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Mumbai civic body to run summer library programme for Class 6 to 10 students
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to run a summer library programme for students from Class 6 to 10. A wide variety of books will be made available, with one library operating in a civic school in each administrative ward. According to a BMC official, 25 libraries will function between May 2 and June 12. These libraries will remain open daily from 10 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 6 pm for students. Access will be available to students from both BMC-run and private schools. Each library will have dedicated classrooms and separate restroom facilities for boys and girls. To gain entry to the summer library, students must carry their school ID card, Aadhaar card, and a consent letter from their parents. To make information easily accessible, the civic body has provided a QR code. When scanned, it will provide details, including Google Map locations of all 25 libraries operating across the city. Ward-wise list of the summer libraries: A Ward – Lord Harris Municipal School B Ward – Janabai and Madhavrao Rokade Municipal School C Ward – Nizampura Municipal School D Ward – Gilder Lane Municipal School D Ward – Balaram Marg Municipal School E Ward – New Byculla East, Patanwala Road Municipal School F-South Ward – Parel Bhoiwada Municipal School F-North Ward – Korba Mithagar Municipal School G-South Ward – Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Municipal School G-North Ward – Dadar Woolen Mill Municipal School H-East Ward – Shastri Nagar Urdu Municipal School H-West Ward – Hasanabad Municipal School K-East Ward – Nityanand Marg Municipal School K-West Ward – Vile Parle West Municipal School P-South Ward – Unnat Nagar Municipal School P-North Ward – Rani Sati Marg Marathi Municipal School R-South Ward – Akurli Marathi Municipal School No. 1 R-Central Ward – Poinsur Hindi Municipal School No. 3 R-North Ward – Bharucha Road Municipal School L-Ward – Nehru Nagar Municipal School M- East Ward – Shivaji Nagar Municipal School No 1 M-East 2 Ward – Govandi Station Marathi Municipal School No 2 M-West Ward – Tilak Nagar Municipal School N-Ward – Maneklal Mehta Municipal School S-Ward – MVR Shinde Marg Hindi Municipal School T-Ward – Goshala Marg Municipal School
21 April,2025 11:13 PM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
Sharad and Ajit Pawar are already together: Sanjay Raut
As three meetings between Sharad Pawar and his estranged nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Ajit Pawar over a fortnight sparked speculation over their political reunion, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Monday said that the duo has already come together, reported PTI. Reacting to the buzz, the Congress, which is an ally of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (SP), said that such meetings may be held in public interest and not necessarily for political reasons. From the ruling camp, Shiv Sena Minister Sanjay Shirsat said he would not be surprised if the Pawars mend fences and join hands, PTI reported. "They have already given indications. Rohit Pawar (grand nephew of Sharad Pawar) used to criticise Ajit Pawar regularly, but now he is at Ajit's feet," the Shiv Sena leader said. Political circles are abuzz with the rapprochement speculation since the NCP (SP) chief and Ajit Pawar, who heads NCP, shared the stage for the third time in a fortnight on Monday, this time to discuss the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture and the sugar industry in Pune. However, Ajit Pawar downplayed the political significance of these meetings and said families come together on occasions such as engagements, and there was no need to interpret them from any other perspective, PTI reported. Meetings held to resolve issues related to cooperative, education sectors: Chhagan Bhujbal "Both Pawars have come together already. Have you seen us talking to Eknath Shinde (who rebelled in May 2022) or sharing a public platform with him? We won't meet," Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Raut said. Taking a jibe at the NCP leadership, Sanjay Raut said, "We don't possess education and sugar institutions. We don't have Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, Vidya Pratisthan etc [mentored by Sharad Pawar]". Meanwhile, Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said the Pawars must be thinking that as there is a buzz of two cousins coming together, so what's the harm in the uncle-nephew reunion? He was referring to the speculation of political rapprochement triggered by recent statements of estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray. "Such meetings may be in the public interest and not necessarily for political reasons," Wadettiwar said when asked about the latest interaction between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said the meetings between his party chief Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar take place at different institutions to resolve issues regarding the cooperative and education sectors. Relations between the uncle and the nephew strained after Ajit Pawar engineered a split in NCP in July 2023 and joined the Mahayuti government. Several legislators of NCP joined the Ajit Pawar camp, leaving his uncle to battle the biggest political crisis of his life. In the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Elections, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP bagged 41 of the 57 seats it contested, decimating his uncle's faction's tally to 10. (With PTI inputs)
21 April,2025 11:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
10-year-old dead, woman in critical condition after fire breaks out in Mankhurd
A 10-year-old girl was killed in a fire reported from Mankhurd’s Janta Nagar area on Monday evening. According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), the blaze was reported behind the Hanuman Temple at 8.20 pm. The firefighters managed to douse the blaze by 8.39 pm, officials said. Apart from MFB, the local police, ambulance services, and ward staff, were also mobilised to the spot. According to Dr Amish from Shatabdi Hospital, Govandi, two people were reported injured. One of them, Khushi Khan, was declared dead upon arrival. Meanwhile, 25-year-old Farah Khan has sustained 70 per cent burn injuries and is currently in critical condition. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
21 April,2025 10:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
CM Devendra Fadnavis reviews 15 projects across Maharashtra
Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis on Monday reviewed 18 projects discussed in previous meetings, along with 15 new key infrastructure projects, during a war room meeting. He stated that these projects are crucial for the state's development and must be completed within the stipulated timelines. The meeting was held in the Cabinet Hall of the Secretariat, and was attended by Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, the CM’s Chief Economic Advisor Pravin Pardeshi, Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and Secretaries from various departments. Additionally, through video conferencing, divisional commissioners, district collectors, and senior officials also joined the meeting. During the war-room meeting, various significant projects from Mumbai, Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Western Maharashtra were reviewed. These include: Mumbai Metro Line-2B (DN Nagar to Mandale) Metro Line-4 (Wadala to Kasarvadavali) Metro Line-5 (Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan) Metro Line-6 (Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli) Metro Line-7A (Andheri to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Terminal 2) Metro Line-9 (Dahisar East to Mira-Bhayandar) Orange Gate to Marine Drive Tunnel Project Borivali-Thane Twin Tunnel Project Uttan-Virar Sea Link Sewri-Worli Elevated Corridor Pune Metro Dahisar to Bhayandar Link Road Goregaon-Magathane DP Road Goregaon-Mulund Link Road Northern Coastal Road The current status of these projects, along with issues hindering their progress, was discussed during the meeting. Fadnavis emphasised that the agencies concerned must focus on micro-planning to expedite the completion of development projects. He also urged the departments to hold necessary meetings to address obstacles in execution so that the projects can be completed within the designated timelines. “The land acquisition process should be expedited to ensure availability of land for development works. Where forest and environmental clearances are required, they must be obtained immediately. Zonal Master Plans should be prepared where necessary, and for projects like Dharavi, accurate surveys should be conducted using state-of-the-art technology,” said Fadnavis. Land acquisition for Wardha–Gadchiroli railway line to be completed in seven days: CM Fadnavis He also directed the officials to resolve the issue of land acquisition for the Vidarbha–Nanded Railway Project – connecting Vidarbha and Marathwada. The process of acquiring private land for the Wardha–Gadchiroli railway line should be completed within seven days. “For the Vadhvan Port project — critical for maritime transport — the forest land-related issues should be resolved promptly, and decisions must be taken swiftly. This project is extremely important for the state and will generate large-scale employment opportunities. Hence, rapid implementation is essential,” CM Fadnavis told officials. He also stated that land acquisition for the Mumbai and Pune Metro projects should be prioritised. It was also decided that technical obstacles in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar parallel city water supply scheme should be eliminated, and work on the project should commence immediately. CM Fadnavis directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to acquire land for the Magathane-Goregaon DP Road, along with the necessary wildlife clearance for this route. Additionally, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) should transfer the flats built for project-affected persons to the civic body, it was directed. In the previous war room meeting, CM Fadnavis had reviewed approximately 18 projects. On Monday, 73 issues were discussed, of which 31 have been resolved. Fadnavis also reviewed the implementation of the instructions given in the previous meeting and ordered immediate action on those that had not yet been acted upon.
21 April,2025 09:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Feels like we're standing on the moon: Aaditya Thackeray on the quality of roads
Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Aaditya Thackeray on Monday criticised the poor condition of roads in his Worli Assembly Constituency and accused the agency responsible for ongoing construction work of delivering substandard results, reported news agency ANI.Speaking to the media, the Mumbai legislator pointed out that with the monsoon season approaching, road repairs were being carried out too late and are being done poorly."I had predicted that people would suffer due to the agency. It is now coming true. While the monsoon is approaching, concrete work is going on. It feels like we are standing on the moon. This road was built 15 days ago. It is of poor quality. The agency has only started work to extract money," Aaditya Thackeray said, highlighting the poor condition of the roads.He expressed frustration over the lack of accountability for the contractors in Mumbai and questioned when would the authorities act against them for their shoddy work, ANI reported."When will action be taken against the agency... when will action be taken against the contractors? The drain has not been cleaned, but the treasury has been cleaned," he added.The Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) also voiced concern over the state of the city's rivers, citing that the Poisar and Mithi rivers are examples of environmental neglect.EC is administered from BJP office: Aaditya Thackeray "A photo of the Poisar River has come to light. The Mithi River is also unclean. The Municipal Corporation should hold a meeting in this regard before the monsoon," he urged. Meanwhile, on a separate issue, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader also supported Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent statement in Boston regarding the Election Commission of India (ECI), ANI reported.Backing his ally, Thackeray said, "His statement is 100 per cent correct because the whole world knows that the Election Commission is administered from the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) office." #WATCH Mumbai: On Rahul Gandhi's statement in Boston regarding the Election Commission, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray says, "His statement is 100% correct because the whole world knows that the Election Commission is administered from the BJP office." pic.twitter.com/2ItHclv12X — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2025 Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress have formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in the state and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc nationally.While addressing the Indian diaspora in Boston, Gandhi had, citing the example of the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Elections, said that 65 lakh voters were added to the voter list in the last two hours of the polls, which was impossible."More people voted in Maharashtra than the total number of people in Maharashtra, and this is a fact... the Election Commission gave us a figure in the evening around 5:30 p.m., and in two hours around 7:30 p.m., 65 lakh voters had voted, which is physically impossible," he claimed. However, sources in ECI have previously stated that allegations made by political parties over manipulated electoral rolls were unfounded. According to them, there were hardly any first or second appeals made under Section 24 of the Representation of People Act, or correction of any entries in Electoral Rolls (Section 22) or Inclusion (Section 23) during the recent Special Summary Revision published on January 6-7. (With ANI inputs)
21 April,2025 07:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Congress targets Maharashtra govt over water crisis in Nashik
The Congress on Monday slammed the Mahayuti government over the severe water crisis in Nashik district of Maharashtra which has forced women to risk their lives to fetch water from dried wells, reported the PTI. Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised clean tap water to every home in the country by 2024 under the Jal Jeevan Mission. However, the 'Har Ghar Nal, Har Nal Jal' appeared only on posters, while the reality in many villages is dire. He said that mothers and sisters in the rural areas of the Nashik district still have to cross mountains and valleys with pots to fetch water, as per the PTI. "Moreover, in many places, they risk their lives to descend into dry wells for just a pot of water," Harshvardhan Sapkal posted on X. "हर घर नल, हर नल जल... पण पाण्यासाठी नाशिकच्या भगिनी अजूनही जीव धोक्यात घालून विहीरीत उतरतात!"पंतप्रधान नरेंद्र मोदी यांनी २०२४ पर्यंत जलजीवन मिशन अंतर्गत देशातील प्रत्येक घरात नळाद्वारे शुद्ध पाणी पोहोचवण्याचे आश्वासन दिले होते. 'हर घर नल, हर नल जल' ही घोषणा केवळ पोस्टरवरच… pic.twitter.com/4dwBFHQFvc — Harshwardhan Sapkal (@INCHarshsapkal) April 21, 2025 He stated that this is not just a failure of the government but a grim reality of insensitivity and empty sloganeering. Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar also highlighted women's struggle for water. "This is a great shame for Maharashtra that mothers and sisters are having to fight such a life-threatening struggle for water," he said. Wadettiwar said the government is awash with funds to spend on the upcoming Sinhastha Kumbh Mela to be held in Nashik and questioned its priorities. They have money to splurge on festivals and programmes but not for drinking water for the people, he alleged. "The government should stop misleading the public by throwing events and work on the real issues of the people. First, provide drinking water to these poor families, then celebrate festivals worth thousands of crores," he added, the news agency reported. The women of Borichivari village in Taluka Peth of Nashik district are bearing the brunt of the hardship, walking over two kilometers daily under the scorching sun to fetch water -- often unsafe and insufficient for their families' needs, an ANI report stated on Sunday. It said that the water scarcity has not only affected the daily lives of villagers but also added financial burdens. The struggle in Borichivari is a stark reminder of the widening water crisis in rural Maharashtra. Similarly, Dhangaon village in the Nandurbar district of Maharashtra, a tribal dominated area, was also seen facing a water crisis in the area, with locals highlighting the lack of facilities. With the onset of summers, women in the area said that they are forced to find water for themselves and their families by travelling multiple kilometres. (with PTI and ANI inputs)
21 April,2025 07:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
WR issues revised timings for some passenger trains; check details here
The Western Railway has changed the timings of a few trains from Sunday, April 20. The details of the revised train timings are given below: Train No 19255 Surat–Mahuva Express (from Sunday, April 20) The train will now depart from Surat at 9.30 pm instead of 10 pm, and arrive in Mahuva (Saurashtra) at 9.40 am instead of 10.05 am. Train No 12903 Mumbai Central–Amritsar Golden Temple Express (from Sunday, April 20) The train will arrive/depart Vadodara station at 11.34 pm/11.44 pm instead of 11.39 pm/11.49 pm. Train No 20949 Ahmedabad–Ektanagar Jan Shatabdi Express The timings of Train No 20949 Ahmedabad–Ektanagar Jan Shatabdi Express has been revised: it will arrive/depart Vadodara station at 4.43 pm/4.46 pm instead of 4.46 pm/4.49 pm. (This train has been temporarily cancelled till further orders) Train No 19007 Surat–Bhusaval Passenger (from Sunday, April 20) Train No 19007 Surat–Bhusaval Passenger will depart from Surat at 5 pm instead of 5.10 pm (this train currently departs from Udhna instead of Surat till further orders) Train No 69169 Surat–Nandurbar MEMU (from Sunday, April 20) The timings of Train No 69169 Surat–Nandurbar MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) has been revised: it will depart from Surat at 6.10 pm instead of 6.15 pm. (This train currently departs from Udhna instead of Surat till further order) Train No 22967 Ahmedabad-Prayagraj Express (from April 24) Train No 22967 Ahmedabad-Prayagraj Express will arrive/depart Nandurbar station at 10.50 pm/10.55 pm instead of 10.45 pm/10.50 pm. Train No 20929 Udhna–Banaras Express (from April 25) The timings of Train No 20929 Udhna–Banaras Express Express has been revised: the train will arrive/depart Nandurbar station at 10.50 pm/10.55 pm instead of 10.45 pm/10.50 pm. Passengers can check the detailed information and halt timings of intermediate stations on visit www.enquiry.indianrail.gov.in Mumbai Metro Line-7A: MMRDA completes first underground tunnel In a significant milestone for city’s expanding metro network, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Disha’ working on the Mumbai Metro Line 7A corridor achieved a breakthrough today, completing a key section of the underground tunnel. The breakthrough marks the completion of a 1.647-kilometre-long tunnel between Andheri (East) and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). This tunnel, with a finished diameter of 6.35 metres, is the first underground tunnel constructed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) as part of its metro network. “This is a monumental milestone,” said Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee. “Today, April 17, 2025, the TBM for Metro Line 7A achieves its breakthrough, successfully completing the first underground tunnel in Mumbai’s metro network by MMRDA. This engineering feat paves the way for connecting the operational Red Line (Line 7), which runs from Dahisar to Gundavali, with the airport extension.” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also present on the occasion.
21 April,2025 06:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Farmer leader and former MP Raju Shetti says Mahayuti govt is 'anti-farmer
Farmer leader and the ex-MP Raju Shetti has slammed the Maharashtra government for failing to deliver its election promises to framers, including the promised loan waiver, and has raised concerns over the ruling administration's expenditure on VIP visits, reported news agency PTI. While talking to the reporters in Nashik on Sunday, the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana president accused that the government's policies were "anti-farmer". "What happened to the loan waiver that the Mahayuti government announced before the elections (last year)?" Shetti asked. "Soybean farmers are not receiving help. We had protested by taking onions to the Mantralaya (state secretariat), we were jailed, only after that did the government wake up and remove the export duty on onions," he added. Raju Shetti also took a dig at the government over a lunch hosted by NCP MP Sunil Tatkare at his residence in Raigad district, near Mumbai, for Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit on April 12. He said, "You spend Rs 1.5 crore to build a helipad so that Union minister Amit Shah can have a bowl of 'aamras' and a 'modak' at someone's house, but you don't give even Re 1 to farmers. Are you not ashamed?" he charged. "On that day, Shah visited MP Sunil Tatkare's house for a private meal. Social activist Anjali Damania has claimed on social media that the event cost the exchequer Rs 1.5 crore," The ex-MP further alleged that a farmer from Parbhani district, who had taken a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh, and his pregnant wife reportedly died by suicide the same night. "The government continues to ignore such cases," he alleged. Raju Shetti said that HM Amit Shah reached Tatkare's residence in Sutarwadi by a helicopter, for which a four-unit helipad had been constructed. "A tender of Rs 1.39 crore (for the helipad) was issued on April 7 and published in a newspaper on April 9," he claimed. Shetti blamed the government for the drop in onion prices. He stated that had the export duty been lifted on time, prices would not have crashed. "The government should set a minimum support price of Rs 1,500 per quintal for onions. We do not trust NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India), which procures the farm produce on the instructions of the state," he claimed. (With inputs from PTI)
21 April,2025 06:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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 04:48 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
Indian Navy completes refit of Maldivian Coast Guard ship MNDF Huravee
The Indian Navy has completed a major refit of the Maldivian Coast Guard ship MNDF Huravee as part of India's ‘MAHASAGAR’ vision – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth for All in the Region – and the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, an official statement said on Monday. The effort is also a part of India’s broader commitment to regional maritime security, it said. "As part of India's commitment to regional maritime security under the vision of 'Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth for all in the Region (MAHASAGAR)' and its 'Neighbourhood First’ policy, the Indian Navy successfully completed a major refit of the Maldivian Coast Guard Ship MNDF Huravee at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai," an official statement said. It said that the refit will further strengthening defence cooperation between India and the Maldives. The ship sailed back to the Maldives on Monday after undergoing a full refit at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. The official statement issued by a defence PRO said that MNDF Huravee had arrived in Mumbai on November 13, 2024 and over the past four months, teams from various Indian Navy departments carried out essential maintenance work on the ship's machinery, weapons, and sensors. The upgrades were also made to the living areas on board. It said that major works concerning maintenance of all machinery, weapons, and sensors, along with a habitability upgrade, were undertaken. The ship was thereafter put through rigorous harbour and sea trials, operational checks of equipment, safety audits and Operational Sea Training before her departure. The efforts put in by various IN agencies and dockyard teams across multiple departments were instrumental in achieving this extensive refit within the stipulated timeframe. The successful refit of MNDF Huravee underscores the strong diplomatic and military cooperation between the two countries and reaffirms India’s unwavering commitment to being a reliable partner in the region, it said. The Make in India ship handed over to MNDF in May 2023 as a replacement for an older platform, the ship has played a crucial role in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and Medical Evacuation operations across the Maldivian archipelago, the official statement said.
21 April,2025 04:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Nirupam mocks Uddhav over Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS alliance speculations
Amid the floating speculation of a possible alliance between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam mocked at Uddhav, claiming the party is 'so weak' that it either needs to team up with MNS or 'compromise with Muslim votes,' reported the ANI. "If both the brothers (Uddhav and Raj Thackeray) and their parties want to unite, we do not have anything to do. Today, the condition of Uddhav Thackeray and his party is that sometimes they have to join hands with Congress to win elections and sometimes compromise with Muslim votes. Today, they have become so weak that they have to give a proposal to join hands with MNS," Sanjay Nirupam told ANI in Mumbai. Nirupam accused Uddhav Thackeray of turning his faction into 'Muslim League'. He questioned whether the MNS would consider aligning with a party that has openly opposed the Waqf Act. "Now, MNS and Raj Thackeray have to decide whether they are going with Uddhav Thackeray or not. Thackeray has made his party as a Muslim League, do they (MNS) want to go with that? We have that question to MNS," he told ANI. "Now the situation is such that Uddhav Thackeray calls his MPs atleast five times, telling them to speak against the Waqf Act in Parliament and outside it. Just like how he organises protests against the Waqf Act, does Raj Thackeray want to go with such people?" he added. Sanjay Nirupam said that they have no objections to the potential alliance, but their major concerns is the intent behind joining hands, especially in the name of Maharashtra's interests. "We have no such problem with them joining hands, but yes, we are questioning them on how they bent the knee in front of Muslims. How they are saying that they will join hands for the good of Maharashtra, so what did they do in the last 2 years?" Nirupam said, according to the ANI. On 19th April, Uddhav Thackeray, during an event organised by the party's trade union wing, expressed his willingness to unite with Raj Thackeray by keeping all the issues aside for the sake of the Marathi language and culture. (With inputs from ANI)
21 April,2025 04:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent