Mumbai: In a move set to impact millions of commuters across Maharashtra, the State Transport Authority (STA) on Friday approved a proposal by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to increase bus fares by an average 13.5%. The revised fares will come into effect from Saturday, said an official.There is no change in fare for AC Shivneri buses, said the official.The fare revision comes amid mounting operational costs faced by the corporation, primarily due to the recent rise in diesel prices and an increase in the dearness allowance paid to employees.Sources said that the minimum bus fare for 6 km will increase from Rs 13 to Rs 15 once the fare rise is implemented.The latest increase marks the second major fare increase within a year for the state-run transport body. The MSRTC raised fares by nearly 15% last year, whereas fare revisions in the past were typically limited to around 4%-5% annually, said officials.Officials said the revised fare structure was necessary to offset growing expenditure and ensure the financial sustainability of the transport undertaking.The decision coincides with a broader phase of modernisation being undertaken by MSRTC. The corporation has been investing in initiatives aimed at improving passenger amenities, expanding its fleet, digitising services and enhancing overall operational efficiency.The fare hike comes against the backdrop of several new initiatives announced by MSRTC chairman Pratap Sarnaik. These include the expansion of electric and air-conditioned bus services and the rollout of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) system for concessionary travel from Aug 1. Women, senior citizens and beneficiaries under the Amrit scheme will be required to use NCMC smart cards to avail themselves of travel concessions.According to MSRTC officials, more than 62 lakh passengers have registered for the NCMC programme, with over 35 lakh cards activated so far. The smart card-based system is expected to streamline ticketing, reduce manual processing and improve concession management.One of India’s largest public transport undertakings, MSRTC operates around 16,000 buses, carries 55-60 lakh passengers daily, and manages 251 depots and more than 560 bus stations across Maharashtra. Its network serves as a crucial transport lifeline, connecting major cities, smaller towns and remote villages across the state.Sources said a meeting of the STA on the fare revision proposal, initially scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed and held on Friday, where the increase was approved.

Maharashtra’s hospitality industry seeks extended bar operating hours for the FIFA World Cup Final

MUMBAI: Football fans hoping to watch the FIFA World Cup Final at their favourite hotel or restaurant could get a late-night boost if the Maharashtra government accepts a hospitality industry’s request to extend bar operating hours for a single night.The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) (HRAWI) has written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking permission for permit rooms and bars operating within licensed hotels and restaurants across the state to remain open until 3.30am on Monday, July 20, to coincide with the live telecast of the FIFA World Cup Final.The request comes amid growing enquiries from customers wanting to watch the showpiece event at hotels and restaurants, according to the industry body.The final, among the world’s most watched sporting events, is expected to attract football enthusiasts, domestic tourists and international visitors.If approved, the relaxation would be a one-time exemption from existing operating hour restrictions and would apply only to licensed hospitality establishments.HRAWI president Jimmy Shaw said allowing licensed venues to remain open for the duration of the match would provide football fans with a safe and regulated environment to enjoy the event instead of gathering at unregulated locations.“The FIFA World Cup Final is a truly global sporting spectacle that brings people together across cultures and borders. Allowing a one-time extension of operating hours for licensed hotel and restaurant bars will enable patrons to enjoy the match in a safe, regulated and professionally managed environment while also supporting tourism and the hospitality sector,” Shaw said.The association has pointed out that Karnataka and Assam have granted similar one-time relaxations for licensed hospitality establishments during previous FIFA World Cup finals while maintaining public safety, law and order, excise compliance and licensing conditions.It has also submitted similar representations to the governments of Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.HRAWI spokesperson Pradeep Shetty said existing restrictions prevent licensed hotel bars from serving guests for the entire duration of late-night global sporting events, even as several other categories of businesses are permitted to operate round the clock.He said the proposed extension could benefit customers by providing supervised venues to watch the match while also generating additional business through late-night dining, food and beverage sales and tourism-related spending.The association has assured the state government that participating establishments would comply with all licensing conditions, excise rules, police directives, public safety measures, crowd management protocols and noise control norms if the request is approved.The state government has not yet announced a decision on the representation.For football fans, the government’s response will determine whether they can cheer their teams until the final whistle in licensed hotels and restaurants or will have to make alternative arrangements before closing hours kick in.For the hospitality industry, the decision could test Maharashtra’s approach to balancing customer demand, tourism promotion and regulatory safeguards during major international sporting events.

Khazana, a ghazal festival, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The event continues its mission to support cancer and thalassemia patients. This year’s edition honors Asha Bhosle and showcases new talent. Proceeds will fund medical treatment and care for underprivileged children. The festival unites music lovers and philanthropists for a cause.

The city’s most cherished musical fundraiser is set to return for a landmark 25th edition. Khazana – A Festival of Ghazals, conceived by the legendary ghazal maestro and Padma Bhushan awardee Pankaj Udhas, will once again bring together India’s finest musical talent over two days, continuing its quarter-century-long mission of raising funds for the Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA) and the Parent’s Association Thalassemic Unit Trust (PATUT).

(L-R) Vishal Bhardwaj, Sudeep Banerji, Rekha Bhardwajm Hariharan, Talat Aziz and Mitali Bhupinder SinghThe festival will have perfromaces by Anup Jalota, Hariharan, Sonu Nigam, Vishal Bhardwaj, Rekha Bhardwaj, Javed Ali, Sudeep Banerji, Madhubanti Bagchi, Sunil Mungee, Aleena Bharti and Tejas Gambhir.

(L-R) Nayaab, Farida and Reva UdhasFROM A CUP OF CHAI TO A 25-YEAR LEGACY Veteran ghazal artiste Talat Aziz, one of Khazana’s three founding members alongside Pankaj Udhas and Anup Jalota, reminisced about the festival’s humble beginnings at the announcement event. “Dekhte dekhte Khazana ke pachees saal guzar gaye, pata hi nahi chala. Safar ki khubsurti, manzil se zyada, uske humsafaron mein hoti hai,” he said, recalling that the idea for Khazana was born over a simple cup of tea shared by the three artistes. What started as an informal conversation has since grown into one of the country’s most anticipated music festivals, a movement that blends timeless poetry and soulful melody with compassion, uniting music lovers, legendary performers, corporate supporters and philanthropists to transform lives through the healing power of music. CARRYING FORWARD A CHERISHED LEGACY Following Pankaj Udhas’s passing, the responsibility of carrying his vision forward has been embraced by his wife, Farida Pankaj Udhas, who now leads PATUT and by his daughters Nayaab and Rewa. “As Khazana celebrates its Silver Jubilee, 25 remarkable years, it stands as a living tribute to the vision, compassion, and enduring legacy of my husband,” she said. “For him, Khazana was never just a music festival; it was a mission of hope... Though he is no longer with us, his spirit continues to resonate in every note of Khazana.” This year’s edition will also pay a special tribute to the iconic Asha Bhosle, honouring the voices that have shaped Khazana’s legacy over the past two and a half decades. SPOTLIGHTING NEW TALENT Adding a fresh dimension to this milestone edition, the ghazal concert will showcase the winners of the Khazana Ghazal Talent Hunt 2026 from across India. The winners include Md Rizwan Ahmed and Ayaan Khan (Male), Sonali Das Natta (Female), Ankit Mishra (Poet Category), and Moksh Kataria, Kuhu Sharma and Pihu Sharma, who received the Padma Bhushan Pankaj Udhas Jury Award in the Kids Category. A TWO-DECADE PARTNERSHIP IN HEALING CPAA and PATUT have worked hand in hand for years to fund treatment for children battling cancer and thalassemia, with Khazana serving as one of their most vital fundraising platforms. Y.K. Sapru, Founder and Chairman of CPAA, called the milestone edition “a celebration of an extraordinary journey where music has become a powerful instrument of healing and hope.” He noted that the collective effort has touched over 10.6 lakh patients through medical, financial and emotional support, screened 4.7 lakh people for cancer, administered 58,000 HPV vaccine doses to young girls, and helped 35,000 families rebuild their lives. He also underlined the scale of the challenge ahead, pointing out that India now ranks third globally in new cancer cases, with over 14.6 lakh diagnoses recorded each year. On the thalassemia front, Farida Udhas highlighted the urgency of PATUT’s work, noting that 10,000 children with Thalassaemia Major are born in India every year, a tenth of the global total, and that one in every eight thalassemia carriers worldwide lives in the country. PATUT’s initiatives span awareness, detection, prevention, donor-donee bone marrow matching, transplant sponsorship for children under ten, and counselling. Over the last eight years, the organisation has focused heavily on Bone Marrow Transplants, successfully completing more than 175 procedures at a cost of Rs 1 lakh per child, in partnership with SRCC Children’s Hospital, Worli, and Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital, Parel. It has also adopted 15 patients for ongoing desferal injection support and, in 2026 alone, has conducted over 500 thalassemia screening tests and more than 25 HLA typing camps in collaboration with DKMS.

MUSIC AS A FORCE FOR GOOD CPAA, a 57-year-old national non-profit, continues to champion the “Total Management of Cancer”, an approach encompassing prevention, early detection, treatment support, rehabilitation and advocacy for underprivileged communities across the country.As Khazana enters its Silver Jubilee year, organisers reaffirmed that all proceeds from the festival will go directly towards the medical treatment, care and rehabilitation of underprivileged cancer patients and thalassemic children, ensuring that, true to its founder’s vision, every ghazal sung continues to carry a message of hope.