A private bus was gutted in a fire on the Western Express Highway in Mumbai's Malad area on Tuesday morning, affecting traffic movement on the busy route for some time, officials said, reported news agency PTI. There was no report of any casualty, they said. The fire brigade received information at around 10 am about the blaze in the Borivali-bound sleeper coach bus near a bridge in Malad (East), reported PTI. There were passengers onboard when the fire erupted in the front portion of the bus, and they were all safely evacuated, a civic official said. The exact number of passengers onboard was not yet known. Firefighters rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze within 30 minutes, but by the time the entire bus was gutted, reported PTI. "No injuries were reported in the incident," the official said, reported PTI. Due to the fire, traffic on the Western Express Highway was affected for some time, according to officials, reported PTI. The cause of the blaze was yet to be ascertained. Fire breaks out at Ghatkopar building, no injuries reported In another incident, a fire broke out at a building in Ghatkopar West on Tuesday morning, officials said. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the fire erupted on the third floor of a building in Narayan Nagar near Mahendra Hospital in Ghatkopar West on Tuesday morning, officials said. As per the civic body, the incident was reported at around 10:22 am to the Mumbai Fire Brigade. The blaze occurred in the Union Bank building, which has a ground-plus-three (G+3) structure. Fire officials declared the incident as Level-I at 10:42 am, indicating a minor fire. An update on the situation was issued at 10:51 am. Multiple agencies were mobilised to the spot, including the Mumbai Fire Brigade, local police, the concerned electricity distribution company, 108 ambulance services and BMC ward staff. Firefighting and safety operations were carried out promptly to prevent the fire from spreading. No injuries have been reported so far, officials added. 73-year-old woman dies in fire in Oshiwara flat Meanwhile, a 73-year-old woman died in a fire that broke out in a flat in a residential complex in Mumbai's Oshiwara area on January 17, a civic official said. The fire in Bridge Building near High Point Hotel in Lokhandwala in the locality was reported at 11:15am and was doused at 12:09 pm after four fire engines and other fire fighting vehicles were deployed, he added. "Senior citizen Hiru Chetalani sustained burn injuries and was declared dead on arrival by doctors at civic-run Cooper Hospital. The cause of the fire is being ascertained," the official said. (With inputs from PTI)
20 January,2026 11:57 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA fire broke out at a building in Ghatkopar West on Tuesday morning, officials said. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the fire erupted on the third floor of a building in Narayan Nagar near Mahendra Hospital in Ghatkopar West on Tuesday morning, officials said. As per the civic body, the incident was reported at around 10:22 am to the Mumbai Fire Brigade. The blaze occurred in the Union Bank building, which has a ground-plus-three (G+3) structure. Fire officials declared the incident as Level-I at 10:42 am, indicating a minor fire. An update on the situation was issued at 10:51 am. Multiple agencies were mobilised to the spot, including the Mumbai Fire Brigade, local police, the concerned electricity distribution company, 108 ambulance services and BMC ward staff. Firefighting and safety operations were carried out promptly to prevent the fire from spreading. No injuries have been reported so far, officials added. Bus gutted in fire on highway in Mumbai; no casualty In another incident, a private bus was gutted in a fire on the Western Express Highway in Mumbai's Malad area on Tuesday morning, affecting traffic movement on the busy route for some time, officials said. There was no report of any casualty, they said. The fire brigade received information at around 10 am about the blaze in the Borivali-bound sleeper coach bus near a bridge in Malad (East). There were passengers onboard when the fire erupted in the front portion of the bus, and they were all safely evacuated, a civic official said.The exact number of passengers onboard was not yet known. Firefighters rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze within 30 minutes, but by the time the entire bus was gutted. "No injuries were reported in the incident," the official said. Due to the fire, traffic on the Western Express Highway was affected for some time, according to officials. The cause of the blaze was yet to be ascertained. 73-year-old woman dies in fire in Oshiwara flat Meanwhile, a 73-year-old woman died in a fire that broke out in a flat in a residential complex in Mumbai's Oshiwara area on January 17, a civic official said. The fire in Bridge Building near High Point Hotel in Lokhandwala in the locality was reported at 11:15am and was doused at 12:09 pm after four fire engines and other fire fighting vehicles were deployed, he added. "Senior citizen Hiru Chetalani sustained burn injuries and was declared dead on arrival by doctors at civic-run Cooper Hospital. The cause of the fire is being ascertained," the official said.
20 January,2026 11:43 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai experienced a calm and pleasant winter morning on Tuesday, with mild temperatures and clear skies offering a comfortable start to the day. The early hours were cooler than usual for the city, bringing respite from humidity and providing refreshing conditions for morning walkers and daily commuters. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast maximum and minimum temperatures of around 31 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius, respectively, for Mumbai on Tuesday. According to IMD observations, the Colaba weather station recorded a minimum temperature of 18.6 degrees Celsius during the morning hours, while Santacruz reported a lower minimum of 16 degrees Celsius. Air quality across the city remained largely satisfactory. Data from the Sameer app showed Mumbai’s air quality index (AQI) at 82 on Tuesday, which falls under the ‘satisfactory’ category. Authorities, however, cautioned that even at this level, people with respiratory ailments, asthma, or heart-related conditions may experience mild breathing discomfort. AQI levels at key locations in Mumbai on Tuesday were recorded as follows: Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC): 93 Kandivali East: 80 Byculla: 59 Andheri East: 83 Chembur: 65 Deonar: 99 Delhi's air remains unbreathable at 397 AQI Meanwhile, Delhi continued to grapple with its air pollution crisis on Tuesday morning with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 397 at 7 am, placing the national capital's air in the 'very poor' category. According to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), while there was a marginal improvement compared to Monday morning, when the AQI was in the 'severe' category at 418. Several areas in Delhi reported alarmingly high AQI levels. Anand Vihar and Ashok Vihar both recorded AQI readings of 444, while Wazirpur registered 446. Other pollution hotspots included Punjabi Bagh (437), RK Puram (421), Bawana (418), ITO (414), Chandni Chowk (412) and Dwarka Sector 8 (412). All these locations fell in the 'severe' category, indicating extremely poor air quality and heightened health risks. 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'. Adding to the deteriorating conditions, visibility across the city remained poor due to ongoing cold wave conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported dense fog in the morning hours, with moderate fog at several locations and dense fog at isolated spots. The temperature around 7 am was recorded at approximately 8.2 degrees Celsius. With severe pollution, cold wave and dense fog persisting, authorities have urged citizens to limit outdoor activities, follow health advisories, and take precautions against the hazardous air quality.
20 January,2026 09:17 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBorivali may not have driverless trains like London or Tokyo, but it has now entered the same global league as some of the world’s most complex urban rail hubs when it comes to train operations. With the commissioning of the Siemens Westrace MK-II interlocking system, Borivali now operates Mumbai’s largest and most advanced signalling setup. The station has replaced its ageing relay-based system with the largest Electronic Interlocking (EI) network in the Mumbai suburban railway. The new system controls 381 train routes, manages 90 track points across seven running lines and is operated through dual 65-inch 8K display screens. Upgraded signalling room now resembles a modern mission-control centre, capable of handling dense train movements with greater speed, precision and safety. “The new system manages hundreds of routes, points and signals across multiple running lines, significantly improving operational reliability and safety,” a WR spokesperson said. Key features of Borivli’s new signalling system 381 operational routes56 signals90 points123 track circuits across seven running linesDual 65-inch 8K control screens
20 January,2026 07:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Mira-Bhayandar Metro service will become operational next month, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Monday. The upcoming Mumbai Metro Line 9 — a crucial extension of Line 7 — connects Dahisar East in Mumbai to Mira-Bhayandar in Thane district. “People are eagerly waiting for the Metro. The work is almost complete. I have spoken to the chief minister, and we will start the Metro next month after local body (ZP and panchayat samitis) elections are held on February 5,” he said, adding that the Metro will significantly ease traffic congestion and improve public transport. The minister also announced that the city will start receiving water from the Surya Dam, which is expected to resolve long-standing water supply issues. Commenting on the outcome of civic polls, Sarnaik said he was satisfied with the BJP’s victory under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “The people have shown their support. We worked on development, but perhaps people did not fully trust us. Still, our vote count increased by 1.90 lakh,” the Shiv Sena leader said. He said the Marathi-non-Marathi controversy during the election period benefited the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT). The issue of regional identity stemmed from an assault on a shopkeeper in Mira Bhayandar by activists of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena last July. The MNS and other groups had organised a massive protest march to assert the Marathi identity. 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
20 January,2026 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesA major traffic jam occurred on Monday along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad NH-48 highway due to a protest against the Vadhavan Port and “other destructive mega projects being imposed on the district”, including on forest and land across Palghar and Dahanu. The large crowd comprising Communist party members dressed in black marched from Tarapur to Palghar, where local fishermen, the Adivasi community, and labourers joined them in protesting outside the Collector’s Office. The protesters strongly opposed the Vadhavan Port, the proposed airport, Murbe Port, the Kelwe Textile Park, and the so-called ‘Fourth Mumbai’ project. They alleged that these projects are environmentally destructive, socially unjust, and pose a direct threat to the survival of the local population. Speaking with mid-day Ramkrishnan Tandel, president of the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF), said, “All these projects will lead to destruction of traditional fishing livelihoods and marine ecosystems, apart from large-scale displacement of Adivasi and farming communities. There will be a loss of agricultural land, salt pans, mangroves, and shared coastal resources due to these projects. These projects will destroy around 107 villages from Palghar to Dahanu. Such destructive development will not be accepted by the people of Palghar.” Tandel asserted that fishermen will not be able to fish if Vadhavan Port is constructed. “This project is not environmentally friendly; it will damage the sea, forest and land,” he added. The Communist party was set to march and protest at the Palghar Collector’s Office today as well. As a result, major traffic jams can be expected on the NH-48, impacting those travelling between Mumbai and Gujarat. To maintain law and order, police personnel have been deployed at Hutatma Chowk in Palghar, at railway stations from Palghar to Dahanu, Old Palghar, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk. All schools along the route of the protest march have been given a holiday. On Monday, local schools were shut at 10 am. NH-48 traffic advisory The Palghar traffic police issued an advisory regarding heavy traffic along NH-48 from 8 am to 10 pm on Monday, and 6 am to 2 pm today. Heavy vehicles have been barred, and they will be stopped from entering at Acchad Naka and Amboli.
20 January,2026 07:36 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaIn a first, the Ministry of Earth Sciences has sanctioned a grant of Rs 71.74 lakh for Mumbai University’s Centre for Excellence in Marine Studies. The grant is to be utilised for a project on ‘bio-prospecting of marine microalgae’. Through this project, the university is set to explore how ‘microalgae’, which are commonly found along India’s west coast, can be tapped for their use in various industries such as skin care products or nutraceuticals like omega-3s. Professor Varsha Kelkar Mane, the Centre’s deputy director, who is leading the project, said, “The main objective of this project is to explore the possibilities of using these microalgae, especially in the rapidly developing cosmeceutical industry. Marine microalgae play a vital role in acting as carbon sinks, food webs, and primary producers, together with offering vast potential in biotechnology for sustainable fuels, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics, supporting several Sustainable Development Goals.” As per Prof Kelkar Mane, these microalgae are rich in proteins, lipids, vitamins, antioxidants, and bioactive compounds. This makes them ideal for human and animal nutrition. The organisms can also grow rapidly and adapt quickly, making them ideal for industrial applications. “The west coast of India has so far been untapped for this resource, and the project aims to effectively address the same,” she said. In numbers Number of research personnel involved: 1 Principal investigator, 1 Research Fellow, 5 PhD students assisting Coastal areas being explored for microalgae species: Dwarka to Veraval in Gujarat, Mumbai, Raigad-Ratnagiri coast line, GoaMumbai areas being studied: Dadar, Juhu, Madh, Gorai, Mulund saltpansNumber of marine microalgae species being studied: 10
20 January,2026 07:31 AM IST | Mumbai | Aditi AlurkarTensions flared in Malad East’s ward 39 after a clash broke out between workers and members of the Congress party and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), leaving several injured in the incident. According to the police, the incident occurred on January 17, a day after the BMC election results were declared, in which Congress candidate Madhu Brijesh Singh lost. Following the results, Madhu’s husband, Brijesh Singh, along with his brother, Sarvesh Singh, and over a dozen supporters, arrived at the NCP party office in ward 39 and allegedly vandalised the office and also assaulted NCP candidate Suman Indrajeet Singh, her family, and party members, blaming her for Madhu’s defeat. The incident led Kurar police to register cross FIRs and make arrests. In her complaint, Suman claimed that Brijesh blamed her and her husband for his wife’s defeat, allegedly saying that had she not contested the election, his wife (Madhu) would not have lost. He also accused her of refusing earlier to support him and then deliberately entering the fray, which he claimed led to his defeat. Suman further stated that she, her family, and supporters are living in fear and have demanded strict action against the accused. Kurar police confirmed that cross FIRs have been registered, and acting on the complaint filed by the NCP candidate and her supporters, police arrested Brijesh and his brother Sarvesh. Seven to nine other accused involved in the incident are still wanted, said police. The arrested accused were produced before a local court, which remanded them to police custody till January 20. Senior Inspector Sanjeev Tavde confirmed the arrests and the registration of cross cases, adding that further investigation is underway. Police sources also revealed that Brijesh is an accused in the murder case of former deputy shakha pramukh Shiv Sena Sachin Sawant. Ward facts In the recently held BMC polls, Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Pushpa Ramesh Kamble emerged victorious in ward 39, bagging 6411 votes. Madhu Singh secured second position with 5228 votes, followed by Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) candidate Vinaya Sawant with 4059 votes, while NCP candidate Suman Singh polled 2173 votes. January 17Day the incident occurred
20 January,2026 07:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanWhen Dhaval Lakshmi, a satellite-tagged female Olive Ridley turtle, was released off the Dahanu coast in late November, she began a long journey at sea. After earlier moving towards Gujarat, the turtle has now returned to Maharashtra waters and is currently in deep seas, about 715 km from Dahanu. Over the past week, satellite data shows she has been moving in a southwestward direction. A team of researchers under the supervision of Dr Suresh Kumar, senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), has been tracking the movement of Dhaval Lakshmi in coordination with Mangrove Cell and Dahanu Forest Division. Speaking with mid-day, Dr Kumar said, “Dhaval Lakshmi, released into the sea in November, has so far travelled nearly 1000 km, while the straight-line distance covered stands at around 850 km from Mumbai. We are continuously monitoring her movements through satellite data to better understand her travel route, behaviour at sea, and the progress of her ongoing journey.” According to the Mangrove Cell, as of January 13, the satellite-tagged turtle was located approximately 715 km from the Dahanu coast and continues to remain in deep waters. Over the past week, she has exhibited southwestward movement. The Dahanu Forest Division and the Mangrove Cell of the Maharashtra Forest Department, along with WII, had attached the satellite transmitter to a female Olive Ridley turtle in Palghar district and released it back into the sea in November. The turtle was found entangled in a fishing net on August 10, 2025, and was rescued by local fishermen who noticed injuries on both her front flippers. She was then taken to the Turtle Treatment Centre for care and recovery. After receiving treatment, the turtle — named Dhaval Lakshmi — was fitted with a satellite tag and released into the sea with support from WII experts. This is the first Olive Ridley to be tagged in Palghar District and the eighth along the Maharashtra coastline. A female Olive Ridley lays 100-150 eggs at a time, which take about 45-55 days to hatch. Inter-state travel December 22, 2025: Dhaval Lakshmi moved further west from the Maharashtra coastline, travelling over 200 km west of Dahanu and entering Gujarat waters, about 83 km south of Somnath December 29, 2025: She continued her westward journey into the Arabian Sea and was recorded around 400 km from Dahanu, and approximately 100 km off the Porbandar coast January 5: Dhaval Lakshmi had reached the open, deep waters of the Arabian Sea, located nearly 650 km from the Dahanu coast Understanding Olive Ridley sea turtles The Mangrove Cell and the forest department have tasked WII with conducting the study titled ‘Tracking the Migratory Movements of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles off the Coast of Maharashtra’. This second phase of research aims to study population distribution, movement, feeding areas and behaviour, with more tagging projects planned in the future.
20 January,2026 07:19 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavFifteen years after being forced to vacate their homes, tenants of Ramchandra Building, opposite GT Hospital in South Mumbai, say they are still battling official apathy, bureaucratic delays, and what they allege is deliberate inaction by their landlord, even as parts of the structure continue to collapse. The building was declared unsafe in 2011 after a major portion gave way, prompting authorities to immediately evacuate residents. However, no rehabilitation plan, transit accommodation, or rent compensation was provided. “Since then, 35 families have been living in rented homes, bearing the financial and emotional burden of displacement for the last 15 years,” said Jagdeep Sambhwani, secretary of the dilapidated structure. Despite the structure being categorised as dangerous, residents allege the landlord continues to collect pagadi from them. “Even though we have not been able to occupy our homes since 2011, the landlord has been collecting pagadi from all of us. Including cess, it comes to around Rs 10,000 per year. Ideally, pagadi and cess can be collected only if the premises are occupied. But neither are we living there, nor has the landlord maintained, repaired, or redeveloped the building,” said Haresh Purohit, treasurer of the dilapidated structure. Ramchandra Building near GT Hospital, Fort. Pics/Ashish Raje In October 2023, the Bombay High Court directed both the landlord and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) to submit a concrete redevelopment plan within four months. “That deadline expired in February 2024. No proposal has been submitted so far, nor has any clear timeline been shared,” Sambhwani said. ‘Landlord misled us’ Explaining what exactly happened, Sambhwani told mid-day, “Back in 2012, when we had approached the then landlord, mother of the current landlord, we did not get any response. We waited for seven years and finally filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court in 2019. During the hearings, the current landlord appeared, as his mother had passed away, and sought the court’s permission to have his name added to the property card. He obtained NOCs from the six other shareholders and also obtained our consent. Since our only aim was redevelopment, we agreed and signed an MoU in August 2023. He also told the court he would redevelop the building under Section 33(7), following which permission was granted.” “However, since the court’s order in October 2023 directing both the landlord and MHADA to act, there has been no communication till date,” added Sambhwani. Purohit said tenants continue paying pagadi out of fear of losing their tenancy rights. “For 15 years, we have been paying high rents across the city and also paying pagadi. We are scared that if we stop paying, the landlord will take over our homes. It is a double financial burden despite having houses we cannot occupy. In these years, we have already lost 14 residents during this long fight,” he said. Repeated attempts by mid-day to contact landlord Daleep Jatwani were unsuccessful. His manager, Anil Wadhwa, said he would try to connect, but no response was received till the time of press.
20 January,2026 07:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika GondhalekarTwo-wheeler riders commuting on Sahar Road in Andheri East have been struggling with an uneven stretch for the past two months, as ongoing construction has narrowed the carriageway near the D-Mart departmental store. With work underway on one side, the two-lane road has effectively been reduced, leading to traffic bottlenecks and frequent skidding incidents, commuters said. mid-day had earlier alerted the BMC about the issue, following which a temporary repair was carried out. However, riders say the patchwork has failed to provide any relief. Pothole formed due to shifting of divider When mid-day contacted the BMC’s Assistant Municipal Commissioner Nitin Shukla, he claimed the pothole had formed due to the shifting of the divider. “Since underground water duct work is underway, the divider was removed and moved to one side to prevent making the road too narrow. We have already filled the pothole, but as commuters are still complaining, an inspector will visit the spot and monitor the road for the next few days to come up with a temporary solution, to ensure smoother traffic movement until the duct work is completed.” Commuters speakBefore BMC’s fix While most of the road has been concreted, the problematic patch is laid with paver blocks that loosen easily under heavy traffic during peak hours. Anil Yadav, Daily commuterWho rides a two-wheeler to work, said shifting the divider to widen the road has created new risks. “Some of the rocks placed along the side are protruding. If we try to move aside, there’s a chance of hitting them, which could lead to serious accidents,” he said. Mohmad Akram, Local autorickshaw driverTold mid-day, “In the past few days, I’ve seen many riders skid while crossing this patch as the stones keep breaking apart. We all drive very carefully over the area to avoid any kind of accidents.” Another auto driverRecalled a recent incident, “A rider fell right in front of my auto a few weeks ago. Luckily, I was driving slowly, so it did not turn serious.” After BMC’s fix Rajesh and Nitesh Gupta, Frequent commuters Who commute daily on two-wheelers, said the repairs were inadequate. “They covered the pothole, but the fix is so small that it hardly makes any difference. The patch is still uncomfortable and dangerous, and it causes heavy congestion,” Rajesh said, adding that it once took him nearly an hour to cross a 50-metre stretch during evening peak hours. Nitesh added, “Work that is supposed to finish in 15-20 days often drags on for months. Until it’s completed properly, commuters will keep suffering. We just hope the BMC completes the work soon so we can have a better road in the next few weeks.” A vendorNot everyone, however, blames the road. A vendor at the spot said, “If people drive carefully, accidents won’t happen. Many riders try to overtake or speed and lose balance when they hit the pothole.”
20 January,2026 07:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Madhulika Ram KavatturADVERTISEMENT
