals to route the defrauded money. The official emphasised, "The victim first received a video call from a person posing as a telecom department official, followed by another accused impersonating an IPS officer, who alleged that her Aadhaar card had been misused to open a bank account used to launder Rs 6 crore," as per PTI. She was told that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a case in this regard, and she was likely to be arrested. "Under pressure, the woman prematurely withdrew her fixed and recurring deposits and transferred Rs 4.62 crore between October 2025 and January 2026 into bank accounts provided by the cybercriminals. After realising she had been cheated, the woman lodged a police complaint," the official added. According to the officials, a case of cheating by impersonation and offences under the Information Technology Act has been registered and was later transferred to the Western Region Cyber Cell for further investigation. The officials also highlighted that a probe into the money trail zeroed in on Sinha and Dineshchandra, who had opened multiple bank accounts and provided them to cyber fraudsters, reported PTI. Briefing about the investigation, the official added, "The amount that was deposited into these accounts was withdrawn by Sinha and Dineshchandra and handed over to cyber criminals in exchange for a commission. Based on these findings, the cyber cell arrested both the accused. Further investigation is underway to identify more persons involved in this case," as per PTI. Mumbai Cyber Police arrest three for Rs 48.5-lakh cyber fraud Earlier, the North Cyber Police in Mumbai had also arrested three Pune-based men for allegedly cheating a Borivli-based businessman of Rs 48.50 lakh by luring him into fake share market investment schemes promising high returns. According to the police, the accused were engaged in different businesses but joined a cyber fraud syndicate in search of easy money and part-time income. They allegedly provided bank accounts to route the cheated money and earned commissions in return. (With inputs from PTI)
06 February,2026 11:58 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Police have intensified their crackdown on illegal hawkers with support from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The department has now also initiated action against its own personnel, suspending a policeman for failing to act against hawkers while on duty. Churchgate subway action Assistant Police Inspector Narayan Siddhappa Anand, attached to Azad Maidan police station, was suspended after allegedly failing to take action against illegal hawkers outside the Churchgate subway area on January 27. The Churchgate subway remains hawker-free following an anti-encroachment drive. Pic/Atul Kamble A police source said Anand was deployed outside Churchgate station between 7 pm and 9 pm, when several hawkers were operating in the subway area. Despite being instructed by senior officers to act against unauthorised vendors, he allegedly failed to take action. Following an internal inquiry, Anand was served a suspension notice, the source added. Impact of enforcement Clear pedestrian movement seen as the area around Churchgate station remains hawker-free on Thursday. Pics/Atul Kamble Following the suspension, authorities claim the Churchgate subway area has largely become hawker-free. When mid-day visited the location on Thursday, no hawkers were seen operating in the area. “We are taking strict action against illegal hawkers and registering FIRs where necessary. The entire area has been cleared, and regular drives are being conducted to prevent their return,” a police officer said. Action in Dadar East On Thursday, Bhoiwada police assisted the BMC in clearing illegal hawkers from MMGS Road outside Dadar East railway station following complaints from residents and commuters. “We provided security support to BMC teams during the eviction drive. The entire stretch has been cleared, and pedestrian movement has improved significantly,” an officer said. Commuters speak Police and civic staff remove hawkers from footpaths during an eviction drive to ease pedestrian movement in Dadar East. Pics/By Special Arrangement Dilip Dave, a Ghatkopar resident, said hawkers regularly block the walking space near Churchgate. “I travel daily to Churchgate and CSMT for work. The subway is usually overcrowded with hawkers, leaving barely any space to walk. Authorities must ensure such action continues, as vendors often return within days,” he said. Milind Suryawanshi, who travels from Churchgate to Andheri, echoed similar concerns. “There is hardly any space to walk. Hawkers occupy footpaths and even the subway area. Such drives are usually temporary. Vendors return within hours,” he said. Om Pandey, a law student who travels between Churchgate and Virar, said the subway often resembles a marketplace. “Hawkers sell clothes, toys, books and bags, while loudly calling customers. They leave just one narrow lane for pedestrians, which becomes chaotic,” he said. Advocate Sunil Pandey from Colaba said stricter and regular enforcement is necessary. “Lakhs of commuters use the suburban rail network daily. Municipal authorities and police must conduct sustained action to ensure safe pedestrian access,” he said. mid-day tried to contact Senior PI Shrikant Adate, but he was unavailable for comment.
06 February,2026 11:43 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaA male leopard that was rescued from a human settlement in Bhayander near Mumbai last month and later released into Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) was found dead in the Yeoor Forest area after a mortality signal was received from its satellite collar, forest officials said. Acting on the alert on Monday evening, officers and staff of the forest department, along with a team led by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) India’s Niket Surve, rushed to the Nagla zone of the Yeoor Forest area, where the leopard’s carcass was located. A panchnama was conducted at the site, and officials said the animal’s claws, canines and other vital organs were intact. Due to inadequate natural light, a post-mortem examination could not be conducted on Monday night. On Tuesday morning, SGNP veterinary officer Dr Nikhil Bangar, along with Dr Prashant Gadhave from the Mumbai Veterinary College, carried out the autopsy as per protocol. Samples have been sent for medical and technical examination, and the exact cause of death will be ascertained after the reports are received, officials said. The leopard had been rescued from Bhayander on December 19, 2025, and was kept under the supervision of the deputy director (south) and a veterinary officer of SGNP, Borivali, using the facilities available in the area. A committee formed to decide on the animal’s release met on December 22, 2025, and resolved to release it into its natural habitat after fitting it with a satellite collar. The decision was taken under the guidance of the chief conservator of forests (wildlife), western region, Mumbai, and the conservator of forests and director, SGNP. Leopard hunted dog, showed healthy signs before being found dead in Yeoor range in Thane Following a medical examination and certification, the leopard was released into the designated area of SGNP on December 25, 2026, at 9.25 pm. Officials said the animal was healthy and agile at the time of release, and the satellite collar was in working condition. Post-release monitoring was carried out by the SGNP wildlife rescue team, officers and staff from the Borivali and Yeoor Forest areas, and WCS representatives. Between December 25 and 30, the leopard was observed moving within the designated Sasunavghar area in Naigaon near Mumbai, with satellite collar data confirming that it remained within forest limits. According to forest officials, the leopard, which was released in the Nagla area of the Yeoor Forest range, was found to have hunted a dog in a cave area on December 31. The animal continued to remain in the release zone thereafter, and on January 5, 2026, its presence was confirmed through pugmarks and faecal matter. Camera trap footage and satellite collar data indicated that the leopard was physically healthy during this period.
06 February,2026 10:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavThe LT Marg police in South Mumbai have arrested a 19-year-old man for allegedly impersonating a Mumbai-based gold merchant on WhatsApp and attempting to cheat another trader of Rs 25 lakh. According to the police, the complainant, Lalit Kumar Jagawat, 61, who runs a bullion business in south Mumbai, was alerted on February 3 by a fellow gold trader from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, that he had received a call from an unknown person seeking R25 lakh in Jagawat’s name, claiming that the money was urgently required in Mumbai. Police said the caller had used Jagawat’s name and business display picture on WhatsApp to appear genuine. Smelling a rat, Jagawat clarified immediately that he had made no such request. The traders then coordinated to expose the impersonator to prevent any financial loss to others. As part of the plan, Jagawat instructed the Rajasthan-based trader to direct the caller to collect the money from a jewellery shop located in south Mumbai’s Zaveri Bazaar area. Jagawat simultaneously alerted staff at the shop, and kept local police informed as well. Later that evening, the suspect arrived at the designated shop to collect the cash. He was detained on the spot and subsequently handed over to the LT Marg police. The accused has been identified as Navneet Udaysingh, a resident of Kalbadevi. During preliminary questioning, the accused alleged that he had been sent by other individuals whose identities are still being verified. Police said no money was exchanged during the incident. An FIR has been registered under the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for impersonation and attempted cheating. The police suspect involvement of a larger gang, as this was not the first instance of businessmen being contacted using the complainant’s identity.
06 February,2026 09:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerADVERTISEMENT
-1770368561742_d.png "Police have arrested a 26-year-old man in connection with the incident. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT")
-1770352312335_d.png "Skies are expected to gradually clear by the evening, bringing improved visibility later in the day. Representational pic")
