Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar has accused the Shiv Sena (UBT) of mismanaging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), alleging that the opposition party and contractors misappropriated funds for the BRIMSTOWAD drainage system and Mithi River cleaning. Shelar claimed that the Sena (UBT) and BMC contractors looted Mumbai and did not complete the BRIMSTOWAD project work in 25 years, which could have saved Mumbai from flooding. He also alleged that Rs 1,000 crores were spent by the BMC on bogus Mithi River cleaning. Shelar's accusations come amidst heavy rainfall in Mumbai, which has exacerbated the city's monsoon woes. The incomplete BRIMSTOWAD project and inadequate desilting of nullahs have drawn criticism for the city's unpreparedness.
Many residents complained of suspected gas leak from Chembur, Ghatkopar, Powai and Vikhroli areas late on Saturday night, an official of the BMC's disaster management cell said.
Five people have received burn injuries and are admitted in Holy Spirit hospital.
The injured -- 130 -- cannot go back to work nor do they have homes to return to. Many of them refuse to leave the hospital while some of their relatives sleep in the hospital corridors. Apart from their physical injuries, the trauma of seeing their family members swept away haunts them as does the loss of all their possessions. But the BJP-Sena government remains indifferent to this human crisis.
Mumbai will continue to be in category 3 of the Maharashtra government's five-level unlock plan that seeks to ease coronavirus-induced curbs as per infection positivity rate and oxygen bed occupancy numbers, the BMC said.
The CM said he spoke to the Mumbai Police Commissioner and was informed that traffic has been diverted at 25 places.
In view of cases of the Delta plus variant of COVID-19 emerging in Maharashtra, the state government on Friday announced 'state-level trigger' for imposing restrictions in administrative units irrespective of weekly positivity rate and oxygen bed occupancy percentage.
A search and rescue operation was immediately launched. However, the rescue team has not been able to find the boy so far.
The relaxation came amid indications that the number of new COVID-19 cases in Mumbai is more or less stabilising since the last few days.
The search and rescue operations are still underway.
Mumbai received 231.4 mm rain in the last 24 hours, while Thane received 229.81 mm.
Photographs from the spot show a deep, long crack running along the divider.
Railway officials also indicated that possible 'sabotage' and tampering with the electronic interlocking system, which detects the presence of trains, led to the Friday accident.
Several people are feared trapped under the debris of the structure.
In an unprecedented measure, the Maharashtra government requested defence officials to arrange airlift of the stranded passengers of the 17412 Mahalaxmi Express.
The hospital, in the commercial hub of Bandra-Kurla Complex, will serve as an isolation facility for non-critical COVID-19 patients. Expected to be ready in a fortnight, the new makeshift facility can be scaled up to 5,000 beds, if needed. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will run the hospital that will have, among other things, oxygen facilities and pathological laboratories. Sohini Das reports.
The health system is trying to ensure that it isn't caught by surprise -- the way it was last time. So, hectic preparations are on.
Heavy rains pummelled Mumbai and its suburbs in which two persons died of electrocution and bringing normal life to a grinding halt on Friday with several areas waterlogged.
Maharashtra has reported 31 positive cases, Kerala 19, Uttar Pradesh 11, Delhi and Karnataka six each, Ladakh three, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Telangana two each; and Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab one case each. The total number of confirmed cases also includes 17 foreigners -- 16 Italian tourists and a Canadian, it said.
Mumbai's dabbawalas have also suspended their services on Tuesday.
Sandeep Gajakosh wanted to be an artist, and God, he tells Tista Sengupta/Rediff.com, helped him find a way.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances