Maharashtra

Mumbai residents have a reason to rejoice as the Belasis Flyover is set to open to the public in the first week of January 2026. The flyover will provide significant relief to commuters traveling towards Tardeo, Nagpada, and Mumbai Central Railway Station. Early Completion of the ProjectOriginally, the flyover was scheduled for completion in April 2026. However, in coordination with contractors, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) decided to expedite the project. The reconstruction, which began on 1 October 2024, was completed in just 15 months and six days—four months ahead of schedule. About the FlyoverThe Belasis Flyover, built during the British era, spans 333 meters and connects key areas including Tardeo, Nagpada, and Mumbai Central. The modern structure features a 7-m...

Nagpur: A Boeing 777 aircraft, which had been grounded in Nagpur since February 2020 for mandatory maintenance, is expected to take to the skies in February after a six-year gap. The aircraft, with the call sign VT-ALL, had arrived at Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL)’s Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) depot for routine servicing. Delay Due to Component ReallocationThe plane was originally expected to undergo maintenance in just over a month. However, the process was delayed when components from VT-ALL were removed and installed in other Boeing 777s that were scheduled to fly earlier. Sequential removal and replacement of components for other aircraft caused VT-ALL to remain grounded for an extended period. Flight Scheduled for FebruaryAfter several extensions of ...

Pune/Kerala: A new and potentially more dangerous variant of the monkeypox virus has been detected in Kerala. A recent genetic study conducted in Pune has revealed that this variant is linked to international travel and is capable of human-to-human transmission. The study was carried out jointly by the ICMR–National Institute of Virology, Pune, along with viral research and diagnostic laboratories across India. About the New VariantThe study focused on the Clade Ib variant of monkeypox, which had previously spread in parts of Africa and has now been identified in several countries. Researchers found that this variant can spread faster and on a larger scale than previous strains, necessitating closer monitoring. Between September 2024 and March 2025, the team analyzed 10 laboratory-confi...

After nearly two decades of Shiv Sena rule under Uddhav Thackeray, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is witnessing a historic political shift. For the first time, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as the single largest party in the civic body and is poised to stake claim to the mayor’s post. Preparations to welcome the new mayor are already underway, with the BMC headquarters visibly turning saffron — from tables to chairs. Visual Identity Set to ChangeFor over 25 years, saffron cloth matching Shiv Sena’s flag adorned the desks of the mayor and the standing committee chairperson. With BJP likely to take charge, subtle changes in the visual identity of key offices are expected. BJP’s flag carries both saffron and green, hinting at a possible redesign of décor elemen...

Mumbai: London-based doctor and YouTuber Sangram Patil was stopped at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, on Monday while attempting to return to Manchester with his wife. Immigration authorities denied him boarding after a Lookout Circular (LOC) was issued against him by the Mumbai Police following a complaint by BJP IT Cell official Nikhil Bhamre. Patil, a British citizen of Indian origin from Jalgaon, is facing a defamation case for allegedly criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Detained Even After Landing EarlierSangram Patil told a news agency that he was informed at the airport about the active LOC, which prevented him from leaving India. He claimed that the Crime Branch had summoned him on 16 January, and he had submitted written responses to all questions tha...

Mumbai, Maharashtra: The ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra secured a resounding victory in recent municipal elections. However, disputes over key positions, especially mayoral posts, have emerged in several civic bodies, including Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, and Ulhasnagar. While Eknath Shinde’s faction of Shiv Sena demands the mayor’s position in Mumbai, the BJP insists on placing its candidates in key posts across its strongholds. In Mumbai, the Shinde camp is lobbying for the mayor and standing committee chairman positions, but BJP needs Shiv Sena’s support to achieve a majority in the municipal corporation, holding 114 seats. In contrast, Thane presents a different scenario: Shiv Sena commands its own majority and BJP leaders, including Niranjan Davkhare, have signaled tha...

Mumbai: The suspense over who will become the next Mayor of Mumbai has deepened following explosive remarks by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) leader Sanjay Raut, triggering intense political chatter from Mumbai to Davos and even Delhi. With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election results already declared, the race for the mayoral post has entered a dramatic and uncertain phase. The delay in electing a new mayor is being attributed to key political developments at both the national and international levels. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is currently attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, while several senior BJP leaders are in Delhi for the party’s national president election. Amid this backdrop, Sanjay Raut’s unexpected remarks an...

Mumbai/Buldhana: Maharashtra’s flagship welfare scheme for women, the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, has landed in controversy in Buldhana district after monthly payments of ₹1,500 were abruptly stopped for nearly 30,000 women over the past two months. The sudden halt has triggered widespread anger, anxiety, and protests among beneficiaries, many of whom depend on the scheme for basic financial support. The scheme, launched to economically empower women aged between 21 and 65 years, provides a monthly assistance of ₹1,500. While over 6.5 lakh women in Buldhana are currently enrolled under the programme, the suspension of payments for a large group of beneficiaries has caused confusion and unrest, especially in rural areas. Why Were Payments Stopped? District officials clar...

Mumbai: The results of the Maharashtra civic body elections have revealed a significant shift in the political behavior of Muslim voters, marking a departure from their long-standing pattern of supporting the strongest anti-BJP गठबंधन. Instead, Muslim voters have shown increasing preference for community-based parties such as Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM and the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra (ISLAM), delivering a major jolt to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Across 29 municipal corporations, the election outcomes largely aligned with expected alliance arithmetic and emerging political equations. However, the altered Muslim voting trend and the मजबूत प्रदर्शन of Muslim-backed parties emerged as the biggest surprise. Until now, Muslim voters in Maharashtra had consistently suppo...