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Mumbai miracle: Everyone survives this shocking Andheri car crash

A Borivli-based man and his mother had a narrow escape after their car was struck in a multi-vehicle collision on the Andheri flyover on Friday afternoon. Nikhil Motiramani and his mother Rita Motiramani survived the crash without life-threatening injuries. The Andheri police have launched an investigation into the incident. Nikhil’s marriage is scheduled for next month and he had taken the day off on Friday for some wedding preparations.  The damaged rear of the Motiramanis’ vehicle Speaking with mid-day, Nikhil recounted the harrowing incident. “My marriage was fixed just last week, and our family has been busy with the preparations. I was travelling from Borivli to Bandra with my mother in the backseat. As we reached the Andheri flyover, a car suddenly rammed us from behind. I was driving at around 40 kmph when I lost control of the vehicle, which jumped over the divider and veered into the opposite lane. In the opposite lane, another vehicle collided with my car from the left side,” Nikhil said. Damaged left side of the Motiramani car Nikhil alleged that the car was speeding. “I still don’t understand how the driver rammed us from behind. Clearly, he was speeding. Thankfully, we both survived the incident. However, my mother suffered a spinal injury, and doctors have recommended an MRI scan. I’m praying for her swift recovery,” he said, adding that the driver who hit his vehicle from behind must be held accountable as the accident was caused solely due to his fault. ACP Shashikant Bhosale of Andheri Division said, “We are investigating this matter.” 

03 May,2025 10:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
Pic/Anurag Ahire

Mumbai weather updates: No respite from heat and humidity, AQI remains good

On Saturday, the city continued experiencing hot and humid weather, with the maximum temperature reaching 34.4 degrees Celsius. According to the latest Mumbai weather updates from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai is expected to experience a mainly clear sky on Saturday, May 3. Temperatures will range from a cool 26 degrees Celsius in the morning to a warm 33 degrees Celsius during the day. According to the Mumbai weather updates of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Santacruz observatory in suburban Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 34.4 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 25.3 degrees Celsius. The weather department's data showed that the city observatory in Colaba recorded a maximum temperature of 34.2 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. The IMD’s latest Mumbai weather update forecasts a "mainly clear sky" for the city and its suburbs over the next 24 hours. The mercury is expected to touch 40 degrees Celsius as May draws near. Meanwhile, the major civic-run hospitals in the city that lack special facilities for heatstroke cases altogether are the Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital, Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College and KEM Hospital, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital (Sion Hospital), and Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Medical College and RN Cooper Hospital. Mumbai weather updates: City's AQI in 'good' category On May 3, the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app reported in its latest Mumbai weather updates that the city’s air quality remained in the 'good' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 57 at 10:05 AM. As per the SAMEER app dashboard, many areas across Mumbai showed 'good' AQI. Bandra Kurla Complex recorded 'good' air quality with an AQI of 87. Byculla, Malad and Kandivali recorded 'good' air quality with an AQI of 48, 64 and 29, respectively.  Chembur, Sewri and Mulund recorded 'good' air quality, with an AQI of 56, 49 and 21, respectively. Meanwhile, Worli recorded 'good' air quality, with an AQI of 63. According to data from the SAMEER app, Navi Mumbai recorded air quality in the 'good' category with an AQI of 93, while Thane registered a 'good' AQI of 56. The air quality index from 0 to 100 is considered 'good', 100 to 200 'moderate', 200 to 300 'poor', 300 to 400 'very poor' and from 400 to 500 or above 'severe'.

03 May,2025 10:53 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pankaja Munde. File pic

Maharashtra: Engineering graduate held for ‘harassing’ minister Pankaja Munde

The cyber wing of the state police on Friday apprehended a 25-year-old engineering graduate for allegedly harassing Environment Minister Pankaja Munde with repeated phone calls and messages, an official said. The accused was identified as Amol Chhaganrao Kale, a resident of Beed district. He was held from Bhosri near Pune, an official said. Munde, a BJP leader, had been receiving repeated calls and messages on her personal mobile number for the last couple of days, following which a complaint was filed with Maharashtra Cyber. A case was registered under section 78 (stalking), 79 (acts or words intended to insult modesty of woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act, and the user of the mobile number was tracked down. 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

03 May,2025 08:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Agencies
Chandrashekhar Bawankule, revenue minister

Maharashtra govt starts second phase of land title updating

The Maharashtra government has launched the second phase of its ‘Jivant 7/12’ campaign to update land records, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Friday. A land title document is commonly referred to as ‘7/12 extract’ in Maharashtra. The first phase of the exercise, including training of officials, was conducted earlier this year. “We have initiated the second phase of the Jivant 7/12 campaign’ to ensure that farmers do not face any difficulties due to obsolete entries in land records. The government has issued an order to replace such entries with accurate, up-to-date information,” Bawankule said. Outdated remarks, repaid agricultural loans, bonding encumbrances, mortgages, private moneylender loans, land acquisition disputes, non-agricultural orders, substandard land areas and women’s inheritance claims will be removed (if they have become irrelevant),” the minister said. “We will update 7/12 land title documents by eliminating irrelevant data and including rightful entries such as ownership details, types of tenancy, and records of public lands like cremation grounds,” Bawankule added. Farmers face hurdles in availing loans, buying or selling land and accessing benefits of government schemes due to outdated entries, he pointed out. Camps will be conducted at the taluka and circle levels for this purpose with District Collectors and Sub-Divisional Officers tasked with supervision and reporting, he said. The exercise will also expedite the resolution of long-pending cases, the minister said. 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

03 May,2025 08:53 AM IST | Mumbai | Agencies
The forest department officials involved in the operation. Pic/By special arrangement

Maharashtra: Hunt for wandering tiger in Solapur suspended

After continuing the operation for three to four months to capture the tiger that had walked approximately 500 km from Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Yavatmal (southwest of Nagpur) to reach the Solapur and Dharashiv districts, the operation has now been temporarily suspended, as the tiger has remained elusive. For now, forest department officials have decided to continue monitoring its activity using camera traps and regular patrolling. The tiger had arrived in Dharashiv in December last year. A senior forest department official involved in the operation said, “While monitoring the tiger’s activity, we observed that it is not frequently returning to the kill site, and so we have suspended the operation to capture the tiger. However, we are continuously tracking its movements using camera traps, and our team is patrolling the area where the tiger is present. The tiger is moving in and out of the forest. In the last month, there have been very few cattle kills by the tiger outside the forest, and it is also preying on wild animals inside the forest.” As it is the peak summer season, the forest department staff have ensured that all artificial water holes in the forest—where the tiger is moving—are filled. Awareness activities are also being conducted near human habitations to prevent any negative human-tiger interactions. In the second week of January, the Maharashtra Forest Department had decided to capture the tiger and release it into the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, located 300 km from Mumbai and spread across Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Ratnagiri districts. In the past, the Rapid Rescue Team from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, along with Pune-based NGO RESQ Charitable Trust, had made all possible efforts to capture the tiger. However, the challenging terrain and the elusive nature of the big cat made the operation extremely difficult. The tiger has been roaming along the boundary of the Dharashiv and Solapur districts. Earlier, mid-day had also reported how the tiger had been making kills but was not returning to the kill sites for three to four days, forcing the darting team to wait for extended periods. A total of 10–12 live CCTV cameras are currently active in the field to monitor the tiger’s activity. According to researchers, the male tiger is the cub of tigress T22 from Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary and was born there in 2022. In January, some farmers in Solapur district alerted forest officials about a rise in cattle attacks. The department subsequently installed camera traps, which captured images of the male tiger. This is said to be the first recorded sighting of a tiger at the Yedshi Ramalinga Wildlife Sanctuary in Dharashiv district, Marathwada. The male tiger, now about 2.5 years old, is believed to have dispersed from its natal territory in search of a new one. It has been moving back and forth between the Solapur and Dharashiv districts. This young male tiger, born in 2022 to tigress T22 in Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, has been dispersing in search of new territory. 2022Year the tiger was born

03 May,2025 08:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
PMRDA office located near Akurdi railway station in Pune. Pic/By special arrangement

Maharashtra: Major relief for Pune home buyers

In a major relief to residents and property owners, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) will soon begin issuing occupancy certificates (OCs) to constructions that had received valid permissions from the Town Planning Department but were previously denied OCs. There is currently no official data on how many such properties exist without occupancy certificates. However, the move is expected to benefit hundreds of buildings within the PMRDA limits that have long awaited legal recognition, despite having received construction approvals before the authority’s formation. Dr Yogesh Mhase, PMRDA commissioner, said, “Buildings that received official permission from the Town Planning Department before PMRDA’s formation will now be granted occupancy certificates if constructed as per the sanctioned plan.” He added that residents can approach the authority for this purpose, and all relevant documents will be verified before issuing the certificates. Many residents have faced difficulties securing bank loans or selling their flats due to the absence of occupancy certificates—even when their buildings were approved under earlier norms. This has caused considerable hardship for those who built or purchased properties before 2013. According to Section 7.6 of the MRTP Act and Section 2.10 of the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR), there are provisions for granting OCs in such cases. These laws apply to PMRDA as well. However, until now, the authority had cited a high court judgment related to Mumbai municipal limits to deny such applications, officials said. Despite earlier approvals by the Town Planning Department, buildings constructed before PMRDA’s establishment but lacking occupancy certificates are now likely to receive them, provided they adhere to the sanctioned plans. For the past decade, prior to PMRDA’s establishment, non-agricultural (NA) permissions and building approvals in villages under its jurisdiction were granted by the Town Planning Department of the district authority. Once approved, constructions were considered authorised. However, buildings approved before 2013, or flats purchased in them, often lack OCs. As a result, banks have refused loans, and selling such flats has become difficult. Officials clarified that OCs will only be issued after detailed verification by authorities from the district collectorate. Often, OCs were denied due to unauthorised extensions made by owners or developers. Such deviations must first be regularised through official permissions. PMRDA officials confirmed that OCs will not be issued for constructions with illegal extensions. An urban planning expert explained that an occupancy certificate is an official document issued by the local civic authority certifying that a building has been constructed in accordance with approved plans and is safe for occupancy. It is essential for legal occupation, securing home loans, and obtaining utility connections like water and electricity. Without it, the building is considered unauthorised for residential or commercial use. To improve citizen access and administrative coordination, PMRDA is believed to have launched local offices in eight villages starting May 1. The PMRDA covers over 6000 sq km and includes 697 villages. Currently, residents must travel to the Akurdi head office even from remote areas. The new local offices are aimed at reducing this burden. Citizens can meet PMRDA officials every Monday and Thursday In a move to enhance public engagement and convenience, all department heads at the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) will now be available in their offices to meet citizens every Monday and Thursday. This directive, issued by Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Yogesh Mhase as part of the state government’s 100-day action plan, ensures direct interaction between citizens and senior officials. These designated days will allow citizens to raise concerns without delays. To maintain smooth developmental operations, Wednesdays and Fridays have been allocated for site inspections and regional office visits. Additionally, citizens can meet subordinate officers every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday between 3 pm and 6 pm. The PMRDA has also standardised lunch break timings for all staff from 1.30 pm to 2.00 pm. Those wishing to meet senior officials are encouraged to visit the PMRDA office on Mondays or Thursdays.

03 May,2025 08:41 AM IST | Mumbai | Archana Dahiwal
A fair with stalls and amusement rides continued to run at the Matoshree Meenatai Thackeray Garden on Friday. Pic/Dweep Bane

Mumbai: Six days on, ‘Chandivli Mahotsav’ continues illegally

The merry-go-round spun in circles, and children giggled and screamed on the giant wheel as the organisers of the Chandivli Mahotsav continued operations even on Friday. While the ongoing illegal Chandivli Mahotsav, being held at the Matoshree Meenatai Thackeray Garden, is clearly the result of adamant and irresponsible organisers, mid-day found that another major reason for the lack of strict action was a communication gap between two authorities—the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Sakinaka police station. Although the BMC had officially informed the police station through a letter that the funfair was being held without the corporation’s permission, PI Yogesh Shinde told mid-day that the letter never reached them. “Today (Friday), after we got free from PM Narendra Modi’s bandobast duties, when I reached the office and checked for the letter, we realised that no such letter had been received by my office. So, we called up the BMC ward officer and informed them,” said Shinde. It was later learned that the letter had not reached the police station because the corporation did not send it directly through its officials, but chose to post it instead. “We followed the regular procedure, and since the funfair was still going on, we asked our officials to visit the police station on Friday and ensure that the organisers vacate the garden,” said BMC L Ward Assistant Commissioner Dhanaji Herlekar. Even after the BMC called up the organisers and warned them to vacate the garden, the funfair functioned in full swing. The food, jewellery stalls, along with other play activities, also continued to entertain the visitors. “No one told us to stop the activities or dismantle anything. Why would we continue if the organisers asked us to vacate? We don’t know anything about the permissions. Our contractor asked us to set up our activities, so we did. Now we’ll remove everything when he tells us to. We don’t know anything beyond that,” said Bansi Mohanlal, who operates the giant wheel. When questioned, organiser Prashant Maurya said, “You printed whatever you wanted to print. You did your job. Now we will do ours as well. We can see that people are enjoying all the activities. We will vacate it by tonight. Let the people enjoy today.” Angry residents speak The residents of the area are now demanding that an FIR be registered against these irresponsible organisers. “These people think that since they belong to the ruling party, no rules apply to them. They think they are beyond the authorities, police, and regulations. The police patrol every evening and night. Why did they not take any action despite knowing that the law is being blatantly disrespected? What are the authorities waiting for? Where were the BMC officials when the activities were still operational on Friday, despite warnings? Don’t the organisers have any responsibility and shame?” questioned Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder of the Chandivli Citizens Welfare Association. Authorities react “We have informed the BMC officials that we will take necessary actions as soon as they approach us. It is our duty to ensure that law and order are followed in the city. However, everything has a procedure. This primarily falls under the purview of the corporation, and we can interfere and take matters into our hands only when official communication reaches us,” said Shinde.  Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad in post on X demanded that an FIR against the organisers should be registered.

03 May,2025 08:36 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika Gondhalekar
 A pile of debris at RA Kidwai Marg in Wadala. Pics/Ashish Raje

Same spot, same problem: Someone keeps returning debris to RA Kidwai Marg

Although the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is working to curb illegal debris dumping, RA Kidwai Marg in Wadala has once again turned into a hotspot. According to locals, unknown vehicles have dumped debris on the road four times in April alone. Nimish Malda, a local resident, said, “In April, debris was dumped four times at the same spot outside the P&T Colony. The latest instance was on the night of April 29. I posted a complaint with the BMC on social media on April 30, but the debris has not been cleared yet.” Malda confirmed that the dumping occurred on April 7, 12, 18, and 29. “Last year, too, debris was dumped regularly. It only stopped after mid-day reported on it,” he said. “In April alone, debris was dumped four times at the same spot. After each complaint, the BMC removed it, but they should monitor the area and prevent further dumping,” he added. Residents complain that debris spreads across road, causing accidents Another resident, Mukesh Mehata, said, “This is the same spot where debris is dumped regularly. If it’s not removed immediately, it spreads across the road and causes accidents. But our question is—how can someone dump debris so openly? What is the authority doing?” Mehata asked. Sachin Rasal, a passerby, said, “I stay nearby and have seen debris dumped here many times. It’s possible that the debris is being dumped after midnight.” Arun Kshirsagar, assistant municipal commissioner of F North Ward, said, “Yes, I have received complaints about debris being dumped on the road. I immediately instructed for it to be removed. I will conduct a review tomorrow. If this turns out to be a regular dumping site, we will decide on a course of action in coordination with the police department.” Meanwhile, locals are demanding the installation of CCTV cameras in the area, particularly on the few-metre stretch where dumping repeatedly occurs. They also want night surveillance to be introduced. An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “If we want to install CCTV cameras at the spot, we need to get multiple permissions. It will take some time to implement.” To address illegal dumping, the BMC has set up debris processing centres in Dahisar and Kalyan and launched a ‘debris on call’ service. These plants process over 50,000 metric tonnes of debris. The processing fee is Rs 1425 per tonne for the city and eastern suburbs, and Rs 1415 per ton for the western suburbs. If developers choose to transport the debris themselves to the plant, the fees reduce to Rs 715 for the city and eastern suburbs and Rs 710 for the western suburbs.

03 May,2025 08:09 AM IST | Mumbai | Sameer Surve
The Level-II fire broke out at Jaferbhoy industrial estate, Makvana Road

Mumbai: Fire breaks out at Andheri industrial estate, no injuries reported

A fire broke out at an industrial estate in the Marol area of suburban Andheri East on Friday night, the Mumbai Fire Brigade said. There were no reports of injuries, the officials said. According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the Level-II fire broke out at Jaferbhoy industrial estate, Makvana Road around 10 pm. The fire was confined to Shop No. 205 on the second floor of a ground-plus-three-storey building. The Mumbai Fire Brigade initially declared it a Level-I fire at 10:06 PM, but upgraded it to a Level-II fire at 10:46 PM as the flames intensified. At least eight fire engines and other fire brigade vehicles were rushed to the spot.  According to an update received from the Mumbai Fire Brigade at 1:45 AM, the fire was fully extinguished by 1:40 AM. No injuries were reported throughout the incident. The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained. Mumbai fire brigade douses Bandra mall fire after over 22 hours A major fire that devastated a mall in Mumbai's upscale Bandra area was controlled after more than 22 hours of firefighting, civic officials said on Wednesday. The blaze erupted around 4.10 am on Tuesday in the basement of Link Square Mall on Linking Road in Bandra West and was extinguished at 1.41 am on Wednesday after efforts by fire brigade personnel and other emergency services, the officials said. They said there was no report of anybody getting injured. Initially confined to an electronics goods showroom, the flames quickly engulfed the upper floors of the three-storey mall, which houses over 200 commercial establishments and shops, and completely gutted it. By 6.25 am on Tuesday, the Mumbai fire brigade upgraded the blaze to 'Level IV' (major fire) and launched a large-scale response. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also joined the operation subsequently. After about 13 hours, the fire brigade controlled the fire with the help of 13 fire engines and other firefighting vehicles and equipment. Thereafter, efforts were made to douse it completely, a civic official said. This was the second major fire incident in Mumbai within two days, after a blaze on Sunday in a building housing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Ballard Estate.

03 May,2025 07:58 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The old road near the Kalwa rail car shed that will be completely sealed once an FOB is commissioned for the public. Pic/Rajendra B. Aklekar

Kalwa car shed barricaded as Central Railway pushes wall, FOB construction

The age-old, albeit illegal, practice of boarding empty local trains from the rail car shed at Kalwa station will come to an end as the road outside the facility is being blocked and barricaded as part of Central Railway’s (CR) efforts to build a massive wall and foot overbridge (FOB). While thousands of commuters would board empty trains that departed from the car shed for Thane, from where they originate officially, Thane commuters used to complain that coaches would already be full when the trains arrived from the shed, despite them originating from Thane on paper. mid-day highlighted, in February 2025, the plight of Kalwa commuters attempting to board the train during the morning rush hour, with several either getting in an empty car shed train or taking an auto all the way to Thane, spending R40 to R45 per day, or simply waiting it out. Bricks for the massive wall planned at Kalwa railway station  In 2022, fights and protests over AC and non-AC services had also led to a rail roko at the Kalwa car shed gate by commuters who used to board the train from there. What is being planned? The plan is to build an FOB linked to the existing bridge at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) end of the station. This bridge will run parallel to the station for some distance, then cross over the car shed tracks and land in the west near the auto stand. This will eliminate the need to cross the tracks to enter the station. Parallely, the old road is being in the process of walled up and will be completely sealed once the FOB is commissioned for the public. Girders of the foot overbridge that will cross over the Kalwa car shed tracks and land near an autorickshaw stand in the west. Pics/Rajendra B. Aklekar  What is the status? When mid-day visited the station on Friday, work on most of the pillars of the FOB seemed complete, and girders had been placed on the stretch of the bridge parallel to the station. Work on the wall had also been done, and it was being kept in readiness. ‘Practical solutions needed’ A commuter, Deepak Dubey, said the core issue was not being addressed. “The Railways should devise a logical and sustainable solution to enable trains from the Kalwa car shed to originate directly from Kalwa station, rather than dispatching empty rakes to Thane. This current practice adds unnecessary pressure on suburban passengers, particularly those from Kalwa, who are already dealing with high commuter volumes. Moreover, the recent move to erect walls and prevent commuters from boarding trains at the Kalwa car shed, despite it being a long-standing informal practice, does not address the core issue. Trains arriving from Karjat, Kasara, Khopoli, Badlapur, Titwala and Kalyan typically witness significant passenger offboarding at Thane, thereby creating adequate capacity for new passengers. Given its scale and resources, the Railways should focus on implementing practical, commuter-friendly solutions rather than resorting to arbitrary restrictions that lack a rationale and fail to serve the needs of daily travellers.” Another commuter, Gandharva Purohit, said, “This was inevitable. The practice of boarding from the car shed line was one of the reasons CR had to roll back AC train schedules [linked with 8.20 am CSMT fast from Thane] the other day. If the CR is providing the necessary infrastructure to access the platform, Kalwa residents can adjust their commutes accordingly.” Deepak Dubey, commuter; Gandharva Purohit, commuter; Siddhesh Desai,  vice-president, MRPS; Madhu Kotian, passenger activist ‘Kalwa commuters frustrated’ Siddhesh Desai, vice-president of the Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh (MRPS), one of the oldest and biggest passenger associations, said, “Kalwa commuters are frustrated because currently the only way to catch the train is via the car shed. If this is prevented, there will be no option left for them in the morning. We already had multiple meetings, and a joint survey was conducted with Railway officials and MRPS members. I was a part of it, that time. The possibility of Parsik station and car shed trains initiating from a newly proposed station was positively checked. Even an extended platform towards Kalwa station at the Thane end was suggested, from where commuters can board trains. Let us see how they take it ahead.” “It is good from a safety point of view, but it does not address the problem of Kalwa residents. The Railways should address the issue of increasing services from Kalwa station,” passenger activist Madhu Kotian said. Spawning of new problems? “It does not make sense for us to continue boarding the train at Kalwa station as it will now get more crowded. The only option left for us is to enter the train at Thane as we might get empty compartments,” commuter Lokesh Varma said. “All this will now lead to a hole in our pocket and congestion on the road to Thane station, as many Kalwa commuters will now prefer to travel via share autos to Thane to catch trains in the morning. The ideal way would be to halt a few fast trains at Kalwa and rescue us,” Diwakar Mandal, another commuter, said. “There are two types of Thane locals, one that comes from CSMT and returns.  The other is the empty one that will come from the car shed. Now, crowding will increase at Thane station. The need of the hour is to increase non-AC train services,” Akshata Dhanavade, a commuter, said. Ranjeet Belwale, another commuter, said, “With more and more Kalwa commuters coming to Thane station, there will be congestion and other problems. There are other commuters who return from Mulund and occupy seats in trains coming from CSMT.”

03 May,2025 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
Santacruz Metro Aqua Line 3 station exit on Western Express Highway. Pic/Ashish Raje

Mumbai: BEST plans ‘metro circuit’ bus services after Fadnavis’ revenue push

After Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the BEST administration to generate its own revenue, the undertaking is now exploring the feasibility of launching “Metro circuit” bus services, connecting Metro stations with residential and office areas.  BEST, which has been running at a loss for years, currently relies heavily on financial aid from the BMC. This year, the civic body allocated R1000 crore to keep the undertaking afloat. Following Fadnavis’ push last week, the BMC also cleared a fare hike proposal for BEST. Now, the administration plans to restructure its bus routes, focusing on Metro rail connectivity as a key component of its revenue-generation strategy. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File pic/PTI A BEST spokesperson confirmed the development. “New routes will be decided based on current needs and demand. A study is being conducted to finalise the circuit routes,” the official said. However, the undertaking faces a severe fleet shortage. Over 400 buses from BEST’s current fleet will retire by November 2025. “We are confident we will receive a new fleet of 2100 wet-lease buses by April 2026. Until then, the Metro circuit services will run with the available fleet,” the spokesperson added. Bandra Colony Metro 3 station at Teachers’ Colony. Pic/Ashish Raje Officials explained that BEST currently connects railway stations to residential and commercial areas. With three Metro corridors fully operational and one partially running, there’s now an urgent need to extend last-mile connectivity to Metro stations. “This will not only boost ridership for BEST but also increase footfall on Metro lines,” the official added. As of now, 43 Metro stations across three lines are operational:Metro 1 (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar) has been running since 2014Metro 2A (Gundavali-Andheri West via Dahisar) is fully operationalMetro 3 (JVLR to BKC), the underground line, is partially openOnce all Metro services are launched, 48 new stations will open across Mumbai. 43No. of Metro stations operational currently 2100No. of wet-lease buses BEST will receive by April 2026 mid-day suggests... A survey by mid-day identified key metro stations that need last-mile connectivity via BEST: . JVLR Metro station (Metro 3) to Andheri railway station via MIDC. Gundavli Junction (Metro 2A) to BKC. BKC Metro station (Metro 3) to BKC Trade Centre. Shimpoli Metro station (Metro 2A) to Gorai, Valnai. Malad (Mith Chowky) Metro station (Metro 2A) to Charkop Village. Bhandup Metro station (Metro 4) to Tembipada, Bhandup. Chembur Metro station (Metro 2B) to Tata Colony. Kurla Metro station (Metro 2B) to Shiv Shruti, Chunabhatti. Mulund Metro station (Metro 4) to Mulund East MHADA Colony. Santacruz (Metro 3) to Kalina. Sakinaka (Metro 1) to Powai

03 May,2025 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Sameer Surve
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