Ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations, the Mumbai Fire Brigade has inspected 2,703 establishments under its ‘Special Fire Safety Campaign’ and taken action against 136 establishments under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006. In an intensified drive ahead of the New Year 2026 celebrations on Wednesday, the fire brigade cracked down on establishments in Kamala Mills and Shakti Mills, confiscating eight illegal commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, 200 kg of coal, 135 litres of cooking oil, and other flammable materials. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) launched the special campaign earlier this month. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the civic body said, “On the night of December 30, 2025, during an operation conducted by the ‘G South’ Ward in the Kamala Mill and Shakti Mill areas of Lower Parel, eight illegal commercial LPG cylinders, 200 kg of coal, 135 litres of cooking oil, and other materials were seized.” The statement further noted that various programmes and celebrations are being organised at hotels, pubs, bars, residential complexes, buildings, and beaches across Mumbai to welcome the New Year, drawing large crowds. “The BMC has appealed to all establishment owners and organisers to strictly adhere to fire safety guidelines during New Year-related celebrations,” it said. Action taken by Mumbai Fire Brigade As part of the drive, action was taken against 136 establishments for non-compliance with fire safety norms, while notices were served to 55 others. The inspections covered 38 malls, 51 five-star hotels, 194 lodging and boarding establishments, 37 rooftop establishments, 325 pubs, bars and clubs, 37 party halls, 28 gymkhanas, and 1,993 restaurants, taking the total number of inspected establishments to 2,703.
31 December,2025 08:13 PM IST | Mumbai | Eeshanpriya MSA day after the Republican Party of India (RPI-A) announced it would contest the BMC Election 2026 independently, Shiv Sena (UBT) stated that Union Minister Ramdas Athawale should have realised by now that “there is no ally the BJP has not betrayed,” reported the IANS. On Tuesday, Athawale declared that the RPI (A) would go solo in the municipal polls, effectively breaking its electoral ties with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. Reacting to the move, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said, “Ramdas Athawale is a prominent leader, a Union Minister and a Rajya Sabha member. He should know who he is aligning with. As the old saying goes about the BJP, there’s no ally it hasn’t betrayed.” Dubey added sarcastically, “If I put it in Athawale’s style — if the BJP is not giving them tickets, they should take BJP’s wickets,” according to the IANS. Seat-sharing dispute Athawale had accused the Mahayuti alliance of “betrayal” over seat-sharing arrangements, releasing a list of 39 candidates just hours before the nomination deadline. He claimed that, despite assurances, the alliance failed to honour commitments. Athawale said that although Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had directed that RPI (A) be allocated seats from BJP’s quota, this was never implemented, as per the IANS. The final day for filing nominations was 30 December, for the 227-member BMC elections scheduled for 15 January 2026. RPI (A) has fielded candidates across North, North-Central, North-West and North-East Mumbai. Cracks in Mahayuti alliance Earlier, Mumbai BJP president Amit Satam announced that the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena would contest 137 and 90 seats, respectively. Dubey criticised this arrangement, saying, “Eknath Shinde is being given 90 seats. There was a time when our Shiv Sena used to give tickets to BJP. Now, the BJP is giving them tickets.” The NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, is also contesting the BMC elections separately, signalling further cracks within the alliance. Elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the politically crucial Mumbai civic body, will be held on 15 January, with counting on the following day. Past data In the 2017 BMC elections, the BJP had made significant gains, winning 82 seats, just two short of the undivided Shiv Sena’s tally. The Congress finished third with 31 seats, while the undivided NCP and Raj Thackeray-led MNS secured 9 and 7 seats, respectively. The AIMIM won 3 seats, Samajwadi Party 6 seats, Akhil Bhartiya Sena 1 seat, and Independents accounted for 4 seats. (with IANS inputs)
31 December,2025 07:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAfter the deadline for the nominations ended, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its comprehensive list of 137 candidates for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Election, scheduled for January 15, 2026, with the counting on the following day. The BJP will contest on 137 wards, while its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, will fight on 90. The alliance aims to secure a strong majority in the 227-ward civic body, which serves over 10.3 crore voters and has one of Asia's largest municipal budgets. BMC Election 2026: Complete list of BJP candidates Tejaswi Ghosalkar for Ward 2 (General-Women) Prakash Darekar for Ward 3 (Open) Yogita Patil for Ward 8 (General - Women) Dr Shilpa Sangore for Ward 17 (General - Women) Dipak (Bala) Tawde for Ward 20 (Open) Tejinder Singh Tiwana for Ward 47 (Open) Yogesh Varma for Ward 35 (Open) Siddharth Sharma for Ward 36 (Open) Pratibha Shinde for Ward 37 (General - Women) Sanjay Awhad for Ward 40 (Open) Vinesh Mishra for Ward 43 (Open) Sangita Sharma for Ward 44 (General - Women) Sanjay Kable for Ward 45 (OBC) Yogita Koli for Ward 46 (OBC - Women) Sumitra Mahatre for Ward 49 (OBC - Women) Vikram Rajput for Ward 50 (OBC) Priti Satam for Ward 52 (OBC - Women) Harsh Patel for Ward 55 (Open) Rajul Desai for Ward 56 (General - Women) Yogiraj Dabhadkar for Ward 59 (Open) Shaili Kulkarni for Ward 60 (General - Women) Rupesh Sawarkar for Ward 63 (OBC) Sarita Rajpure for Ward 64 (General - Women) Dipak Kotekar for Ward 67 (Open) Rohan Rathod for Ward 68 (Open) Sudha Sinh for Ward 69 (OBC - Women) Anish Makwani for Ward 70 (OBC) Sunita Mehta for Ward 71 (General - Women) Ujwala Modak for Ward 74 (General - Women) Umesh Rane for Ward 75 (Open) Prabhakar Musale for Ward 76 (OBC) Disha Yadav for Ward 80 (OBC - Women) Kesharben Patel for Ward 81 (General - Women) Jagdishwari Amin for Ward 82 (OBC - Women) Anjali Samant for Ward 84 (General - Women) Milind Shinde for Ward 85 (Open) Krishna (Hemesh) Parkar for Ward 87 (Open) Dr Prajna Samant for Ward 88 (General - Women) Jyoti Upadhyay for Ward 90 (Open) Suhas Aadivrekar for Ward 95 (OBC) Hetal Gala for Ward 97 (General - Women) Alka Kerkar for Ward 98 (Open) Jitendra Raute for Ward 99 (Open) Swapna Mhatre for Ward 100 (OBC - Women) Anuradha Ghodke for Ward 101 (General - Women) Nilesh Handgar for Ward 102 (Open) Hetal Morjewkar for Ward 103 (General - Women) Prakash Gangadhar for Ward 104 (Open) Anita Vaiti for Ward 105 (OBC - Women) Prabhakar Shinde for Ward 106 (Open) Neil Somaiya for Ward 107 (Open) Dipika Ghag for Ward 108 (OBC - Women) Jini Sharma for Ward 110 (General - Women) Sarika Pawar for Ward 111 (OBC) Sakshi Dalvi for Ward 112 (General - Women) Simita Parab for Ward 115 (General - Women) Jagruti Patil for Ward 116 (General - Women) Chandan Sharma for Ward 122 (Open) Anil Nimse for Ward 123 (Open) Archana Bhalerao for Ward 126 (General - Women) Alka Bhagat for Ward 127 (General - Women) Ashwini Mate for Ward 129 (OBC - Women) Dhamesh Giri for Ward 130 (Open) Rakhi Jadhav for Ward 131 (General - Women) Ritu Tawde for Ward 132 (General - Women) Navnath Ban for Ward 135 (OBC) Shrutika More for Ward 141 (Scheduled Caste) Dinesh (Babla) Panchal for Ward 144 (Open) Sushma Sawant for Ward 149 (Open) Vanita Kokare for Ward 150 (OBC - Women) Kashish Phulvariya for Ward 151 (Scheduled Caste - Women) Asha Marathe for Ward 152 (Scheduled Caste) Mahadev Shivgan for Ward 154 (Open) Varsha Shette for Ward 155 (Scheduled Caste - Women) Asha Tayade for Ward 157 (General - Women) Akanksha Shette for Ward 158 (OBC - Women) Prakash More for Ward 159 (Open) Harish Bhandiye for Ward 164 (Open) Rupesh Pawar for Ward 165 (Open) Anuradha Pendsekar for Ward 168 (Open) Ranjita Divekar for Ward 170 (OBC - Women) Rajshri Shirvadkar for Ward 172 (General - Women) Sakhi Konozia for Ward 174 (General - Women) Rekha Yadav for Ward 176 (OBC - Women) Kalpana Kothari for Ward 177 (General - Women) Rajan Parkar for Ward 182 (OBC) Ravi Raja for Ward 185 (Open) Nila Sonawane for Ward 186 (Scheduled Caste - Women) Mangla Gayakwad for Ward 189 (Scheduled Caste - Women) Shital Gambhir Desai for Ward 190 (Open) Rajesh Kangane for Ward 195 (OBC) Sonali Savant for Ward 196 (General - Women) Sandip Pansande for Ward 200 (Open) Pathar Bajkar for Ward 202 (Open) Varsha Shinde for Ward 205 (General - Women) Rohidas Lokhande for Ward 207 (Open) Santosh Rane for Ward 210 (Open) Shakil Ansari for Ward 211 (Open) Mandakini Khamkar for Ward 212 (General - Women) Ajay Patil for Ward 214 (Open) Santosh Dhale for Ward 215 (Scheduled Caste) Gauri Narvenkar for Ward 216 (OBC - Women) Advocate Gourang Jhaveri for Ward 217 (Open) Snehal Tendulkar for Ward 218 (General - Women) Sanvi Sanap for Ward 219 (OBC) Dipali Kulkhe for Ward 220 (General - Women) Akash Purohit for Ward 221 (Open) Rita Makwana for Ward 222 (OBC) Hrishda Naikokar for Ward 225 (Open) Makarand Narwekar for Ward 226 (OBC) Gauri Shivelkar for Ward 227 (General - Women)
31 December,2025 07:47 PM IST | MumbaiMumbai recorded 1,50,254 property registrations in 2025, the highest in 14 years, according to a report by Knight Frank India, reported the IANS. Stamp duty collections also reached a 14-year peak of Rs 13,487 crore, signalling strong activity in the real estate market. The momentum continued through December, with 14,447 registrations generating Rs 1,263 crore for the state exchequer. This represented a 16 per cent year-on-year rise in registrations and an 11 per cent increase in stamp duty collections. Monthly growth highlights On a month-on-month basis, December registrations surged 18 per cent, while stamp duty revenues climbed 22 per cent. Residential properties accounted for 80 per cent of the transactions during the month, indicating sustained demand for homes, according to the IANS. The report noted that the rise in both registrations and stamp duty collections reflected not only high transaction volumes but also improving property values. Shift towards higher-value properties The trend shows a shift towards higher-value properties. According to the report, the homes priced above Rs 5 crore accounted for 7 per cent of December registrations, up from 6 per cent a year earlier, while the Rs 1-2 crore segment rose to 32 per cent from 30 per cent, as per the IANS. Smaller units continued to dominate the market, with properties up to 1,000 sq ft representing 82 per cent of registrations, and the 500-1,000 sq ft range being the most preferred among buyers, the report suggested. Market resilience and affordability Shishir Baijal, Chairman & Managing Director of Knight Frank India, said, “This milestone reflects the resilience and depth of the Mumbai property market, driven by sustained end-user demand and a supportive supply-side ecosystem.” He added that rising stamp duty collections indicate higher per-unit transaction values, and affordability has significantly improved. “Mumbai now has an affordability ratio of 47 per cent, a sharp correction from earlier times when EMIs consumed nearly 97 per cent of household income,” Baijal noted, the news agency reported. The report concludes that homebuyers in Mumbai are willing and able to invest, provided the price points and product offerings are suitable. (with IANS inputs)
31 December,2025 07:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSeveral parts of Thane will face a complete water supply shutdown for 12 hours on Friday, January 2, after a major valve on the city’s water supply network developed a fault, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) said on Wednesday. According to the civic body, a 700-mm diameter valve on the main water pipeline at Haridas Nagar, which supplies water to the Ghodbunder Road area, has malfunctioned, disrupting water supply in the region. The valve needs urgent replacement, prompting the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and the Shahad–Temghar water supply authority to schedule a shutdown of the water supply scheme. The shutdown will be in effect from 9 am to 9 pm on Friday, January 2, 2026. As a result, water supply will remain completely suspended for 12 hours in Ghodbunder Road, Lokmanya Nagar, Vartak Nagar, Saket, Rutu Park, Jail area, Gandhinagar, Siddhanchal, Indiranagar, Rupadevi, Shrinagar, Samtanagar, Siddheshwar, Eternity, Johnson, Mumbra, and parts of Kalwa, the civic body said. TMC has appealed to residents to store water in advance and use it judiciously during the shutdown period. “Citizens are requested to cooperate with the civic administration by using water sparingly during the water cut,” the TMC water supply department said in an official statement. For emergencies, citizens can contact the TMC Disaster Management Control Room at 1800-222-108 or 8657887101.
31 December,2025 07:11 PM IST | ThaneGig and platform workers from Mumbai and across Maharashtra are likely to join the nationwide strike called by unions, officials told news agency PTI on Wednesday. Maharashtra Police are keeping a close watch on the situation, particularly on New Year’s Eve, to prevent any untoward incidents, they added. Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Union (TGPWU) and Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) have claimed that lakhs of workers across the country are expected to participate in the strike, demanding better payouts and improved working conditions, PTI reported. “Maharashtra Police are keeping a close watch on developments related to the nationwide strike involving workers of app-based food delivery platforms,” an official told PTI. Gig and platform workers in Mumbai and Maharashtra are likely to participate in the strike, the official added. “We are not anticipating any major issues, but app-based delivery services may be impacted,” he said. The strike could affect operations of food delivery and quick commerce firms such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto on New Year’s Eve, when demand typically peaks. “Police are coordinating with employers and organisers of the strike to avoid any untoward incident,” the official said. Zomato, Swiggy offer higher payouts amid strike call on New Year’s Eve Food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy are offering increased incentives to their delivery partners in Maharashtra, a standard practice during festive periods, to ensure minimal disruption on New Year’s Eve amid the strike call. Zomato has offered delivery partners payouts ranging from Rs 120 to Rs 150 per order during peak hours from 6 pm to 12 am on December 31. The platform has also promised earnings of up to Rs 3,000 over the course of the day, depending on order volumes and worker availability, sources said. In addition, Zomato has temporarily waived penalties on order denials and cancellations. “This is part of our standard annual operating protocol during festive periods, which typically see higher earning opportunities due to increased demand,” an Eternal spokesperson told PTI. Industry sources said operations of Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto in Maharashtra may also be affected, though firms are taking steps to minimise disruption. (With PTI inputs)
31 December,2025 06:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Police on Wednesday announced special traffic regulations in parts of Juhu area of the city and around ISKCON Temple, in view of New Year 2026 celebrations, officials said. A traffic police notification said that a large number of devotees are expected to visit the temple, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Santacruz Traffic Division. To ensure public safety and prevent traffic congestion, vehicular movement and parking will be strictly regulated in the surrounding areas, the traffic notification said. The traffic restrictions were issued by Ajit Borhade, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic (Western Suburbs), Mumbai. The restrictions will remain in force from 9 am to 9 pm on January 1, 2026, the traffic police notification said. No parking zones The following roads will be declared no parking zones for all types of vehicles during the notified period- - Janardhan Mhatre Road - Juhu Church Road - Gandhi Gram Road - Alfred Criedo Road - Sant Dnyaneshwar Marg - Shyamrao Parulekar Marg (N.S. Road No. 13) No Entry restrictions According to the police, Several roads will have no entry restrictions to regulate traffic flow- - Mukteshwar Devalaya Marg from Chandok Chowk (North to South) will be closed to all vehicles, except emergency services, VVIP vehicles, temple vehicles and local residents. - Mukteshwar Devalaya Marg from Alfred Criedo Road (South to North) will be closed to all vehicles. - Entry from Shyamrao Parulekar Marg (N.S. Road No. 13) towards Sant Dnyaneshwar Marg will be closed. - No entry from Sant Dnyaneshwar Marg Junction – Devle Road Junction (East to West) towards Military Road for all vehicles. One-Way traffic The police said that to ease congestion, the following roads will operate as one-way routes- - Mukteshwar Devalaya Marg and the road from Devle Road Junction (West to East) towards PD Junction will be one-way for all vehicles. - The road from Sant Dnyaneshwar Marg to Mukteshwar Devalaya Marg will also be one-way. Advisory to commuters Mumbai Traffic Police have advised commuters to avoid the affected routes, follow traffic signage, and cooperate with traffic personnel. Devotees visiting the ISKCON temple are encouraged to use public transport wherever possible.
31 December,2025 06:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has alleged serious irregularities in the BMC Election 2026 nomination process in Mumbai’s Colaba area, accusing Maharashtra Assembly Speaker and BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar of interfering in the electoral process and misusing official machinery. Addressing a press conference, AAP leaders claimed that the party’s Ward 227 candidate, Margaret Da Costa, was unlawfully prevented from filing her nomination papers despite being present inside the Returning Officer’s (RO) premises well before the stipulated deadline of 5 pm. The party described the incident as a “grave subversion of democratic norms” and alleged that due process was deliberately ignored. AAP claims due process was bypassed According to AAP, the Returning Officer’s office in Colaba failed to adhere to the legally mandated procedure for accepting nomination forms. The party asserted that under election rules, all candidates who are present within the RO premises before the deadline must be issued tokens, after which their nomination forms are collected and processed in an orderly manner. Candidates are then called into the RO’s chamber one by one following a formal announcement. AAP alleged that this procedure was not followed in Colaba, leading to the denial of its candidate’s nomination. The party further claimed that the RO acted under external pressure, compromising the independence expected of a statutory election official. Candidate present before the deadline: AAP AAP stated that Margaret Da Costa, a senior citizen from the minority community, entered the RO premises well before the 5 pm cut-off time to submit her nomination. The party claimed that CCTV footage from the premises could independently verify her presence inside the building before the deadline. According to AAP, Da Costa had completed all formal requirements, including the payment of the nomination fee of Rs 2,500. Her nomination form and affidavit were reportedly examined by officials, after which she was asked to wait to be formally called into the RO’s office. Despite complying with all instructions and waiting patiently, she was allegedly denied the opportunity to submit her nomination. Allegations of political interference AAP Mumbai president Preeti Sharma Menon termed the incident a serious breach of the democratic process. She alleged that the RO, who functions under the State Election Commission of Maharashtra, failed to act independently and instead followed instructions purportedly issued by a political leader. “The State Election Commission has a constitutional mandate to conduct free and fair elections without fear or favour. In this case, the Returning Officer has acted at the behest of a political leader, which is a blatant violation of due process,” Menon said. She further alleged that Rahul Narwekar “hijacked the election apparatus” in Colaba and questioned the authority under which he could influence the RO’s actions. Menon maintained that the entire sequence of events could be corroborated through CCTV footage from the RO premises. Complaint filed, further action planned AAP confirmed that it has formally lodged a complaint with the State Election Commission of Maharashtra, seeking immediate intervention and accountability. The party said it would pursue the matter through all available legal and constitutional avenues to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process. Calling the episode a threat to democratic values, AAP reiterated its demand for a thorough and impartial inquiry. The party also urged the Election Commission to take strict action against those found responsible, stressing that adherence to due process is essential to uphold the credibility of elections.
31 December,2025 05:34 PM IST | Mumbai | Ronak MastakarMoving a step closer to the operations on the JNPT-Vaitarna freight corridor in Maharashtra, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) successfully conducted a rail car inspection on a section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), an official statement said on Wednesday. The inspection was led by Praveen Kumar, Managing Director of DFCCIL, and covered a distance of about 102 kilometres from Vaitarna to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust Port (JNPT). This inspection marks the first-ever train movement on the newly constructed DFCCIL track between JNPT and Vaitarna, making it a historic moment for the project, the statement said. The JNPT-Vaitarna section is a crucial part of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and falls under the jurisdiction of the CGM/Mumbai Unit of DFCCIL. The successful rail car inspection is an important step towards the full commissioning of this 102 km stretch. Once commissioned, this section will significantly improve freight movement between India’s hinterland and JNPT, the country’s largest container port. It will help reduce congestion, improve logistics efficiency, and support faster goods transportation. Progress on electrification and signalling works Out of the total 102 km stretch, the Vaitarna to New Kharbao section (30 km) has already been fully electrified. A successful electric locomotive trial run was conducted on 30 November 2025, confirming the readiness of this segment. Electrification and signalling works on the remaining stretch are progressing at a fast pace and are expected to be completed shortly. Senior officers from the DFCCIL Mumbai Unit, representatives of executing agencies such as Tata Projects, L&T, and KPIL, along with consultants, also participated in the inspection. Trial run of goods train Earlier this year, the DFCCIL had achieved another major milestone towards the commissioning of its final stretch between (JNPT) and Vaitarna. The trial run was conducted on October 29, 2025, DFCCIL successfully conducted a trial run of a goods train hauled by a diesel locomotive from New Saphale (DFCCIL) at chainage 107.0 to Kharbao Station (Indian Railways) at chainage 67.0, a distance of around 40 kilometres. This was the first train movement on the newly built track of the JNPT-Vaitarna section under the Chief General Manager (Mumbai) Unit. Strengthening India’s freight infrastructure The JNPT-Vaitarna section of the WDFC is expected to play a major role in boosting port-led development and strengthening the national logistics network, an official said.
31 December,2025 04:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra government on Wednesday appointed Sadanand Vasant Date, a 1990-batch IPS officer, as the new Director General of Police (DGP) and Head of Police Force (HoPF) of the state. The appointment comes as the tenure of the incumbent DGP, Rashmi Shukla, ends on January 3, 2026. According to a government order issued by the Home Department, Date has been appointed based on the recommendations of the Union Public Service Commission’s Empanelment Committee. The decision has been taken in accordance with multiple Supreme Court judgments and interim orders governing the appointment of state police chiefs. As per Supreme Court guidelines, an IPS officer appointed as DGP (HoPF) is entitled to a fixed tenure of two years, irrespective of the date of superannuation. Accordingly, Date will serve a two-year term from the date he assumes charge. The government order states that the appointment follows the due procedure laid down by the apex court in the long-pending police reforms case and subsequent directions, aimed at ensuring stability and independence in the functioning of the police force. The order has been issued with the approval of the Governor of Maharashtra and has been digitally signed and published on the official state government website. Date, a senior and experienced IPS officer, is expected to take charge in early January. Further administrative formalities are underway. Who is Sadanand Date Sadanand Date, a 1990-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has held several key positions in the Maharashtra Police over the course of his career. During his tenure with the Mumbai Police, he served as Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order). He also held charge as the Commissioner of Police of the Mira-Bhayandar Police Commissionerate. At the Centre, Date was on deputation with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), where he handled key responsibilities related to internal security. He displayed exceptional bravery during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, confronting terrorists during the operation. Date was also involved in counter-terrorism efforts linked to militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, Khalistani activities, and investigations into terrorist networks operating in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and other parts of the world. He served as the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), where he oversaw several high-profile terrorism-related investigations.
31 December,2025 04:10 PM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilWith large crowds expected across Mumbai on New Year’s Eve, civic and transport authorities have announced special travel arrangements, including extended metro operations, additional BEST buses and special suburban train services on the night of December 31. Mumbai Metro: Mumbai Metro Line-1 to run past midnight with 28 additional services Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL) has announced extended services on Metro Line-1 (Versova–Ghatkopar) to facilitate hassle-free travel during New Year’s Eve celebrations. On Wednesday, Metro Line-1 will operate 28 additional services, taking the total number of trips to 504, up from the regular 476. The last metro services will run well past midnight, with trains operating until 2.14 am from Versova and 2.40 am from Ghatkopar on January 1, 2026. During peak hours, trains will run every 3 minutes and 20 seconds, while off-peak frequency will be 5 minutes and 55 seconds. Late-night services will operate at 12-minute intervals, starting at 11.26 pm from Versova and 11.52 pm from Ghatkopar. The first metro services on December 31 will depart at 5.30 am from both terminals. Mumbai Metro Lines 2A and 7 to run past midnight on New Year’s Eve Metro Lines 2A and 7 on Wednesday announced that it will operate well past midnight. The last trains from Andheri West and Gundavali stations will depart at 1:00 am, instead of the usual 11:00 pm. 16 additional late-night services will be operated, with trains running at 15-minute intervals. 🎉 New Year’s Eve Special Metro Services 🎉Celebrating late? We’ve extended metro services just for you.On 31 December, Metro 2A, 7 services will run well past midnight. The last train from Andheri West and Gundavali station will depart at 1:00 am instead of the usual 11:00… pic.twitter.com/beNhH7bs81 — Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd (@MMMOCL_Official) December 31, 2025 Mumbai Metro Aqua Line-3 to offer overnight services Mumbai Metro Aqua Line-3 will operate throughout the night on New Year’s Eve, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) announced. The special night service will begin at 10.30 pm on December 31 and continue until 5.55 am on January 1, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for commuters celebrating across the city. Regular services will resume from 5.55 am onwards. Mumbai BEST Bus: BEST to run additional buses on New Year’s Eve To cater to late-night commuters, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking will operate additional bus services across key routes between 10 pm and 12.30 am on December 31. Extra buses will ply to popular New Year’s Eve hotspots such as Gateway of India, Juhu Chowpatty, Gorai Creek and Marve Chowpatty.Additional services will run on regular routes C-86, 203 and 231, along with AC routes A-21, A-112, A-116, A-247, A-272 and A-294. BEST will also operate its popular Heritage Tour bus from 5.30 pm on December 31 into the early hours of January 1, subject to passenger demand. Mumbai Railway: Mumbai local trains: Special midnight services announced Central Railway Central Railway will operate four special suburban trains during the midnight hours of December 31 and January 1 on the Main Line and Harbour Line. Main Line: CSMT to Kalyan: 1.30 am to 3.00 am Kalyan to CSMT: 1.30 am to 3.00 am Harbour Line: CSMT to Panvel: 1.30 am to 2.50 am Panvel to CSMT: 1.30 am to 2.50 am All special trains will halt at all stations along their routes. Western Railway Western Railway has announced four additional pairs of special local trains between Churchgate and Virar during the late-night and early-morning hours of December 31 and January 1. The move aims to manage the expected rush of passengers and provide safe and convenient travel options for New Year’s Eve revellers, late-night workers and office-goers. Advisory to commuters Authorities have urged citizens to use public transport, check timings in advance and follow safety instructions while travelling late at night. Passengers have also been advised to avoid overcrowding and cooperate with railway and transport staff to ensure a smooth New Year commute.
31 December,2025 03:43 PM IST | MumbaiADVERTISEMENT
