In less than a month, the state government has taken three major decisions pertaining to the Dharavi redevelopment. On May 28, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved the Dharavi Redevelopment Project Limited (DRPL) master plan. On June 3, the state cabinet gave its nod to hand over 8.5 hectares of Kurla dairy land to the DRPL. Now, on Tuesday (June 17), the Maharashtra government has approved a proposal to provide concessions on thestamp duty applicable to agreements between the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and other agencies. This means that sublease agreements between the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA) and DRPL, or the transfer of land from the Dairy Development Department to DRPL, will have stamp duty at a conceded rate. Under the stamp duty waiver provisions, the state cabinet, in its meeting on Tuesday, approved the concession. “The decision is expected to expedite the redevelopment process,” read the statement issued by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's office. Earlier, on June 3, the state cabinet had already approved the handover of 8.5 hectares of Kurla dairy land to DRPL. The state government’s move to transform Asia’s largest slum into a modern and sustainable neighbourhood has been opposed by Opposition leaders, who argue that the ruling Mahayuti coalition (comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-headed NCP) is rolling out the red carpet for the private developer involved in the redevelopment process. The Dharavi revamp will be executed by Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), a joint venture between the Adani Group and the Maharashtra government. The Adani Group holds an 80 per cent stake in NMDPL, while the remaining 20 per cent is held by the state government. The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) is estimated to cost over Rs 2 lakh crore and includes the construction of 100 million square feet for rehabilitation. In return, NMDPL will have the right to develop and sell 140 million square feet under the free-sale category. Rough estimates suggest that around 1.25 lakh tenements — both residential and commercial — will need to be rehabilitated. Deadline for loans for Metro projects pushed to end of 2026 The state cabinet also approved an extension of the deadline to avail loans from financial institutions for Mumbai Metro projects, and the adoption of the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model for the first phase of the Virar-Alibag multipurpose transport corridor. For the Metro project, loans totalling $1,075.74 million have been sanctioned by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the New Development Bank (NDB). Of this, $549.25 million (approximately Rs 4304.43 crore) has already been utilised. The Central Government had earlier set June 30 as the deadline for full loan disbursement. With Metro Routes 2A (Dahisar East to D.N. Nagar) and 7 (Andheri East to Dahisar East) already operational, and work on Route 2B (D.N. Nagar to Mandalay) ongoing, the deadline extension will allow continued procurement — especially for the remaining 36 out of 96 metro trains being financed through the ADB loan. The new deadline for drawing down the loan has been extended to December 31, 2026.
18 June,2025 08:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev ShivadekarSix other key Mumbai stations and the Matheran Light Railway will also host similar events. “The Ministry of Railways has decided to celebrate the centenary of heritage stations across Indian Railways based on their respective dates of inception. A total of 143 stations have been identified across various zones and states for organising station mahotsavs,” a spokesperson said. Out of these, 15 stations are located in Maharashtra, most of which are part of the Central Railway. These include Mumbai CSMT, Byculla, Reay Road, Asangaon, Vasind, Kasara, Igatpuri, Murtizapur, Nagpur, Ahmednagar, Kolhapur, Wathar, Devlali, and all stations along the Neral–Matheran line. “Station Mahotsav events, designed to engage the community, highlight the historical significance of railway stations. They often coincide with milestones such as station inaugurations or the opening of new rail lines. These events aim to educate the public about the railway’s heritage — from station buildings to vintage equipment — and their vital role in India’s development,” the spokesperson added.
18 June,2025 07:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarA Hungarian environmentalist stumbled upon a suspicious packet weighing about 1 kg during a Sunday clean-up drive at Bena Beach in Vasai. Wrapped in multiple layers of plastic, the packet emitted a telltale odour when opened, prompting the beach cleaner to suspect it was charas, a banned narcotic. The environmentalist, Lisbon Ferrao, promptly handed over the packet to the Vasaigaon police, who registered a First Information Report (FIR) against unknown persons under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Lisbon Ferrao, environmentalist “I found the packet while cleaning the beach with my team. It seemed suspicious due to its weight and wrapping. When I opened it and took a sniff, I suspected it was charas. I immediately handed it over to the police,” said Ferrao, who, along with his wife Zsuzsanna, has been conducting weekly beach clean-ups across Vasai taluka in Palghar. A senior police officer confirmed the development. “We’ve received the packet and registered an FIR under the NDPS Act. Prima facie, it appears to be charas. We’ve sent it to the Crime Branch for investigation, and it will be forwarded for forensic analysis to determine the exact substance,” he said. With no CCTV cameras installed along the beach, tracking the origin of the packet poses a challenge. “We will rely on our human intelligence network to investigate how the suspected contraband ended up on the beach,” the officer added. Ferrao believes the packet may have washed ashore after falling off a passing consignment, though he said, “The cops can investigate and find out the actual reason.” This is not Ferrao’s first unusual find. In January 2022, he recovered a human skull and bones during a clean-up drive, which were later sent for forensic analysis. Then, in December 2022, he and his wife were shocked to find demonetised currency notes worth Rs 57,000 abandoned along the shoreline.
18 June,2025 07:53 AM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaWhat started as a seemingly routine fraud complaint by a 20-year-old job-seeker in Mumbai’s Malwani has unravelled one of India’s most sophisticated and sprawling cybercrime networks. The complainant, who received a shocking Rs 3.5 crore tax notice for companies she had never heard of, turned out to be an unsuspecting pawn in a digital laundering syndicate that used stolen identities, fake firms, and encrypted messaging apps to move over Rs 211 crore. Exclusive documents and testimony accessed by mid-day reveal how the racket — allegedly operated by Indian nationals from Armenia — lured young job-seekers, exploited their personal documents to open mule bank accounts, and funnelled illicit funds through the banned gambling platform. Malwani police busted a cyber-fraud racket where two men, Abhishek Pandey and Akash Vishwakarma, duped job seekers by collecting their documents under the pretext of offering jobs, then used those to set up fake companies and open bank accounts for laundering scam money. The duo was arrested on April 21. The woman’s testimony, obtained by mid-day, offers chilling insights into how digital fraud is being industrialised through fake jobs, stolen identities, and encrypted messaging apps — all hidden in plain sight. In an exclusive interview with mid-day, the complainant — who unknowingly became part of a massive financial fraud — broke her silence, exposing the inner workings of a call centre-based laundering racket. From CV to cybercrime The woman said she was recruited through a referral to a call centre operating out of Knox Plaza in Malad. “I had sent my CV and was interviewed by three men — Abhishek Pandey, Akash Vishwakarma, and a man calling himself ‘James Bond’ alias Naidu,” she recalled. “They offered me Rs 15,000 per month. A bank representative later came to the office, took my documents and signatures to open a salary account.” Initially working from the office, she eventually shifted to a work-from-home setup for about a year, six months of which were entirely remote. “My duty hours were from 9 am to 7 pm. Each day, I received a list of bank account numbers and names. Our instructions came via the Signal app, telling us which credentials to use and where to transfer the funds,” she said. “We were each moving over Rs 10 lakh a day. More than 100 people — mostly women — worked in three shifts around the clock.” Secret spot checks Every three months, she was summoned to a location — sometimes near Goregaon station, other times near the Infinity Mall. “There, a woman would check my phone against a list, delete any unfamiliar numbers and OTPs, then return it,” she said. This process, she later learned, was routine for all employees. All work instructions came through the secure messaging app, Signal. Along with Pandey, Vishwakarma, and “James Bond,” the same unidentified woman issued shift assignments. Tax shock Her nightmare began in March 2025, when she received a tax notice for Rs 3.5 crore. “It mentioned two companies — Dora Solution and Dora Enterprises — both registered in my name. I had never heard of them. The notice included details of transactions worth crores,” she said. When she contacted the handlers, they initially promised help but soon cut all contact. She was removed from the Signal group, and the office shut down. Realising she had been duped, she sought legal help and filed a police complaint. She later discovered the operation’s ringleader was based in Armenia, where many of her former co-workers had already relocated. Armenia at the helm A woman named Nahida, of Indian origin and now in Armenia, is believed to be a key figure in the scam. Pandey, Vishwakarma, and “James Bond” handled Indian operations. After her complaint, the woman and other former employees informed their team leaders. But instead of helping, they were told to relocate to Armenia, an offer many accepted. She refused. It became clear to her that job-seekers’ documents were being misused to open bank accounts for laundering — just as had happened in her case. Rs 211 crore digital drain According to Advocate Rafiq Gori, representing the victim, Malwani police arrested two accused and seized four laptops, multiple pen drives, and dozens of mobile phones. “These devices contained data on thousands of bank accounts and former employees, many now in Armenia,” Gori said. The Income Tax Department flagged 1008 mule accounts — 653 individual and 375 merchant. These accounts saw credits worth Rs 211 crore (Rs 2,11,17,06,839) and debits of Rs 209 crore (Rs 2,09,84,32,279), with a closing balance of Rs 1.33 crore. The racket routed funds through illegal gambling sites banned in India under the Information Technology (IT) Act. Despite a government ban on 174 gambling apps, the platform continued operations via alternate URLs. The syndicate laundered money through betting on sports such as cricket, kabaddi, volleyball, hockey, and even ice hockey, along with casino-style games and live bets hosted on the platform. Mule account playbook The scam’s architecture relied on “mule accounts” — many opened using real documents of unaware job seekers. Daily, small rounded deposits were credited and drained in bulk via interconnected accounts. As of March 24, 2025, over 1000 mule accounts tied to the platform had been identified. None of the individuals had any legal or business relationship with the platform confirming that most were used as pawns. Demand for high-level probe During interrogation, police uncovered leads about the elusive “James Bond,” who remains at large. Advocate Gori emphasised that this could be one of India’s biggest cyber fraud rackets. He urged that the case be transferred from Malwani cyber police to a specialised agency like the Mumbai Crime Branch. “The police have the accused’s phone numbers, KYC, and mobile records. This data must be used to track everyone involved — especially those abroad,” said Gori. “Lookout notices must be issued.” He added, “The racket is still active. They continue to exploit unemployed youth, demanding five bank accounts per recruit, which are then used for high-volume cyber fraud.” Gori concluded with a warning: “The government must act now. This is not just a local scam — this is a cross-border cyber laundering machine exploiting India’s digital loopholes.”
18 June,2025 07:43 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Western Railway is set to launch the heritage-themed Bandra station mahotsav on the occasion of the station’s 165th anniversary this July. The celebrations promise a rich lineup of events from a light and sound show to art competitions, a vlog race, the release of a commemorative stamp, and cultural programmes featuring local talent. Bandra railway station, a Western Railway illustration by Ramdas Nivelkar Railway Board has directed the celebration of centenary events for heritage stations across Indian Railways. Two stations under the Western Railway (WR) have been selected for this celebration — Bandra suburban station building, inaugurated on November 28, 1864, and Ratlam station building, inaugurated on March 1923. While the Bandra mahotsav will kick off on June 20 and continue through July 2025, the Ratlam mahotsav will be held in October 2025,” said Western Railway Chief PRO Vineet Abhishek. Divisional Railway Manager Pankaj Singh (in grey trousers), during the Shramdaan event on June 14. Pic/By Special Arrangement On Saturday, Divisional Railway Manager of Mumbai Central Division, Pankaj Singh, along with others, participated in a Shramdaan (voluntary cleaning) drive at Bandra Station. This initiative was part of the Bandra station mahotsav Heritage Function and focused on promoting cleanliness, hygiene, and passenger safety. “Monitoring and reporting unauthorised parking in station premises to maintain cleanliness and uphold the heritage pride of Bandra station will also be emphasised,” Abhishek added. Bandra mahotsav timeline of events June 10: Beautification and upgradation of Bandra station June 14: “Shramdaan”, a cleanliness drive at and around Bandra station June 20: Inauguration of the centenary celebration July 5-6: Light & sound show with photo exhibition depicting the rich heritage of Bandra station July 13: Art & craft competition open to school and college students July 27: Making of a badge of Bandra commemorating the occasion with a symbolic emblem and prize distribution ceremony Details of the event How can commuters participate?Western Railway has invited commuters to join in the celebrations through various competitions and events. Theme: All submissions must relate to Bandra Station — its heritage, culture, people, or transformation. b Art & craft competition (artwork/drawing/painting/digital art/clay modelling, etc) Vlog making competition (short video based on the theme) Purani Yaadein: Share old memories — photos, videos, or audio clips related to Bandra station Participation: Open to all How to register: Fill out the Google form Hashtags for tagging: #StationMahotsav #BandraStation #HeritageMahotsav Last date for submission: June 30 Display: Selected entries will be showcased at Bandra station on July 13 and featured on Western Railway’s social media platforms
18 June,2025 07:24 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe body of 15-year-old Akash Suresh Patni, a resident of Ahmedabad who dreamt of becoming a pilot, was identified through DNA testing on Monday night and handed over to his family on the following day. Akash was among the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash and had often told his mother, “One day I will fly an airplane.” The sisters brought rakhis to lay on the coffin. Pics/Nimesh Dave He was at the crash site by chance on June 12, delivering lunch to his mother, who runs a tea stall near a student hostel located along the airport’s flight path. Akash frequently helped her at the stall, and his sisters told mid-day he would gaze at planes overhead, imagining himself in the cockpit. Grieving family members struggle to come to terms with the tragedy The crash claimed his life and left his mother with severe burn injuries. She is currently admitted to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Due to the condition of Akash’s body, 100 per cent burned, the family was not permitted to open the coffin. Akash’s sister breaks down while trying to get a final glimpse of her brother outside the ambulance. Pics/Nimesh Dave His sister, who had hoped to tie a rakhi on his wrist as a final farewell, was heartbroken when denied the opportunity. A huge crowd gathered for Akash’s last rites, including family, friends, neighbours, and locals from the community, many of whom wept inconsolably. Relatives weep inconsolably at Akash’s funeral Meanwhile, Gandhinagar’s Chief Fire Officer Om Jadeja and Ahmedabad’s Joint Police Commissioner Vidhi Chaudhary hailed the pilot and co-pilot as heroes. “If the aircraft had crashed just 100 metres ahead, it would have destroyed the entire Ahmedabad Civil Hospital campus,” she told mid-day. Akash Suresh Patni, who was trapped in the blaze that broke out after the plane crash The hospital houses over 1200 patients, along with doctors, staff, students, and families. Akash’s sisters summed up the community’s grief: “Our brother always wanted to be a pilot. He was too young. We’ve lost our little one.”
18 June,2025 07:20 AM IST | Ahmedabad | Shirish Vaktania | Nimesh DaveDo you know what the stars hold for you in terms of love life, career, business and personal wellness today? Well, read on to know your astrological predictions as per your zodiac sign for June 18. Aries March 21 – April 20The job stabilizes. Be aware of who is around you to avoid having your pocket/ handbag picked. Be careful about words spoken. Cosmic tip: Embrace a new dawn with open arms, being full of gratitude. Taurus April 21 – May 20Keep energy positive, not allowing anger to get the upper hand. Changing lifestyle habits is revealed. Agree to deadlines you can keep up.Cosmic tip: Be grateful for abundance that flows freely to you. GeminiMay 21 – June 21Today favours making financial decisions and meetings that end on a positive note. A holiday with relatives is planned.Cosmic tip: Be lovingly communicative with your spouse/ partner to keep the relationship strong. Cancer June 22 – July 23Receiving unexpected money is a pleasant surprise (you didn’t think a debt would be returned). Further studies are revealed for some. Cosmic tip: Be aware of emotional spending. Leo July 24 - Aug 23Don’t get involved in office politics even by mistake. Those seeking employment find a job soon. Business travel is revealed.Cosmic tip: Speaking courteously brings results looked for. Virgo Aug 24 – Sept 23Entire morning is taken up receiving and making phone calls, which slows down after 1 pm. Make time to have lunch. Cosmic tip: Listen to intuition as better judgement prevails in a semi-serious matter. Libra Sept 24 – Oct 22Mind and emotions are in sync with each other, allowing the day to unfold as it should. Health is good. Cosmic tip: Appreciate this optimism and excitement of a day unfolding exactly as planned. Scorpio Oct 23 – Nov 22A business meeting set up last minute is overall okay, but you wish there had been time to prepare for it. Cosmic tip: Take control of thoughts and emotions, living in the present moment. Sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 22Conserve energy by balancing thoughts with actions to deal with so much work that comes in suddenly.Cosmic tip: Act with forethought, keeping temper in check if the going gets slightly tough. Capricorn Dec 23 – Jan 20Self-employed Capricorns have new ideas for business expansion. Slowing down with a mini holiday is revealed.Cosmic tip: Be extra cautious with confidential information. Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 19This karmic cycle encourages clearing up past misunderstandings. Physical vitality can be held onto with moderation. Cosmic tip: Don’t discuss goals, allowing outcomes to speak for you instead. Pisces Feb 20 – March 20Consider a situation from several aspects before deciding on one course of action. Travelling is a passion which resumes very soon. Cosmic tip: Invest extra money wisely in traditional schemes.
18 June,2025 06:02 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirley BoseAs many of the Marathi-speaking families would not opt for Gujarati, Bengali or any southern state languages, Hindi would remain the preferred third language in most of the schools. This means Hindi will be the most preferred language for Standard 1 to 5 across all schools in Maharashtra. On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government came out with orders which state that if anyone wants to have an alternative language to Hindi, they can opt for the same, but it would require a minimum of 20 students in the class. “If the requirement is not met, the education for the opted language will be offered through online studies,” a revised Government Resolution (GR) issued by the state government on June 17 mentioned. Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had objected to making Hindi a compulsory subject for students from Standard 1 to 5 in schools across the state. Thackeray’s objection came a day after the state government approved the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, introducing Hindi as a mandatory third language for students from Standards 1 to 5 in Marathi and English medium schools. The MNS chief had reiterated that Hindi is not the national language and every state has its own mother tongue, and Hindi is just one of them. “Use of Marathi, Hindi and English (three languages) should be limited to government and official work. Hindi cannot be made mandatory and one cannot and should not force students to learn it. MNS strongly opposes any such policy and will not tolerate the same,” Raj Thackeray had warned through a social media post (handle X). In fact, estranged nephew of late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, Raj had mentioned, “We are Hindu, not Hindi. Hence, request the government to keep this in mind before taking the decision ahead for implementation." In April, the government issued a Government Resolution which stated that instead of the existing practice of studying two languages, the state made it mandatory to study Hindi as a third language, as part of implementing the new curriculum under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. However, following stiff protest, especially from the MNS, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Marathi study circle, within a few days of issuing the GR, State Education Minister Dada Bhuse clarified that Hindi would be optional and not a compulsory language. But, now that schools have started, there was confusion among parents, teachers and educational institutes, as leaders from political parties in some places visited educational institute premises asking not to teach Hindi. To clear the ambiguity, the state government on late Tuesday night came out with a revised GR which mentions that the three-language education policy will continue, leaving many people with no choice but to opt for Hindi as the third language.
18 June,2025 01:19 AM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev ShivadekarThe Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has completed 49 per cent of the total planned road length by May 31 under its ambitious road concretisation project, the civic body stated on Tuesday, according to news agency PTI. The road concretisation initiative was launched two years ago. Of the total 2,121 roads spanning 698.44 km planned under Phase-1 and Phase-2 of the project, work on 1,385 roads covering 342.74 km has been completed, which is 49.07 per cent of the overall target, the release said, according to PTI. Among the completed roads, 771 stretches measuring 186 km have been concretised end-to-end, while 614 roads covering 156.74 km have been completed from junction to junction or half-width, it added. “Under Phase I of the project, a total of 700 roads covering 320.08 km were taken up for concretisation. As of May 31, 582 of these roads have been completed, amounting to 203.36 km, achieving 63.53 per cent of the targeted work in this phase,” the Mumbai civic body said, according to PTI. “In Phase II, work to concretise 1,421 roads spanning 378.36 km was undertaken. Of these, 803 roads covering 139.38 km have been completed so far, reflecting a 36.84 per cent completion rate for this phase,” the statement added. Barricades on the concretised roads have been removed, along with construction materials, and these roads have been opened for traffic following the completion of cement concretisation work, the BMC said. Speed controllers will be re-installed once their list is finalised. “No agency will be permitted to excavate these roads after concretisation,” it stated. The project was implemented within the stipulated timeframe and according to quality standards, with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay acting as an independent third-party quality auditor, the release said. Mumbai civic body files police complaint after waste found dumped in recently cleaned Dharavi drain The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has filed a police complaint against unidentified persons and establishments for dumping industrial waste into a cleaned drain near T Junction in Dharavi area of Mumbai, an official statement said on Tuesday. The action comes after the BMC noticed a fresh accumulation of waste despite recent cleaning. According to the BMC, on Monday, the civic officials from the BMC's solid waste management department visited the site and found materials such as thermocol, rubber, wrappers, and parcel boxes dumped in the drain. A police complaint has been lodged at Shahunagar Police Station under Section 326 (A) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The Mumbai civic body said that the act poses a serious threat to Mumbai’s drainage system and monsoon preparedness. Drains that have already been cleaned are getting clogged again due to floating waste, which blocks the flow of rainwater and may lead to waterlogging. The BMC has been cleaning rivers and drains across the city as part of its monsoon readiness work. The cleaning process is being carried out in a planned and systematic manner, using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for better efficiency and transparency. Senior BMC officials are personally inspecting desilting work across the city, including eastern and western suburbs, the BMC said, adding that despite the major desilting work being completed, floating garbage brought in by tidal waves continues to enter the drains. As a result, BMC teams have to clean them repeatedly. It said that to stop garbage from entering the drains, the BMC has taken several steps including placing metal nets at select locations as a pilot project. Still, some individuals or establishments continue to throw plastic bags, furniture parts, rubber, and thermocol, which hampers sewage flow and emergency operations. (With PTI inputs)
17 June,2025 11:52 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday gave its nod to stamp duty concessions for lease agreements between the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) created for the Dharavi redevelopment project in Mumbai, reported the PTI. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. An SPV has been established for the integrated redevelopment of Dharavi, one of the biggest slum sprawls in Asia which is located in central Mumbai. The redevelopment project is a joint venture between the state government and the Adani group. The redevelopment- rehabilitation scheme has been declared an 'essential urban and special project' and a policy to offer stamp duty concessions or exemptions for such projects has already been finalised, a statement from the Chief Minister's office said, according to the PTI. In line with the policy, a proposal was submitted to provide stamp duty concession for sub-lease agreements between the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA), New Delhi and the Dharavi Redevelopment Project or the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), Mumbai. The cabinet approved the inclusion of these documents under the stamp duty concession policy with the objective of accelerating the project, the statement said, as per the PTI. Among other decisions, the cabinet extended the deadline for availing loans from financial institutions -- Asian Development Bank (ADB) and New Development Bank (NDB) -- for Mumbai Metro Lines 2A (Dahisar East to D.N. Nagar), 2B (D.N. Nagar to Mandale), and Line 7 (Andheri East to Dahisar East). A total loan amount of USD 1,075.74 million has been approved by ADB and NDB for these metro projects. Out of this, USD 549.25 million, equivalent to Rs 4,304.43 crore, has already been utilised. The Central Government had initially set a deadline of June 30, 2025, for raising the loan. Metro Lines 2A and 7 have already become operational, while work on Metro Line 2B is progressing. A total of 96 metro trains were to be procured through the ADB loan, 60 of which have already been received. With the loan deadline extended to December 31, 2026, the remaining 36 metro trains will also be procured under this arrangement. Approval was also granted for the first phase (96.41 km) of the Virar-Alibag Multimodal Corridor to be developed under the 'Build, Operate and Transfer' model. The total length of the corridor is 126 km, and it passes through Vasai, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Ambernath, Panvel, Uran, Pen and Alibag. The project will improve connectivity between major highways including Mumbai-Pune Expressway, JNPT, Mumbai Trans Harbour link and upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. A provision of Rs 37,013 crore, including Rs 22,250 crore for land acquisition and Rs 14,763 crore towards interest, has been made, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
17 June,2025 08:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a bid to improve the travel experience while prioritising passenger safety and comfort, Central Railway’s Mumbai Division has launched a focused ticket-checking drive in first-class coaches of suburban trains to curb irregular travel and uphold service standards for its first-class commuters. This new system will be introduced from Monday. In response to the ongoing complaints about unauthorised travel in first-class compartments, Mumbai Division’s ticket-checking teams will now be specifically assigned to all first-class coaches during peak hours on a rotational basis, accompanied by RPF (Railway Protection Force) personnel. These teams will conduct checks from one end of the line to the other, ensuring thorough inspections throughout the train’s journey. Irregular travellers will be apprehended immediately and penalties will be collected inside the train. If a passenger fails to pay the fine, they will be handed over at the next scheduled station to the Railway department staff. The station-based ticket-checking staff will take over, and if required, complete the legal prosecution process as well. The initiative aims to protect the rights of legitimate first-class commuters and strengthen fare integrity across the suburban network. This move follows the considerable success of the air-conditioned (AC) Local Help Line Ticket-Checking initiative previously launched by the Central Railway. Central Railway's Mumbai Division has appealed to all the commuters to travel with valid tickets or passes and to cooperate with the checking staff, ensuring a smoother and fairer journey for everyone.
17 June,2025 08:04 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarADVERTISEMENT
