Navi Mumbai: A 21-year-old woman from Ambernath riding pillion was killed in a fatal accident involving a bike and a car on the Karjat-Khopoli highway on Thursday morning. The bike rider sustained grievous injuries. In another fatal accident, a Mahad youth (23) was killed on the Mumbai-Goa highway stretch near the Kashedi ghat, Poladpur, Raigad on Tuesday night.According to Karjat police, the speeding biker had a head-on collision with the car, resulting in the death of pillion rider Sonali Bhandare (21) on the spot owing to head and multiple injuries. The rider, Rohit Waghmare (20), a resident of Poshir village, Karjat, sustained serious injuries in his legs and was rushed to a local hospital through an ambulance of the Shri Swami Samarth Seva Kendra.“The accident was reported near Palasdari. The bike was moving towards Khopoli while the car towards Karjat. The bike rider has been booked under the relevant sections of the BNS and Motor Vehicle Act,” said constable Santosh Salunke.In the second accident, a motorcyclist, Raj More (23), riding towards Goa lost control and dashed the roadside railing on a highway curvature. The speeding bike rider was rushed to the govt rural hospital, Mahad, in a grievously injured state through an ambulance but was declared dead by the doctors.The highway traffic was affected for around an hour. Later the bike was towed away to a safe side to normalise the traffic. The bike rider has been booked posthumously for the fatal accident by the Poladpur police under relevant sections of the BNS. Further investigation is on.

Police said the group unlawfully assembled in violation of prohibitory orders and obstructed public movement

Mumbai: Borivli police have registered an FIR against a group of 10 men for firing an airgun at midnight while cutting a birthday cake on the bonnet of a car parked in the middle of the road. Police said the group unlawfully assembled in violation of prohibitory orders and obstructed public movement.The incident occurred around midnight on August 5 at Gorai-II near Gharkul society. Police said the group was celebrating Akash Gupta’s 26th birthday. In a now-viral video clip, the group is seen assembling on the road near Gharkul society. A car is parked in the middle of the road and a cake is cut on the bonnet. Police said the group was yelling and creating a ruckus. The airgun belonged to Jatin Sharma, 26, and his friend, Vijesh Upadhyay, 26, fired it.After the video was posted on Instagram by a news portal, Borivli police took action under supervision of DCP Sandeep Ghuge.

The advocate for Goyal submitted that a discharge application would be filed

Mumbai: A special PMLA court on Thursday granted Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal exemption from personal appearance as a “last chance” in the money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate, and adjourned the matter for hearing on charge to Aug 10.The advocate for Goyal submitted that a discharge application would be filed. Taking note of the submission, the court observed, “It is to be mentioned here that the matter is of the year 2023; for these three years the accused has not taken any steps for filing discharge application. As the draft charge is submitted and the charge is to be heard. The accused cannot be entertained is on each on every date for filing a discharge application.” The court directed Goyal to remain present on the next date without fail. The Enforcement Directorate arrested Goyal in Sept 2023 in connection with a Rs 538.6-crore money laundering case. Goyal, 76, is currently out on bail.

Thane: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde earlier this week directed Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MahaMetro) to launch a citywide public awareness campaign and hold consultations with residents in Thane to address concerns and dispel misconceptions amid mounting public opposition to the Rs 12,200 crore Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail project.The directive came during a project review meeting in Mumbai where the growing criticism over lack of public consultation on major infrastructure projects in Thane was discussed.Incidentally, former Supreme Court judge Justice Abhay S. Oka, on Sunday, had criticised the large-scale projects in Thane being executed without consulting residents. Last month, few alert citizens also formed a pressure group seeking greater public participation in planning infrastructure works. The issue was also raised during the ongoing monsoon session by BJP MLC Niranjan Davkhare and newly nominated BJP MLC Madhavi Naik also urged Shinde to hold public consultations.“Inadequate public communication may have prevented residents from getting the complete picture of the project. The Integral Metro has been planned to improve connectivity for lakhs of Thane residents and will be implemented only after taking citizens and public representatives into confidence,” Shinde said.A meeting with residents, elected representatives and experts would be held with officials explaining the finer details of the project through presentations and discussions. Information kiosks on the project would be set up at Ganesh pandals too, he said.The 29-km corridor comprises a 26-km elevated stretch and a 3-km underground section linking the existing and proposed Thane railway stations. Around 9.5% of the work has been completed, with station construction and casting yards already underway, officials explained.The MahaMetro managing director, Shravan Hardikar, said that the project could be completed within three-and-a-half years, subject to timely land acquisition and other statutory clearance processes.

Citizens in these areas have been appealed to store water and use water sparingly

Mumbai: Water supply to areas in H-East Ward will be shut completely, while several areas in K-South Ward will receive low- pressure supply from 10am on August 11 to 10am on August 12, as the BMC will undertake maintenance work on the 2,400 mm diameter Vaitarana water pipeline as part of measures being implemented to improve water supply in these two wards.The areas where water supply will remain shut in H-East ward are international airport, Hangar employees’ colony, Air India Colony, Santacruz (East), Bandra Railway Terminus, Bandra-Kurla Sankul Vandre (East) will face complete cut in water supply from August 11 to 12, while areas such as Santacruz (East), Khar (East), and Bandra (East) areas will remain completely shut on August 12.The areas to receive water supply at low pressure in the K-South ward on August 11 from 2pm to 5.30pm are Kabir Nagar, Bamanwada, Parsiwada, Vimanatal area, Tarun Bharat Vasahat, Islampura, Deulwadi, Masali Bazar (Fish Market), Ghativada, Chakala, P & T Vasahat, while areas such as Koldongari, Old Police Lane, Vijay Nagar (Sahar Road), Mograpada will get low pressure from 5pm to 10pm. Areas such as Sahar Gaon, Sutar Pakhadi, Cargo Sankul will get low pressure from 5am to 8am on August 12.Citizens in these areas have been appealed to store required quantity of water and use water sparingly.

Mumbai: Mulund BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha has alleged that a Development Plan (DP) road linking LBS Marg between Off Park Road and Tansa Pipeline in Mulund West does not actually exist and was illegally incorporated into a developer’s project. Claiming that public property has been “stolen”, he has filed a complaint with Mulund police and demanded that the missing road, which would have helped reduce traffic congestion, be traced and handed over to BMC.Kotecha said the DP road is public property and is important for reducing traffic congestion. Under municipal corporation rules, he said, such roads are required to remain in BMC’s possession and be available for public use. He alleged that while a portion of the DP road has been constructed, the remaining stretch has disappeared and a nearly 60-storey building now stands on the site.In a representation submitted to senior police inspector of Mulund police station, Kotecha stated that the DP road between Off Park Road and Tansa pipeline on LBS Marg (plot numbers 543, 544 and 547, Nahur village) forms part of the approved Development Plan. He alleged that although part of the road has been developed, the remaining stretch is not physically available and has instead been incorporated into the developer’s project.

Thane: Transport minister Pratap Sarnaik suggested an alternative alignment of the Thane Integral Ring Metro rail project to run through Samata Nagar, Lokmanya Nagar, Aai Mata Mandir and Shivai Nagar without interfering with the rest of the alignment. The deviation, he claimed, would lead to fewer rehabilitations required along the original stretch and instead raise footfall to the project.Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde directed the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MahaMetro) to study the feasibility and submit a report within three weeks.Meanwhile, Konkan graduate constituency MLC Niranjan Davkhare said the state has shown willingness to replicate and extend the Thane Integral Ring Metro rail project to Kalwa, Mumbra and Diva, bringing the fast-growing suburbs under the fast rail transit network. Davkhare, who raised the issue during an online meeting with Shinde and MahaMetro officials, said the suburbs, which have witnessed a sharp rise in population and commuter traffic, must be integrated with the Ring Metro to improve connectivity with the city and other parts of the district.“The rapidly developing Kalwa, Mumbra and Diva suburbs were not included in the original metro plan. There is now a need to connect them with the main metro network. The deputy CM responded positively and approved the extension,” Davkhare said through a statement. Meanwhile, officials said that a detailed project report for the proposed extension had already been prepared. Davkhare also flagged concerns over the proposed underground metro alignment through Chendani Koliwada and parts of old Thane, where residents have expressed fears about the safety of their homes. Metro officials said the tunnelling work would not endanger existing structures and said a detailed impact assessment of the affected areas would be carried out and the findings placed in the public domain.