Read Mumbai News
Mumbai gets its first Amrit Bharat Express train service
Mumbai is getting its first Amrit Bharat Express train on Thursday. To be operated between Saharsa, Bihar and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Kurla, it will be the country’s third Amrit Bharat train after the Darbhanga-Anand Vihar and Malda Town-SMVT Bengaluru (Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal). The train will operate via Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Danapur, Buxar and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (formerly Mughalsarai) stations. mid-day had first reported about the arrival of the much-awaited unreserved ‘Janata Vande Bharat train’ for the general public in Mumbai on February 22 for extensive trials on the ghat sections of Igatpuri and Pune. The Amrit Bharat Express—a push-pull trainset with locomotives on either side—is a class of superfast, non-air-conditioned, low-cost, sleeper-cum unreserved services connecting cities that are more than 800 km apart. The interiors of an Amrit Bharat train; 50 such trains are being built at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai It has a maximum operating speed of 110 to 130 kmph. “The trainset provides improved facilities for better-designed seats and luggage racks for increasing volume, mobile charging points with mobile holders, LED lights, CCTV, a public information system and is a vestibule train. With two locomotives attached on either side, the train cuts down the time of reversal as it can move in either direction. The trainsets are manufactured by Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. Production of 200 more such trains is in progress, with 50 under construction and 150 more planned,” an official said. “I'm not surprised by the chosen destination—it’s no wonder that the first Amrit Bharat Express from Mumbai is heading there. However, the Railways should have prioritised replacing trains with multiple locomotive reversals by deploying Amrit Bharat Express trains in push-pull configuration. For instance, trains like the 11403/11404 Kolhapur-Nagpur Express face as many as four loco reversals—at Miraj, Latur Road, Parli Vaijnath and Akola—while the 11405/11406 Pune-Amravati Express (via Latur) has three—at Parli Vaijnath, Latur Road and Akola. All of these reversals could be eliminated with a push-pull setup, resulting in a significant reduction in journey time, potentially by a couple of hours. Western Railway, on the other hand, has often rejected proposals for trains towards the interiors of Maharashtra—including Konkan, Western Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Marathwada—and even Southern India, citing the loco reversal at Vasai Road as a constraint. Ironically, these are precisely the routes where Amrit Bharat Express could have been most effective from the outset. CR is concerned about the Ratnagiri-Dadar train clashing with 12 suburban services, which will overlap the path with suburban trains only between Vidyavihar and Matunga. This Saharsa-LTT will clash all the way from Kasara to Kalyan. It will also clash between Kalyan and Thane if CR chooses to operate this from the 3rd and 4th line [which is a common practice these days],” commuter activist Akshay Mahapadi said. A regular commuter, Piyush Sangapurkar, who is a resident of Pune and a Solapur native, said, “Passengers demand an increase in frequency of Kolhapur-Nagpur Express via Latur daily with replacement of ICF rake with an Amrit Bharat rake as it would save four loco reversals which would save two hours. It's currently running with more than 200 per cent occupancy. It connects Pandharpur with Nagpur, directly.” Another regular commuter, Sriram Iyer, said, “It’s really nice to see new variants of trains connect Mumbai to potential areas like Gorakpur, Varanasi, Patna, Saharsa etc, but Indian Railways should also focus on connecting Mumbai to Southern metros of Chennai and Bengaluru. Both these cities are yet to be connected with a premium service. The fastest train still takes around 22 hours for about 1300 km between Mumbai and Chennai and 1200 km between Mumbai and Bengaluru, with a running average of merely 56 kmph. The entire section is fully electrified and doubled with 130 MPS throughout, yet the trains have been allotted a running TT dating decades back. It’s high time Indian Railways concentrates on strengthening services between Mumbai-Chennai/Bengaluru with high-speed Vande Sleeper/Amrit Bharat type trains.” “The recently introduced route for the Amrit Bharat Express is quite underwhelming. Instead of selecting a corridor that truly demands speed and operational efficiency, the Railways chose a politically convenient and already well-served route. This was a missed opportunity to address long-pending issues on routes severely impacted by multiple locomotive reversals and sluggish travel times, particularly those running through Marathwada, Vidarbha and Konkan (via Western Railway). Deploying Amrit Bharat Express on these corridors, with a push-pull configuration, could have delivered tangible improvements in journey time and passenger convenience. Moreover, this train will now occupy a valuable maintenance slot in Mumbai—a slot that could have been far better utilised for a Maharashtra-centric service. It’s ironic that while the Railways claim constraints in terminal capacity, they have yet to restore essential trains such as Bhusaval-Mumbai Passenger, Kolhapur-Mumbai Sahyadri Express, Ratnagiri-Dadar Passenger, Pune-Panvel Passenger, Bhusaval-Pune Express (via Panvel-Karjat). Clearly, paths, slots, route and terminal capacities do exist, but they’re being allocated elsewhere, rather than being used to serve core intra-state routes in Maharashtra that are still awaiting restoration. Commuter Speak Akshay Mahapadi, Commuter activist‘The Railways should have prioritised replacing trains with multiple locomotive reversals by deploying Amrit Bharat Express trains in push-pull configuration. For instance, trains like the 11403/11404 Kolhapur-Nagpur Express face as many as four loco reversals—at Miraj, Latur Road, Parli Vaijnath and Akola—while the 11405/11406 Pune-Amravati Express (via Latur) has three—at Parli Vaijnath, Latur Road and Akola’ Piyush Sangapurkar, Railway commuter‘Passengers demand an increase in frequency of Kolhapur-Nagpur Express via Latur daily with replacement of ICF rake with an Amrit Bharat rake as it would save four loco reversals which would save two hours. It’s currently running with more than 200 per cent occupancy’ Sriram Iyer, Railway commuter‘It’s really nice to see new variants of trains connect Mumbai to potential areas like Gorakpur, Varanasi , Patna, Saharsa etc, but Indian Railways should also focus on connecting Mumbai to Southern metros of Chennai and Bengaluru. Both these cities are yet to be connected with a premium service’ Prathamesh Prabhu, Activist‘The recently introduced route is underwhelming. Instead of selecting a corridor that truly demands speed and operational efficiency, the Railways chose a politically convenient, well-served route. This was a missed opportunity to address long-pending issues on routes severely impacted by locomotive reversals and sluggish travel times, particularly those running through Marathwada, Vidarbha and Konkan’
21 April,2025 03:24 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
Mumbai: ‘Bring back harsh fines for felling trees,' says environmentalist
City-based environmentalist Stalin Dayanand has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding that the penalty for the illegal felling of trees be increased from the present amount of Rs 1000, as well as the reintroduction of a proposed amendment to the Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act, 1964. A bill, which sought to increase the penalty for the illegal felling of trees from Rs 1000 to Rs 50,000, was withdrawn by the state government in December last year. According to the environmentalist, the reason for writing the letter was to draw attention to the rampant destruction of forests and trees across Maharashtra. Stalin claimed that he had filed numerous complaints about deforestation in various parts of the state, adding, “We [Maharashtra] will never even attain a 22 per cent forest cover, let alone 33 per cent, if things continue this way.” Stalin said checks and balances should have been put in place before withdrawal of the bill. Representation Pic/Ashish Raje “As you are well aware, the bill to amend the Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act of 1964, which proposed to increase the penalty for illegal felling of trees to R50,000, was withdrawn by you in December 2024. Now, the penalty for axing a tree is a measly Rs 1000. This has boosted illegal tree felling, and across the state, deforestation is taking place both in urban and rural areas,” said Stalin. “Do you believe the value of a tree is only Rs 1000? If you had brought in some checks and balances before the withdrawal of the bill, it would have helped save the forests and trees. But now it has become a joke, and hardly anyone is fearful about cutting trees. We request you to do a reality check and order a survey to understand how this meagre penalty has opened the floodgates across the state for the destruction of trees. Please order a scientific study to understand the minimum ecological and economic value of a tree. This figure may be used as a benchmark to set a penalty for illegal felling of trees,” he added. The environmentalist has requested the chief minister to bring back the bill and make the penalty a sum which “acts as a deterrent and not as a motivation for those who fell trees”. Stalin also said that Maharashtra was grappling with severe heat waves and rising temperatures, and so it was important to avoid recklessly felling trees. “We hope you will take steps to prevent the slaughter of trees, which is happening without the fear of the law since the law itself has been crippled by you,” the activist stated.
21 April,2025 02:44 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
Nobody`s roads
City in a mess: Over 500 km of Mumbai roads dug up amid BMC’s poor planning
Mumbai currently resembles a chaotic treasure hunt, with nearly every street and bylane dug up—for road concreting, utility repairs, Metro works, or forgotten infrastructure that suddenly demands attention. In some areas, roads are freshly concreted, only to be dug up again to relay missed-out amenities. Officials monitoring the works claim there’s “method in the madness,” and that small stretches are being taken up one at a time. But the sheer scale of this operation is taking a massive toll on citizens—from walkers and motorists to the elderly and disabled. Emergency vehicles are forced to take long diversions, delaying response times. In many areas, hospital access roads are dug up with no viable alternative routes. Despite the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, which mandates accessible infrastructure, Mumbai’s footpaths and streets remain largely non-compliant. For the city’s 4 lakh-plus disabled residents, navigating this mess has become nearly impossible. City-wide misery mid-day reporters scouted five zones—south, central, east, west, and north Mumbai—to document the impact of the digging drive. This five-part campaign will focus on key problem areas: walkability and footpaths, emergency access, accountability, missed deadlines, and potential solutions. “This is clearly a BMC-created crisis,” said Rishi Aggarwal, founder of the Walking Project. “Many roads taken up for concreting were in good condition. Public money is being wasted while citizens suffer. Participatory budgeting at the ward level could have avoided this.” 14th Road in Khar completely dug up for concreting in February Savitha Rao, founder of India Positive Citizen, was blunt in her criticism: “Mumbai should enter the Guinness Book of Records for having the most dug-up yet functional roads. Walking here requires [javelin champion] Neeraj Chopra-level agility. For many, the lockdown never ended. Senior citizens remain confined, while those with visual or mobility impairments are at daily risk. Pavements don’t exist, so people walk on roads, endangering themselves and others.” Citizen activist GR Vora called the city’s obsession with concreting “madness.” “The existing roads were decent. If road contract corruption were curbed, even tar roads would last longer. Instead, in the wisdom of the chief minister and municipal commissioner, hundreds of crores are being spent unnecessarily, while residents suffer noise, dust, and bottlenecks.” Root of the problem Experts say the lack of underground ducting for utilities is a key issue. “Without ducts, every time a new utility line needs fixing, roads are dug again—even concrete ones,” said Rao. “This poor planning delays emergency fixes and increases costs. It's criminal negligence.” Madh-Marve road dug up for concreting work on April 1, 2025. File Pics/Ashish Raje Walking Project’s programme director Vedant Mhatre added, “The roadworks should have been staggered to avoid paralysing traffic. Pedestrian barricades and diversions were also lacking. The commissioner’s recent order to stop simultaneous digging might help, but damage has already been done.” Why concrete roads The road concreting project began in 2023. The BMC is spending Rs 12,000 crore to convert 702 km of tar roads into concrete. Before the monsoon, the civic body aims to complete 420 km of this work. The BMC has set a target to convert all roads under its jurisdiction to concrete by 2027. Of the total 2050 km of roads managed by the BMC, over 1350 km have already been converted. Explaining the rationale behind the project, officials said that due to Mumbai’s heavy rainfall, traditional asphalt roads frequently develop potholes. In contrast, concrete roads last for at least 20 years, whereas asphalt roads typically last up to five years. Moreover, repairing potholes during the monsoon adds to maintenance costs. Number crunching As of April 5, 525 km of roads are dug up.Of Mumbai’s 2050 km of roads, 1224 km are already concreted.By May 31, officials aim to complete 324 km of concretisation.BMC plans to concrete 702 km of roads in 2121 stretches under two phases.
21 April,2025 02:43 PM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Mumbai Man arrested in connection with alleged involvement in an investment scam
The Cyber Crime Unit of Hyderabad Police arrested a 22-year-old man from Navi Mumbai for his alleged involvement in a high-value online investment fraud on Monday. The fraud cost a Hyderabad resident over Rs2.43 crore. The accused, identified as Rashmit Rajendra Patil, a private employee residing in Navi Mumbai, played a key role in the scam. He is said to be the account supplier. He was apprehended by a special police team, assisted by other officers from the Cyber Crime wing. According to the press release, the victim, a 56-year-old man from Hyderabad, was referred to the SAMCO Securities and IIFL applications through social media. He downloaded and logged in to these applications to invest the money for earning purposes. Initially, these investments appeared to yield steady returns, with the profits reflected in a virtual wallet within the app. The fraudsters claimed that the accumulated profits could be withdrawn into his personal bank account within one to three days, after deducting a six per cent tax. Believing them to be genuine, he deposited multiple amounts. Convinced by the ongoing profit displays and smooth transactions, the victim continued transferring money to different bank accounts listed in the application. Eventually, he deposited a total of Rs2.43 crore across multiple transactions. However, once the amount reached this substantial figure, the scammers abruptly blocked his access to withdrawals and ceased all communication. Following the victim's complaint, a case was registered under Crime Number 348/2025, invoking relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Following a thorough investigation, the police identified Patil's involvement and successfully arrested him in Maharashtra. The investigation also revealed the method used by the fraudsters. They targeted victims through platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and other social media apps, offering fraudulent stock trading schemes with promises of unusually high returns. By initially allowing small withdrawals and displaying fake profits within the app, they built credibility before persuading victims to invest larger amounts. Once the funds were in their control, they cut off contact and denied access to the money. During the arrest, police seized a mobile phone from the accused, which is now being analysed for further evidence. The Cyber Crime Unit stated that more individuals may be involved in the broader network behind this scheme and that further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses. The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police urged the public to remain cautious of online investment offers that seem too good to be true. They warned against trusting unknown individuals on social media who promote trading apps or platforms, especially those not registered with official regulatory bodies, such as the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Officials stressed the importance of verifying the authenticity of financial services before sharing personal or banking information. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 April,2025 02:37 PM IST | Hyderabad | ANI
Uddhav won't have 'any issue' with Raj if he keeps away from BJP, Sena: Saamana
The Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Monday said that there will be no question of "any issue" between party chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray if the latter keeps away from the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, reported the PTI. An editorial in Saamana also claimed the possibility of rapprochement between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray has rattled "Maharashtra baiters". Thackeray cousins-- Uddhav and Raj have sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating they could ignore "trivial issues" and join hands nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways. Earlier, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had said that uniting in the interests of 'Marathi manoos' is not difficult, former CM Uddhav Thackeray said that he was ready to put aside trivial fights, provided that those working against Maharashtra's interests were not entertained. According to the PTI, the editorial in Saamana said the issues referred to by Raj Thackeray were never known to the public. Raj Thackeray keeps talking about "Marathi manoos" and the (then undivided) Shiv Sena (founded by Bal Thackeray) was also born to champion the same cause. So where are the issues? it asked. "There was no reason for the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to talk on this. These people started those so-called issues. So there will be no issues if the BJP and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena are kept at a distance," the Marathi daily said, as per the PTI. The BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Sena took aim at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) by placing gun on Raj Thackeray's shoulders. This did not benefit the MNS, but hurt Marathi unity, it claimed. The BJP's ploy is to weaken Marathi unity, the editorial alleged, the news agency reported. Raj Thackeray's stand had been that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should not be allowed to set foot in Maharashtra, but he did not stick to it, the Marathi daily claimed. Notably, the MNS had declared unconditional support for PM Modi's third term in 2024. BJP's Hindutva is "fake and hollow¿, and Raj got embroiled in its trap and started getting sunk into it, the editorial charged, reported the PTI. Maharashtra will never forgive if a lifetime is spent dealing with fights and issues, it added. (with PTI inputs)
21 April,2025 02:22 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Traffic warden chasing tempo on Mumbai Coastal Road falls into sea, dies
The police on Monday said that a 38-year-old traffic warden died after falling into the sea while chasing a tempo that had allegedly violated traffic norms on the Mumbai Coastal Road, reported news agency PTI. The incident occurred on Saturday evening, an official said. The tempo, which was going from Tata Garden towards Worli, allegedly violated the traffic rules by entering the Mumbai Coastal Road where heavy vehicles are not allowed to ply, reported PTI. Traffic warden Rafique Wazir Shaikh then chased the tempo on his scooter, the official said, reported PTI. Shaikh, however, lost control over his two-wheeler on a curve of the Mumbai Coastal Road and his vehicle skidded due to the sand there, he said. The scooter then hit a cement railing of the road and Shaikh fell into the Arabian Sea, the official said, reported PTI. An alert motor vehicle driver informed the police control room, following which security and fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and pulled Shaikh out of the waters, he said. He was rushed to the civic-run Nair Hospital where he was declared dead, the police said. An accidental death case has been registered at Gamdevi Police Station, the official said, adding a probe was underway into the incident, reported PTI. The Coastal Road stretches from Marine Drive to Worli along Mumbai's shoreline. 3 killed, 12 hurt as truck hits multiple vehicles on highway in Pune In another incident, three persons were killed and 12 others injured after a truck crashed into five vehicles on the old Pune-Mumbai highway near Lonavala hill station here in Maharashtra, police said on Monday, reported PTI. The incident took place at 10.20 pm on Sunday at Battery Hill near Bor Ghat. The truck apparently suffered a brake failure while descending a slope. It then ran amok and hit five vehicles, a police official said, reported PTI. "A 10-year-old girl and her father, who were travelling in a car, and another person died in the accident," Lonavala police station's senior inspector Suhas Jagtap said, reported PTI. Twelve other persons were injured and rushed to a nearby hospital where they were currently undergoing treatment, he added. (With inputs from PTI)
21 April,2025 12:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Language panel urges Maharashtra CM to revoke Hindi move
The Maharashtra government's language consultation committee has urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to revoke the decision to make Hindi a mandatory third language for students of classes 1 to 5, reported news agency PTI. Fadnavis on Sunday dismissed concerns over the "imposition" of the Hindi language in the state, asserting Marathi will continue to be compulsory, reported PTI. The state government has given its nod to implement the three-language formula under the National Education Policy. Accordingly, it has made Hindi a must for students of classes 1 to 5 in English and Marathi-medium schools. In a letter to the CM on Sunday, the language consultation committee's chief Laxmikant Deshmukh claimed the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) did not consider their thoughts and suggestions before making the Hindi push, reported PTI. While the government has appointed a language consultation committee to advise it on language matters, the SCERT has not taken the panel into consideration, the letter said. "No language has been made compulsory in the National Education Policy. On the contrary, the NEP states that education should be imparted through the mother tongue. Therefore, making Hindi mandatory as a third language is not right," the letter said, reported PTI. Hindi should not be made mandatory at any stage of education. Instead, a policy should be adopted to use Hindi as little as possible, the letter said. "It is not the language of employment, income, prestige or knowledge," the letter said, urging the chief minister to revoke the decision concerning Hindi, reported PTI. The opposition parties, particularly the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), have claimed Hindi is being imposed in Maharashtra. Talking to reporters, Fadnavis said, "It is wrong to say that attempts are being made to impose Hindi. Marathi will be compulsory in Maharashtra. There will be no other compulsion." "We need to understand that Hindi has not been made mandatory instead of Marathi. The Marathi language is a must," he said. Fadnavis said the New Education Policy states that two of the three languages to be taught to students must be Indian languages. "The New Education Policy has provided an opportunity to learn three languages. It is important to learn languages. The rule states that two of these three languages must be Indian. Marathi is already being made compulsory. You cannot take any other language, except Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam or Gujarati," the chief minister said, reported PTI. He said teachers are available for the Hindi language as per recommendations. "In case of other (regional) languages, teachers are not available," he added, reported PTI. Fadnavis questioned the people's perception of Indian languages and English. "I am surprised by one thing. We oppose Indian languages like Hindi but we praise English. Why do many people feel that English is closer to them and Indian languages are farther? We should also think about this," he said, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
21 April,2025 12:08 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
Pune: 3 killed, 12 injured as truck hits multiple vehicles on highway
The police on Monday said that three persons were killed and 12 others injured after a truck crashed into five vehicles on the old Pune-Mumbai highway near Lonavala hill station in Maharashtra, reported news agency PTI. According to the PTI report, the incident took place at 10.20 pm on Sunday at Battery Hill near Bor Ghat. The truck apparently suffered a brake failure while descending a slope. It then ran amok and hit five vehicles, a police official said. "A 10-year-old girl and her father, who were travelling in a car, and another person died in the accident," Lonavla police station's senior inspector Suhas Jagtap told PTI. Twelve other persons were injured and rushed to a nearby hospital where they were currently undergoing treatment, he added. Six dead in road crash in Uttar Pradesh In another incident, a car rammed into a tree in Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh, leaving six people dead and two injured, police said on Monday, reported PTI. The incident took place at Shukla Bhujauli crossing on Sunday night when the occupants of the car were going to Devgaon village to attend a wedding, reported PTI. Police rushed the occupants of the car to a hospital with the help of locals, officials said. Doctors declared six of them dead on arrival while the remaining two are undergoing treatment, they said. Superintendent of Police, Kushinagar, Santosh Kumar Mishra said a detailed investigation is underway, reported PTI. The deceased have been identified as brothers Harendra Maddheshia and Yogendra Maddheshia, Ranjeet, Mukesh, Bheem Laxman Yadav and car driver Om Prakash, reported PTI. All the victims were aged between 25 and 40 years, police said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and directed district officials to ensure prompt and adequate treatment for the injured, an official statement said. (With inputs from PTI)
21 April,2025 11:59 AM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
Uddhav Thackeray put no precondition for rapprochement: Shiv Sena (UBT)
Amid a buzz on the potential reconciliation between cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Sunday said no alliance has been declared or any precondition is put by Uddhav Thackeray, while an MNS leader dismissed prospects of electoral tie-up as a distant step, reported news agency PTI. For its part, the Shiv Sena headed by Eknath Shinde shrugged off the talks of any truce between the two warring cousins, terming their respective parties- Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)- politically irrelevant in Maharashtra. Raj and Uddhav have sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating they could ignore "trivial issues" and join hands, nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways. While Raj Thackeray said uniting in the interests of "Marathi manoos" was not difficult, former CM Uddhav Thackeray said he was ready to put aside trivial fights, provided those working against Maharashtra's interests were not entertained, reported PTI. On Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said there has been no announcement of an alliance between his party and the MNS, but claimed "emotional talks" between the two are going on. Talking to reporters, Raut also said Uddhav Thackeray has not set a precondition for rapprochement with his cousin Raj Thackeray. "There is no announcement of an alliance. Currently, emotional talks are going on. They (Raj and Uddhav) meet at family events. They are brothers," the Rajya Sabha member added, reported PTI. Raut said Uddhav Thackeray has not put a precondition for rapprochement. He has only asked to prioritise the interest and not to break bread with the enemies of Maharashtra. Anyone with them (BJP) is the "enemy" of Maharashtra, Raut further claimed. Notably, Uddhav's assertion has been seen as a veiled reference to the MNS chief recently hosting Deputy CM Eknath Shinde at his residence, reported PTI. Without naming his cousin, Uddhav Thackeray had said nothing should be done to help the "thieves", an apparent reference to the BJP and Shinde-led Sena, reported PTI. MNS' Mumbai president and party spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande, however, said people were reading too much into the remarks made by Raj Thackeray. He said the election tie-up is a distant step and the Sena (UBT) must back the MNS in its agitation for Marathi language and people. Deshpande said, "Everyone feels the two brothers should come together, but how? If you are not going to back (us) on the issue of Marathi, how will things go forward?" "Raj saheb's interview should be seen with a holistic view. His stand was that all Marathi people should come together for the interest of Maharashtra and Marathi manoos. That was his stand. You are reading too much into it," he said in response to a question, reported PTI. Meanwhile, in a rare public outburst, Shinde lost his cool and brushed away the mike when a mediaperson sought his reaction on the speculation of reconciliation between Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, and asked the reporter to instead talk about the government's work. "Talk about work," Shinde said tersely, reported PTI. Reacting to the episode, Raut said it is obvious that Shinde would get angry. He also targeted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, suggesting that the BJP doesn't want it (the alliance). A day earlier Fadnavis had said, "If they come together, we are happy. Estranged people should come together, and if their disputes end, it is a good thing....I feel the media is reading too much between the lines, so it is better to wait for some time," reported PTI. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam on Sunday said the people of Maharashtra have decisively rejected Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS after realising that these parties are only interested in selfish agendas for power, which they concealed under the facade of commitment to the state. Nirupam accused the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) of straying from the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray amid the buzz around Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, ready to mend fences. "The people of Maharashtra have decisively rejected both UBT (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena). These parties pretend to stand for Maharashtra, but in reality, they are only chasing power and self-interests. Politically, they are irrelevant," Nirupam said while addressing a press conference, reported PTI. The Shiv Sena leader discounted possible Sena (UBT)-MNS reconciliation questioning the political relevance of both parties. "The MNS couldn't win a single seat in the last assembly elections. Politically, both UBT and MNS are bankrupt. And when you add zero to zero, the result is still zero. Even in business, two loss-making entities don't make a profitable one," he added. (With inputs from PTI)
21 April,2025 10:09 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Hindi was already compulsory, now it's being relaxed: Maharashtra Minister
Amid criticism over the Maharashtra government's decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language, state Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar on Sunday clarified that that Hindi will only be taught from Classes 1 to 5 to provide students a basic understanding of the language, reported news agency ANI. Kesarkar said the controversy stems from a misunderstanding, as Hindi was already a compulsory subject in Classes 5 to 7 under the previous framework. "Hindi was already compulsory for Classes 5, 6, and 7. Now, that compulsion is being removed from class 6 onwards... Hindi will be taught only at the primary level -- from classes 1 to 5 -- to give students a basic grasp of the language, which is widely spoken across the country," he told ANI. Kesarkar noted that both Hindi and Marathi share the Devanagari script, making it easier for students to learn. "Marathi and Hindi both use Devanagari script, so they already have some similarity... There has been a misunderstanding - the compulsion for Hindi was already there before... Now it's being relaxed," he told ANI. The minister also reiterated the government's efforts to promote Marathi. "Our government has taken major steps for Marathi -- granting it classical language status, building Marathi Bhawan, launching the Marathi International Council, and a Marathi encyclopedia. All this happened in the last 2.5 years under the leadership of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis," Kesarkar told ANI. Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also defended the move, saying it was incorrect to say that Hindi was being imposed. He stressed that Marathi remains mandatory in the state and is not being replaced. "It is incorrect to say Hindi is being imposed as Marathi will remain mandatory in Maharashtra. I am often surprised that while we oppose an Indian language like Hindi, we praise and carry English on our shoulders. I find it curious why Indian languages feel distant to us while English feels closer. This is something that we need to think about," Fadnavis said. He explained that the new guidelines are in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which mandates the learning of three languages, two of which must be Indian. "The first thing to understand is that Hindi has not been made mandatory in place of Marathi; Marathi remains compulsory. However, the New Education Policy (NEP) offers an opportunity to learn three languages, and learning three languages is mandatory. According to the policy, two of these three languages must be Indian languages," he added. The Maharashtra government has made it compulsory for students in state board schools to learn Hindi as a third language from Class 1, in addition to Marathi and English. Earlier, Rahul Ashok Rekhawar, Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Maharashtra, said that the decision was taken by the School Education Department on April 16. Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Rekhawar said, "On behalf of the Maharashtra Government, the School Education Department has taken a decision in which teaching Hindi language along with Marathi and English has been made compulsory from Class 1 in all the schools of the state board. This decision has been made with all the appointments and their development in view, and the students will definitely benefit from it." He clarified that the decision is meant purely for educational reasons and is not linked to any political or community agenda. (With inputs from ANI)
21 April,2025 09:57 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Mumbai weather updates: City swelters under heat and humidity
The city continued experiencing hot and humid weather on Monday, with the maximum temperature reaching 33.9 degrees Celsius. According to the latest Mumbai weather updates from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai is expected to experience a clear sky on Monday, April 21. Temperatures will range from a cool 25 degrees Celsius in the morning to a warm 35 degrees Celsius during the day. The sun rose at 06:19 AM and will set at 06:57 PM. According to the Mumbai weather updates of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Santacruz observatory in suburban Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 33.6 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 25.1 degrees Celsius. The weather department's data showed that the city observatory in Colaba recorded a maximum temperature of 33.9 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 26.0 degrees Celsius. The IMD’s latest Mumbai weather update forecasts a "mainly clear sky" for the city and its suburbs over the next 24 hours. Mumbai weather updates: City's AQI in 'good' category On April 21, the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app reported in its latest Mumbai weather updates that the city’s air quality remained in the 'good' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 67 at 9:05 AM. As per the SAMEER app dashboard, many areas across Mumbai showed 'good' AQI. Bandra Kurla Complex recorded 'good' air quality with an AQI of 78. Colaba, Malad and Borivali recorded 'good' air quality with an AQI of 50, 60 and 62, respectively. Byculla, Kandivali and Ghatkopar recorded 'good' air quality, with an AQI of 54, 41 and 60, respectively. Meanwhile, Worli and Chembur recorded 'good' air quality, with an AQI of 64 and 44, respectively. Kurla recorded 'moderate' air quality, with an AQI of 102. According to data from the SAMEER app, Navi Mumbai recorded air quality in the 'moderate' category with an AQI of 116, while Thane registered a 'good' AQI of 62. The air quality index from 0 to 100 is considered 'good', 100 to 200 'moderate', 200 to 300 'poor', 300 to 400 'very poor' and from 400 to 500 or above 'severe'.
21 April,2025 09:25 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent