Train services on the Central Railway's main and harbour lines were disrupted on Sunday morning due to an extended mega block for a bridge girder launch, causing inconvenience to local and long distance travellers. As many as 11 long distance trains that depart from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in south Mumbai have been rescheduled and nine trains which arrive at CSMT have been short-terminated due to the block. There were also reports of a labourer getting injured during the girder launch. The six-hour-long mega block conducted for launching the girder of the under-construction Carnac Bridge was initially scheduled to end at 5.30 am but was delayed. The Central Railway's local train operations were cancelled between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Byculla and between CSMT and Wadala stations on the main and harbour lines due to the mega block.
A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed the presence of E.coli bacteria in drinking water samples from water coolers at several Indian railway stations. The audit also highlighted unhygienic conditions in railway washrooms and significant deficiencies in Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA) across 458 out of 512 non-suburban stations inspected.
Mumbai's local train services on both Western and Central Railway lines experienced significant disruptions due to multiple technical issues, including point failures and a fallen overhead wire, causing widespread delays and inconvenience for millions of daily commuters.
A recent Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) report reveals that over 70,500 corruption complaints were lodged against various government bodies last year, with banks and the Railways accounting for the highest numbers. While a significant portion of these complaints has been disposed of, thousands remain under process, highlighting ongoing challenges in addressing corruption within public sector entities.
Suburban train services on Mumbai's Harbour line were briefly disrupted at Kharghar station after a bird got stuck in a train's pantograph, causing overhead equipment to trip. The incident led to minor delays and panic among commuters before services resumed quickly.
Three passengers sustained injuries in a brawl over a seating dispute on an Ambernath-bound local train in Thane district, Maharashtra. The altercation, which occurred shortly after midnight, involved a metal bangle causing head injuries, not a sharp weapon. Separately, a mentally unstable man was apprehended at Kurla station for causing panic with a wooden stick.
A senior railway official noted that waterlogging at the new location between Bhandup and Nahur led to the suspension of local services on the Main Line from 5:15 am.
Three passengers on a Mumbai suburban AC local train complained of uneasiness due to a malfunctioning air-conditioning system. One passenger required hospital treatment and the train was subsequently withdrawn from service for inspection.
Heavy rainfall of 600 mm in 24 hours triggered multiple landslides in the Karjat-Lonavala Ghat section on the Mumbai-Pune line, severely disrupting rail traffic and leading to cancellations, diversions, and short-terminations of numerous trains.
Police have arrested Manik Uddin Laskar and Bhagabati Majhi, the prime suspects in the murder of a 38-year-old woman whose dismembered body was found in a suitcase on the Tamil Nadu Express in Agra. The couple was apprehended in Manipur after a multi-state search, following an investigation that traced their movements from Chennai and uncovered further gruesome details at their rented home.
Ten people, including a 3-month-old baby, were injured when a hydraulic crane toppled onto houses in Mumbai's Kurla East during preparations for demolition work, affecting goods train movement and damaging vehicles.
The CBI has arrested a chief electrical distribution engineer with the Central Railway and two private individuals in connection with an alleged bribery case involving Rs 10 lakh.
Three railway police officers in Mumbai have been dismissed from service after being found guilty of extorting money and gold from a jeweller at Mumbai Central station.
Train services in the Gaya-Patna section of Bihar were disrupted for nearly three hours after thieves allegedly cut and stole an overhead electrical wire between Tehta and Jehanabad railway stations. The Railway Protection Force has since recovered the stolen material, and an investigation is underway to apprehend the culprits responsible for the 25,000-volt OHE wire theft.
Mamata Banerjee, who founded the Trinamool Congress through an act of rebellion against the Congress, now faces a similar internal revolt that threatens the very identity of her party. The Election Commission's interim decision to withhold the TMC name and symbol for the upcoming bypolls highlights a deeper struggle for political inheritance. This situation, unprecedented for the party, forces both Mamata's loyalists and rebels to seek electoral recognition without their established identity, marking a significant challenge to her long-standing dominance.
India has launched its first hydrogen-powered train, the 'Namo Green Rail', from Jind, Haryana, marking a significant step towards sustainable railway mobility. The 10-coach train, which emits only water vapour, is currently operating on the Jind-Sonipat route and represents a major technological advancement for the country's transport sector.
The youthful Mumbai side beat the Murugappa champions 4-2 to enter the third round in the Bombay Gold Cup hockey tournament.
A landslide near Tunnel 2 on the Khopoli-Kusgaon 'Missing Link' has caused significant traffic diversions on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
The central government has introduced a 0.4 per cent fee on UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, prompting traders' associations to advocate for cash payments to avoid additional costs on digital payments. This move ends the zero-Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) regime, with traders expressing concerns about operating on tight margins and the potential for increased charges.
AIIMS Jammu is poised to become the first hospital in India to receive armed security from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) due to its strategic location near the India-Pakistan international border. This move marks a significant shift in security policy for healthcare facilities, which the Ministry of Home Affairs had previously resisted. The CISF is also slated for deployment at Kolkata Metro and Donyi Polo Airport.
'UPI has been free since Covid, so why is the government charging us now?'
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% transaction fee on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments exceeding Rs 2,000 for merchants, effective October 15, marking the end of nearly six years of free service. Person-to-person transfers and small-value transactions below Rs 2,000 remain free. The new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) is capped at Rs 300 for transactions above Rs 75,000, with differentiated rates for essential sectors and investments, and safeguards to prevent costs from being passed to consumers.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale stated that opposing reservation is unconstitutional and that the policy would be given up if casteism is eliminated. He highlighted the historical context of reservations for SC/ST and OBCs, and the Modi government's EWS quota. Athawale also criticised the opposition, praised government achievements, and discussed various welfare schemes and infrastructure projects in Chhattisgarh.
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, effective October 15. This move ends nearly six years of fully free UPI payments, though person-to-person (P2P) transfers and small P2M payments remain free. The charges aim to bolster investment in UPI infrastructure, with specific exemptions and caps for essential sectors.
A committee formed by West Bengal's BJP government is considering proposals to rename several prominent roads, bridges, and public places in Kolkata, including those named after communist leaders Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, and Ho Chi Minh. This move has sparked sharp criticism from the Trinamool Congress and CPI(M), who view it as "vendetta politics" and an attempt to disrespect differing ideologies.
In a highly sensitive and time-bound mission, a live donor heart was successfully transported aboard a Vande Bharat train from Surat to Ahmedabad on Friday for transplantation at a prominent cardiac teaching hospital in Gujarat's commercial capital.
Mumbai experienced heavy overnight monsoon rains, with some areas receiving over 200 mm in 24 hours, leading to widespread waterlogging, traffic congestion, and disruptions in suburban train services, particularly on Central Railway lines due to a track cave-in.
Heavy rains and thunder returned to Mumbai, causing significant delays in local and long-distance train services, particularly affecting routes towards Gujarat and Pune. Two key reservoirs, Tulsi and Vihar lakes, have begun overflowing, though the city's overall water stock remains at 41.43 per cent.
Despite repeated demands over the years, the proposal to develop Khudiram Bose's cremation ground in Muzaffarpur into a martyr park has yet to see the light of day due to official apathy.
Mumbai experienced over 100 mm of rainfall in 24 hours, leading to significant waterlogging in areas like the Andheri subway and causing traffic diversions. Suburban train services faced delays, and a snapped overhead wire disrupted Harbour line operations. Various parts of the city, including eastern and western suburbs and the island city, recorded heavy downpours.
Meghalaya is experiencing escalating tensions marked by arson and petrol bomb attacks on government properties, following violence during a Khasi Students' Union rally. The incidents are linked to an inter-state taxi standoff with Assam, leading to deployment of central forces and calls for peace from chief ministers.
A Central Railway official said that the woman passenger will face action under section 147(1) of the Railways Act.
A baby Indian Rock Python was safely rescued from the locomotive cabin of the Madgaon-CSMT Janshatabdi Express upon its arrival at CSMT, Mumbai. The incident, occurring during the monsoon season, highlights wildlife seeking shelter and marks the second reptile rescue in the city recently.
Back when India moved slowly, every window seat came with a view, and every rail journey came with excess baggage - food, fears, family drama, points out Ajanta Krishnamurthy.
It is very unfortunate that China has decided to proceed with the controversial mega hydropower plants(despite the apparent opposition of many scientists in China). Why is Delhi silent about the development? asks Claude Arpi.
Fresh guidelines issued to the Delhi police by a central agency advise personnel to remain calm during protests, avoid rising to provocation and being pictured as "villains" by the demonstrators filming them, police sources said on Sunday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, declared that India is undergoing a rapid transformation across various sectors and is firmly on track to become a developed nation by 2047.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of the Central Railway has arrested nine women for allegedly planning to commit dacoity on board the Siddheshwar Express in Maharashtra.
Sumit Sarkar was never intellectually dismissive of the Hindutva project. He took it with deadly seriousness for he grasped the challenge it posed to the aspirations and ideals of the anti-imperialist movement that generated multiple imaginings of freedom and ways to attain it, recalls Pradeep Kumar Dutta.
