People at a protest for restoration of power supply in Vasai-Virar on July 8, 2026

Vasai: Life in flood-hit Vasai-Virar began returning to normal on Thursday, five days after torrential rain brought the city to a standstill. Power supply, which had remained disrupted in several parts of Vasai-Virar, was restored in most areas on Thursday, according to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).Civic officials said six people lost their lives in rain-related drowning incidents during the flooding. On Thursday, the body of an unidentified woman, believed to have been swept away by floodwaters, was found along the Suruchi Baug coastline in Vasai.The city received over 1,400 mm of rainfall in seven days, triggering widespread flooding that left residents stranded in their homes. Ground floors of several residential buildings were inundated, while shops and commercial establishments suffered heavy losses after flood water entered their premises.While floodwaters have largely receded, several parts of the city remain covered in slush and debris. The Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) has deployed pumps at 58 locations to drain out stagnant water. Waterlogging persists in a few low-lying pockets, where pumping operations are continuing.Surendra Thakare, executive engineer (water supply), said the civic body installed 58 pumps across the city to remove stagnant water from affected areas.The flooding also damaged hundreds of parked vehicles after water entered residential complexes and parking lots. Garages across the city reported a surge in repair work. A garage owner said more than 200 flood-damaged vehicles from Madhuban, Evershine and Vasant Nagri in Vasai (East) had been brought in for repairs.In Virar (East)’s Kargil Nagar, waist-deep water inundated several tenements, damaging household appliances and other belongings. “Our television, refrigerator and even our children’s study material were destroyed in the floods,” said resident Deepak Sitam.Residents of the locality were shifted to safer places by the civic administration during the peak of the flooding. Residents of several localities in Nalasopara (West), including Chheda Nagar, Hanuman Nagar, Panchal Nagar, Ami Park, Chakradhar Nagar and the bus depot area, remained without electricity after the neighbourhoods were submerged under waist-deep water.“Power supply was disconnected around noon on Saturday and was restored only around noon on Thursday. We had to manage without electricity for nearly 120 hours,’’ a resident of Cheda Nagar said.The MSEDCL has over 10.5 lakh consumers in Vasai-Virar. Heavy rain, which began on Saturday, caused extensive damage to the power distribution network, disrupting supply across large parts of the city. A total of 91 electricity poles were damaged, while 62 transformers developed faults. The Suncity substation and several distribution panel (DP) boxes were inundated, affecting restoration work.Several localities in Nalasopara (West) received electricity only after nearly 120 hours, while MSEDCL estimated losses of over Rs 1 crore due to widespread damage to its infrastructure.The Ro-Ro ferry service, which had remained suspended due to the heavy rain, resumed operations on Thursday. The municipal transport undertaking also restored bus services in phases as road conditions.The civic body said it responded to 208 incidents of tree falls, 10 fire incidents and three wall collapses during the heavy rain. Teams from the VVMC fire brigade and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescued 738 people from flooded areas. The administration also said 11 pregnant women were safely assisted in delivering babies during the emergency. As part of post-flood measures, the civic body has started distributing medicines and undertaking preventive measures to curb the spread of water-borne.

Mumbai: The contrast is stark. The most expensive, ultra-luxury homes in the city (more than Rs 50 crore) saw sales of just 23 apartments in the first half (H1) of 2026. On the other hand, during the same period, 17,148 flats costing less than Rs 50 lakh (mainly in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region or MMR) were sold.These are the findings in the latest Knight Frank India’s `India Real Estate: Residential and Office (Jan-June 2026)’ report released on Thursday.Despite the low base for premium apartments, there is a growing appetite among affluent homebuyers for such luxury homes, it said.Apartments costing between Rs 20 crore and Rs 50 crore in Mumbai recorded the strongest growth among all housing categories during the first six months (H1) of 2026, with sales rising 73% year-on-year (YoY) to 214 units. Ultra-luxury homes above Rs 50 crore remained niche, with 23 apartments sold in H1. However, sales in this category declined 32% YoY.Meanwhile, flats priced below Rs 50 lakh declined to 36% from 40% a year ago, while homes costing between Rs 1 crore and Rs 2 crore and between Rs 2 crore and Rs 5 crore expanded their share of total sales. Higher ticket-size categories above Rs 5 crore also recorded incremental gains.The report said Mumbai’s residential market maintained stable sales momentum in H1 2026 while continuing to broaden across both geography and price segments. Housing sales stood at 47,355 units in H1 2026, broadly in line with the corresponding period last year, while new launches increased by 8% YoY to 49,161 units. “The pickup in launches follows the moderation witnessed in 2025. Despite higher supply additions, unsold inventory declined by 4% YoY, indicating continued absorption across the market. Higher launches, declining inventory and continued price appreciation point to a market where supply additions have largely kept pace with end-user demand,” it said.Gulam Zia, international partner, senior ED, research, advisory, infrastructure and valuation, Knight Frank India, said: “Mumbai’s residential market continues to be supported by strong end-user demand and sustained infrastructure investment. While premium housing has accounted for a significant share of new launches in recent years, demand for mid-income and affordable homes remains substantial. Going forward, a more balanced supply mix, supported by redevelopment and increased participation from well-capitalised developers, will be important to address the city’s diverse housing requirements and sustain long-term market growth.”Average residential prices in the MMR were a shade below Rs 15,000 a square foot, showing a 4% increase from last year.In the commercial real estate segment, Mumbai recorded gross office absorptions at 7.3 million sq ft in H1 2026, a 33% YoY increase.The market continued to be driven by large institutional transactions, a diversified occupier base and changing leasing patterns across key office corridors. The period was anchored by JP Morgan’s 2.2 mn sq ft office lease in Powai, which accounted for nearly 31% of total leasing activity during the half-year and significantly influenced overall market performance,” said the Knight Frank report.

Two doctors (R) resigned after an alleged assault by Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre (L)

MUMBAI: Two doctors who were allegedly assaulted by Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre at a civic-run hospital in Dombivli have resigned.The hospital staff said they were deeply traumatised by the incident that has triggered outrage across Maharashtra’s medical fraternity, news agency PTI reported.The resignations came as doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers protested outside the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Thane District Civil Hospital, where Mhatre was admitted after his arrest. The protesters demanded his disqualification as corporator and stronger security measures for healthcare professionals.According to colleagues, both doctors submitted their resignations to the private agency through which they were employed. Family members of Dr Baviskar also expressed concern over the safety of doctors working at the hospital, PTI reported.

Doctors protest as accused corporator receives treatment

Soon after being arrested on Wednesday night, Mhatre complained of chest pain and was admitted to the Thane District Civil Hospital.Medical staff gathered outside the ICU, raising slogans against attacks on doctors while demanding strict action against the corporator.Additional district civil surgeon Dr Dheeraj S Mahangade condemned the assault but said the hospital would continue to provide treatment.“As doctors, providing treatment is our duty, but under no circumstances can an attack on medical professionals be justified,” he said.He added that Mhatre has only one kidney and suffers from high blood pressure, and was likely to be discharged by Thursday evening or Friday morning.

How the assault unfolded

The incident occurred on Monday evening at the KDMC-run Shastri Nagar Hospital after doctors advised the family of a newborn to shift the baby to another hospital because no Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) beds were available.Upset over the advice, the family allegedly contacted Mhatre, who arrived at the hospital with his supporters.A widely circulated video showed the corporator slapping and punching Dr Salunkhe and striking Dr Baviskar on her hand inside the hospital premises, sparking widespread condemnation.

Court order, arrests and political reactions

A Kalyan court directed police to produce Mhatre immediately after he is discharged from hospital. Police informed the magistrate that the corporator was undergoing treatment, following which the court ordered that he be produced once declared medically fit.Apart from Mhatre, three of his associates have also been arrested.They, along with a woman supporter, have been booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including assault on a public servant, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation, unlawful assembly and rioting.

Assault triggers political outrage

Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde reprimanded Mhatre over the assault.Party leader and industries minister Uday Samant said, “Our party’s stand is very clear. It is inappropriate to hit a woman doctor. There was no political intervention, which means we are not endorsing his actions.”Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray demanded Mhatre’s removal from all party and public posts, saying the assault on doctors was unacceptable and questioning the corporator’s immediate hospitalisation after his arrest.The assault has reignited concerns over the safety of healthcare workers, with doctors’ associations demanding stricter security measures and stronger legal protection against violence in hospitals.(With agency inputs)

Normal train operations on the Mumbai-Pune ghat section are unlikely before July 17 (Representative image enhanced with AI)

MUMBAI: Normal train operations on the Mumbai–Pune ghat section are unlikely to resume before July 17, with Railway beginning to send advance cancellation messages to passengers holding confirmed tickets for several trains as restoration work on the landslide-hit corridor continues.Most of the cancelled services are trains operating between Mumbai and Pune and other destinations within Maharashtra, where railway officials said passengers could still access alternative modes of transport.Passengers have started receiving SMS alerts informing them that their trains have been cancelled due to operational reasons.Central Railway’s chief public relations officer, Swapnil Nila, said the railway had deliberately decided to notify passengers well in advance instead of announcing cancellations at the last minute.“Cancellation messages are being sent because it would become difficult for passengers to make alternative travel arrangements if they are informed at short notice. We also require longer traffic-free blocks on the tracks to carry out restoration work safely and efficiently,” he said.Mumbai resident Ritika Shah, who received a cancellation message for her train scheduled to depart for Kolhapur on Friday. She said she had also been unable to secure bookings on the Mahalaxmi Express for next week.The railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday reviewed restoration work in the 27-km Khandala–Karjat ghat sectionVaishnaw said all trains currently operating on the single restored line would continue to run with two locomotives because the slip line used for attaching and detaching banker engines remains out of service after sustaining heavy damage.The minister added that moving construction material and heavy machinery to several damaged locations has been difficult because of the terrain and incessant rain.One of the three railway lines in the ghat section was reopened on Tuesday after train services between Mumbai and Pune remained suspended for nearly 44 hours following landslides at two locations in the Lonavala ghat.Trains are currently operating under a speed restriction of 30kmph.Continuous rainfall has further slowed operations, and railway officials said there is a possibility of another spell of heavy downpour around July 15, which could pose fresh challenges to the restoration effort.According to railway officials, restoration work has been completed at six of the nine damaged locations identified in the project.At present, around 24 to 25 trains are being operated in both directions each day using the single restored line, while work continues simultaneously at the remaining sites.

Air India achieved fourth globally for on-time arrivals in June.

MUMBAI: Air India has been ranked the world’s fourth most on-time airline for the month of June by aviation analytics firm Cirium, marking a sharp improvement in its operational performance as the Tata Group-owned carrier continues its transformation programme.According to Cirium’s June 2026 On-Time Performance Report, Air India recorded an on-time arrival rate of 86.85% across 15,135 tracked flights, placing it behind Saudia (92.38%), Korean Air (88.56%) and Aeromexico (86.94%). A flight is deemed to be on-time if it departs within 15 minutes of its scheduled time of departure. Air India was followed by Singapore Airlines (86.74%), WestJet, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, SAS and Qatar Airways in the global top 10. The airline also recorded an on-time departure rate of 86.23% and completion factor of 99.7%, which means almost all scheduled flights were operated.In the Asia-Pacific rankings, Air India also placed fourth, behind Jeju Air, Korean Air and Scoot, while finishing ahead of Singapore Airlines and IndiGo.In a statement, Air India said the ranking “underscores the airline’s continued focus on operational reliability and schedule integrity.” The airline attributed the improvement to investments in “operational resilience, improved network planning, and enhanced execution across its domestic and international operations.” Describing the challenges of operating one of the country’s largest hub-and-spoke networks, Air India said its operations are often affected by congestion and air traffic control restrictions at Delhi and Mumbai airports, which can have a cascading impact across the network.The Indian regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) too tracks On-Time Performance (OTP), but the latest data available is for the month of May. The DGCA looks at OTP of scheduled domestic airlines at ten major airports, including Bengalaru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Guwahati and Lucknow. In May, the Air India Group had an OTP of 74.5 % and came third after IndiGo and Akasa Air. Within these airports, Air India had the best punctuality record at Chennai where 89.5 % of its flights departed on time in May. Its worst performance was in Lucknow where only 62.4 % of its flights departed on time.Air India said it has inducted three Boeing 787-9 aircraft over the past six months, with more Boeing 787-9s and Airbus A350-1000s due later this year. It also said two of its legacy Boeing 787-8 aircraft with refurbished interiors have returned to service, while three more are undergoing upgrades in the United States. “By the end of 2026, more than 50% of Air India’s widebody fleet is expected to feature new or upgraded interiors,” the airline said.

Shiv Sena corporator (L) was arrested for assaulting two doctors at a civic hospital. Hospital staff protested the unjustified assault and demanded his disqualification (R)

MUMBAI: A Shiv Sena corporator, Ramesh Mhatre, arrested for allegedly assaulting two doctors at a civic-run hospital in Maharashtra’s Thane, was admitted to the ICU of the district civil hospital after complaining of chest pain.Medical professionals and staff at the Thane District Civil Hospital, where Mhatre is undergoing treatment, staged a protest against him over the “unjustified” assault on two doctors and demanded his immediate disqualification, news agency PTI reported.Mhatre and his aides are accused of assaulting two doctors, including a woman, at the Shastri Nagar Hospital run by the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) in Thane district.The incident took place on Monday evening and was captured on CCTV.A video of the assault later went viral, triggering widespread outrage and condemnation.While three of Mhatre’s aides were arrested on Tuesday, the corporator was arrested on Wednesday night.Following his arrest, Mhatre complained of chest pain and was admitted to the Thane District Civil Hospital, an official said.As Mhatre received treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), doctors, nurses and administrative staff gathered outside the hospital to protest the assault.The protesters raised slogans such as “Attacks on doctors must stop” and “Provide security to healthcare workers”, saying that a public representative who attacks medical professionals has no moral right to hold public office.Dr Dheeraj S Mahangade, additional district civil surgeon and senior orthopaedic specialist, condemned the assault but said the hospital would continue to fulfil its duty of treating the corporator, PTI reported.He said Mhatre has only one kidney and suffers from high blood pressure. He is under proper medical care and is expected to be discharged by Thursday evening or Friday morning.“As doctors, providing treatment is our duty, but under no circumstances can an attack on medical professionals be justified,” Dr Mahangade said.He questioned whether a public representative would tolerate a similar physical assault by constituents and stressed the need for stronger security measures to ensure a safe working environment for healthcare workers.The protest witnessed participation from staff across various hospital departments, who demanded strict legal action against the accused and enhanced security at all public healthcare facilities.(With agency inputs)

Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai will lead Maharashtra’s Uniform Civil Code committee.

MUMBAI: When Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced a seven-member committee to prepare the framework for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the name at its helm stood out: Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai.With the latest assignment, Justice Desai has further cemented her position as the country’s go-to legal expert for states looking to frame a Uniform Civil Code. Having earlier led the committee that drafted Uttarakhand’s landmark UCC and subsequently headed similar exercises in other states, she is now tasked with steering Maharashtra’s effort to formulate its own common civil law.Fadnavis said the panel would examine the legal, constitutional, social and administrative aspects of a UCC and submit its recommendations within six months. Based on the report, the government plans to finalise the draft legislation and introduce it during the Nagpur winter session of the state legislature.Justice Desai’s post-retirement career has been marked by a series of high-profile constitutional assignments.Since retiring from the Supreme Court in October 2014, the 76-year-old jurist has chaired or served on several key commissions and tribunals. She headed the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity, chaired the Advance Ruling Authority (Income Tax), led the Lokpal Search Committee, and was appointed chairperson of the Delimitation Commission that redrew assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.In 2022, the Uttarakhand government appointed her to head the expert committee that drafted the state’s Uniform Civil Code, making it the first state after Independence to enact such legislation. She also serves as chairperson of the Press Council of India and heads the Eighth Central Pay Commission, which is tasked with recommending revised pay scales and pension benefits for central government employees.Justice Desai was also part of the Supreme Court bench that upheld the death sentence of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacker Ajmal Kasab. Widely respected in legal circles for her expertise in constitutional and criminal law, she has repeatedly been entrusted with politically and legally significant assignments.The Maharashtra committee headed by Justice Desai includes former Bombay high court judges Justice RC Chavan and Justice SG Mehere, former Maharashtra chief secretary DK Jain, former advocate general Birendra Saraf, Padma Shri awardee and social activist Ramesh Patange, and educationist Suvarna Rawal.As more states explore implementing a Uniform Civil Code, Justice Desai’s role has increasingly become central to shaping how these laws are drafted and vetted before they reach the legislature.