Virar: A portion of the kitchen slab of a flat in a structurally dangerous building in Virar East collapsed on Saturday night. The building was earlier declared unsafe by the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC). No one was injured as the kitchen was unoccupied when the slab gave way.The incident took place around 10 pm in Flat No. 403 of the four-storey Hirabai Apartment in the Phulpada area of Virar East. The building comprises 65 residential units. Residents said the kitchen slab suddenly caved in, triggering panic among occupants.According to civic officials, the building has been classified as a C-2 (dangerous) structure. The municipal corporation issued three notices to the society, directing it to carry out a structural audit and undertake necessary repair work. However, no repairs were carried out despite the repeated notices.Ashwini More, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of Ward C, said the residents failed to comply with the civic body’s directives to repair the building.The incident has left residents worried, particularly as the monsoon is underway. They fear that if repair work is not taken up immediately, a major mishap could occur.Meanwhile, the VVMC on Sunday declared the tilted Durgeshwari Apartment in Nalasopara a C-1 (extremely dangerous) structure and issued an order for its immediate demolition.

Thane: A fire broke out at an office located on the first floor of the Orion Business Park, at Kapurbawdi, Ghodbunder Highway, Sunday morning, triggering panic in the nearby area. This is the second instance at the commercial unit; it had witnessed a massive blaze in April 2023, which took over 16 hours and combined teams from Thane and Mumbai fire brigade to douse.Although no injuries were reported, officials said they are investigating if the facility failed to install adequate fire safety measures. “The Sunday incident was reported in units 103-105 on the first floor of the ground-plus-five-storeyed commercial building. The fire alarm probably failed to operate, and the fire was spotted by the security staff only after heavy smoke started billowing out of the affected office premises,” informed Girish Jhalke, chief fire officer at the Thane fire brigade.Rescue teams reached the spot within minutes and managed to douse the blaze after disconnecting the power supply. Cooling operation was under way at the site till late afternoon.Initial survey revealed the server room and pantry of the office suffered extensive damage. The cause of fire is yet to be ascertained, informed Yasin Tadvi, in charge at the Thane RDMC. The incident, that comes close on the heels of the Gaondevi market and town development office blaze, assumes importance, following which officials said they would renew their drive to check fire safety audits of all structures in the city.

According to the IMD, Mumbai is likely to receive moderate rain on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday, while Monday is expected to see light to moderate rainfall and heavy rainfall at isolated places has been forecast for Thursday

Mumbai: Moderate rain is expected to continue in Mumbai through most of the coming week, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting heavy rainfall at isolated places in the city on Thursday. The forecast indicates a more active monsoon spell across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), with Thane, Palghar and Raigad expected to witness heavy rainfall on multiple days. According to the IMD’s five-day district forecast, Mumbai is likely to receive moderate rain on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday, while Monday is expected to see light to moderate rainfall. Heavy rainfall at isolated places has been forecast for Thursday. The department has classified the probability of rainfall as “very likely” on all five days.Thane is expected to receive heavy rainfall at isolated places on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, with moderate rain on Monday and Tuesday. Palghar is forecast to witness light to moderate rain accompanied by thundershowers until Tuesday before heavy rainfall at isolated places on Wednesday and Thursday. Raigad is likely to receive the most intense rainfall in the region, with heavy rainfall at a few places on Sunday and Thursday and heavy rainfall at isolated places on Tuesday and Wednesday. The IMD has warned that heavy rainfall could trigger localised flooding in low-lying and urban areas, flash floods, disruption to road, rail, air and ferry services, rough sea conditions along the Konkan coast, and landslides or mudslides in vulnerable areas. It has also cautioned that strong winds accompanying thunderstorms may damage weak trees, old structures and standing crops.

IMA president Dr Santosh Kulkarni said that if the government continues to remain indifferent and fails to provide legal protection through an ordinance, the fraternity will be compelled to undertake a 24-hour withdrawal of services next week as a token protest

Mumbai: The state unit of Indian Medical Association (IMA) said it was calling off the 24-hour strike by doctors across Maharashtra scheduled for Monday following HC’s suo motu intervention in the Dombivli hospital attack case. But it sought that the state govt provide legal protection to the medical fraternity through an ordinance, failing which it will be compelled to undertake a 24-hour withdrawal of services on July 27 as a token protest and an indefinite strike from Aug 9.IMA president Dr Santosh Kulkarni said the strike withdrawal was out of respect for HC’s appeal to doctors to reconsider their decision but the larger demand for stringent amendments to Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010, remains unaddressed.“The current issue does not pertain to a single isolated incident. Rather, it reflects the increasing and repeated acts of violence against doctors and healthcare workers, which have become a serious threat to the safety, dignity and functioning of the healthcare system,” said IMA.Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) is scheduled to meet CM Devendra Fadnavis this week, where these issues will be raised. “We will be on indefinite strike only if our concerns are not adequately addressed. Some of them are also about other problems residents are facing with their hostel facilities,” said MARD president Dr Atharva Shinde.

He also drew a comparison with the response of the erstwhile UPA government to social activist Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement in 2011.

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Centre, saying a fight should now be launched to change a government that is not accountable.Addressing a rally in Mumbai, Thackeray accused the government of jeopardising the future of the youth, citing alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and student suicides linked to the issue, according to news agency PTIHe referred to activist Sonam Wangchuk’s ongoing hunger strike over the matter.The remarks came amid political turbulence for the Shiv Sena (UBT), which recently lost six of its Lok Sabha MPs to the rival Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Thackeray’s criticism also comes a day before the commencement of Parliament’s monsoon session.“A fight should now be launched to change a government that is not accountable. And this fight is just about Sonam Wangchuk,” he said.Questioning the government’s stance towards Wangchuk, Thackeray said the activist, known for developing solar tents for soldiers deployed in sub-zero temperatures and creating ice stupas to tackle water scarcity in Ladakh, cannot be labelled as “anti-national”.He also drew a comparison with the response of the erstwhile UPA government to social activist Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement in 2011.He said the erstwhile UPA government led by the then prime minister Manmohan Singh sent a delegation to hold talks with social activist Anna Hazare when he was on an indefinite hunger strike in 2011. “Why did the Modi government not do so with Wangchuk?” he asked.Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike since June 28, raising concerns over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and the reported student suicides following the cancellation of the paper.

Maharashtra eateries can now stay open until 4 am on July 20

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has permitted eateries, hotels and restaurants across the state to remain open until 4 am on July 20 to allow football fans to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.The decision was taken following a request from the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), Mumbai, seeking extended operating hours for hospitality establishments on the night of the final.In an order issued by the Home Department under Section 33 of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, the government granted a one-time relaxation in operating hours, subject to several conditions.Establishments have been directed to deploy adequate private security personnel inside and outside their premises to ensure that no law and order issues arise.Owners will be held responsible for any untoward incident or crime occurring within or around their establishments and may face action in case of violations.The order also makes it mandatory for establishments to comply with all provisions of the Noise Pollution Rules and directions issued by the Supreme Court and High Courts regarding the use of loudspeakers and sound amplification systems.The extended operating hours apply only to establishments functioning in enclosed buildings or spaces.The government has also empowered local police authorities to deny the relaxation wherever necessary, depending on the prevailing law and order situation.The Home Department has instructed all concerned authorities to ensure strict security arrangements during the extended operating hours.The order was issued by Joint Secretary Mugdha N. Dhuri.

MUMBAI: A speeding Porsche crashed into a divider on Mumbai’s coastal road after the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle, police said.The accident occurred on the Coastal Road on Sunday. The impact caused significant damage to the luxury car. However, the driver escaped with only minor injuries as the vehicle’s airbags deployed on impact.Police said the driver was travelling at high speed when the accident took place.Authorities have launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the crash, including whether overspeeding or any other factor contributed to the accident. No other injuries were reported in the incident.Videos from the scene showed the damaged Porsche lodged against the divider as police personnel reached the spot and began their inquiry.