MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has granted ad-interim relief to Mumbai-based real estate developer SD Corporation Pvt Ltd in a defamation suit, directing that allegedly defamatory social media posts, videos and messages targeting the company and its MHADA redevelopment project should not be circulated further until the next hearing.Justice Abhay Ahuja passed the order on July 27 while hearing an interim application filed by SD Corporation in its suit against Devang Dave and others. The court held that the company had made out a prima facie case for ad-interim relief.According to the suit, SD Corporation, a joint venture between the Shapoorji Pallonji Group and the Dilip Thacker Group, alleged that the defendants had circulated false, malicious and misleading content on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other social media platforms regarding the company’s integrated redevelopment project at Samta Nagar, Kandivali (East). The company claimed the posts accused it and MHADA of corruption and fraud, urged people to boycott the Sarova project, and sought to damage its reputation and business.The developer submitted that the redevelopment project covers a 55-acre MHADA layout comprising 166 buildings with around 2,894 allottees. It stated that 72 of the 74 cooperative housing societies are members of the Samta Nagar Cooperative Housing Societies Union Ltd, which has received MHADA’s no-objection certificate for the integrated redevelopment. Although 13 societies have challenged the project before the High Court seeking exclusion, no interim relief has been granted in those petitions, the company argued.Senior Advocate Chetan Kapadia, appearing for the developer, contended that despite a cease-and-desist notice issued on May 13, 2026, the defendant continued publishing and circulating allegedly defamatory material. The company also sought damages and a permanent injunction against further publication of such content.Counsel for defendant Devang Dave opposed the plea, arguing that truth is a complete defence to defamation and contended that the statements reflected the grievances of 11 housing societies. On being questioned by the court, however, the defence acknowledged that Dave was neither a member, purchaser nor prospective purchaser in the redevelopment project.Observing that terms such as “corrupt”, “fraud” and “scam” used in the impugned posts appeared, prima facie, to be disparaging and capable of interfering with the plaintiff’s business and contractual relations, the court granted ad-interim protection.The High Court directed the defendants and all hosts, including those not party to the litigation, not to further circulate the impugned statements, posts and videos identified in the suit until the next hearing. The court also granted ad-interim relief restraining further publication of similar allegedly defamatory material, while directing the parties to complete pleadings. The matter has been posted for further hearing on August 31, 2026.

The BMC Improvement Committee approved handing over SevenHills Hospital to Capri Global Ventures

MUMBAI: The BMC’s Improvement Committee on Tuesday approved a proposal to hand over the sprawling SevenHills Hospital campus at Marol to Capri Global Ventures Pvt Ltd, with the Shiv Sena-BJP-led ruling panel pushing through the proposal despite strong objections from Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress members.The proposal had first come up before the committee in May but was neither approved nor rejected.Following a heated debate, it was referred back to the civic administration for reconsideration.During Tuesday’s meeting the same proposal was tabled again with opposition members questioning both the need for a private operator and the manner in which the proposal was processed.However Shiv Sena corporator and chairman of the committee Sandhya Doshi passed the proposal without any further comments being made by the civic administration.Congress leader Ashraf Azmi alleged that work had already begun at the hospital before the proposal received statutory approval.“We have learnt that the company with whom the BMC has entered into a lease agreement has already started work at the facility. How can such a move be allowed without the approval of the statutory committee?” Azmi asked.Capri Global emerged as the successful resolution applicant for SevenHills Healthcare Pvt Ltd (SHPL) through the insolvency process and will receive equity-based support from Reliance Foundation, which manages H N Reliance Hospital at Girgaum.The proposal authorises the execution of a fresh lease deed with SHPL, now under Capri Global’s ownership, enabling the hospital to continue under the original public-private partnership (PPP) model.It provides for a 30-year lease, extendable by another 30 years, for nearly 66,688 sq m of BMC-owned land at Marol in Andheri (East), where the hospital is located.Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Sachin Padwal said elected representatives from Andheri and Marol had consistently demanded that the civic body itself operate the hospital instead of handing it over to a private entity.“No private hospital reserves beds for the common public. SevenHills is a centrally located hospital that should be developed and run by the BMC. The corporation has enough funds to build and operate such a facility, especially when it is spending thousands of crores on major infrastructure projects,” he said.Congress corporator Raja Rahebar Khan sought a site inspection before the proposal was cleared.“Allegations being made by Azmi is very serious. If that is true, how could work begin without the Improvement Committee’s approval? A site visit should be conducted before any decision is taken,” he said.Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Vishakha Raut also opposed the move, arguing that the BMC had sufficient financial resources to run the hospital.“The health department has a large budget, so why involve a private party? SevenHills played a crucial role during the Covid pandemic by treating patients & BMC ran it very well. If Reliance is backing Capri Global, it can build or acquire a hospital on private land. Why should prime BMC land be handed over?” she said, while also alleging that the civic law department was acting in favour of private parties.Civic officials had said the revival of SevenHills Hospital is expected to significantly augment Mumbai’s public healthcare infrastructure by bringing a long-defunct mega hospital back into operation while preserving the quota of subsidised treatment for BMC patients under the PPP model.Under the approved resolution plan, SevenHills Hospital will be redeveloped as a 1,500-bed not-for-profit tertiary care hospital.The new promoter has agreed to honour the conditions of the original 2005 contract and the 2013 memorandum of understanding, including reserving 20% of operational beds—300 beds—and 20% of OPD services for BMC patients, with treatment, medicines and diagnostic tests provided at civic rates.

Reliance Jio achieved the fastest mobile data speeds in Mumbai’s recent TRAI drive test. Airtel, too, delivered a solid overall network performance during the independent assessment.

MUMBAI: Reliance Jio topped the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) latest independent drive test in Mumbai, recording the fastest mobile data speeds and zero dropped calls on the surveyed routes, while Vodafone Idea (Vi) posted the fewest coverage gaps.Airtel also delivered a strong overall performance, whereas MTNL lagged on coverage and call quality.The findings, released on Monday, are based on drive tests conducted by TRAI between June 10 and 12 across 204.3 km of Mumbai roads and seven high-footfall locations, including CSMT, Churchgate, Dadar and Byculla railway stations, Gateway of India, Marine Drive and Parel station.The assessment evaluated 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network performance under real-world conditions.In mobile data performance, Jio recorded the highest average download speed at 237.81 Mbps, more than twice Airtel’s 93.76 Mbps and well ahead of Vi’s 70.69 Mbps.Jio also led in upload speeds with 40.92 Mbps, compared with 25.92 Mbps for Airtel and 25.57 Mbps for Vi. MTNL’s mobile data throughput was not available in the assessment.Jio also emerged as the best performer in voice services, recording zero dropped calls out of 489 successfully established calls during the test. Airtel and Vi reported one dropped call each, while MTNL recorded 28 dropped calls out of 203 established calls.In terms of coverage, Vi performed the best, registering only five poor-signal samples out of 54,511 observations. Airtel recorded 102 poor-signal samples, while Jio logged 144. MTNL fared the worst, with poor signal strength in 17,877 of 23,461 samples and no coverage in another 7,325 samples.For the call silence parameter, where users experience silence for more than three seconds despite an active call, Jio and Vi recorded one instance each, while Airtel reported 23 instances across 14 calls. MTNL was not assessed for this parameter.The drive test covered major routes, including the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, Mahim, Dadar, Sion, Antop Hill, Worli, Parel, Sewri, Haji Ali, Mumbai Central, Byculla, Malabar Hill, Girgaon, Mazgaon and Churchgate.TRAI said the findings reflect network performance only on the routes, locations and time during which the tests were conducted. The results have been shared with telecom operators for corrective action where required, and the detailed reports have been uploaded to the regulator’s website.

Unlike conventional solar parks, the project will use the surface of the Veer reservoir, reducing the need for land acquisition while also helping minimise water evaporation.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra has initiated the process to develop its first floating solar power project with battery storage by inviting expressions of interest (EOIs) for an integrated 11-MW Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) project and a 5.5-MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the Veer reservoir in Satara district.The Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation (MKVDC) has proposed the project under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.Scheduled for commissioning in FY 2028-29, it is expected to be the state’s first reservoir-based solar plant integrated with battery storage, enabling solar energy generated during the day to be stored and supplied during peak demand hours.Unlike conventional solar parks, the project will use the surface of the Veer reservoir, reducing the need for land acquisition while also helping minimise water evaporation. The reservoir will continue to be used for irrigation alongside renewable energy generation.The project will include a 5.5-MW/11-MWh battery energy storage system, in line with the Maharashtra Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Policy, which requires storage capacity equivalent to at least 50% of renewable energy capacity for projects commissioned in FY 2028-29.The storage system is expected to improve grid stability and enhance renewable energy utilisation.The selected private developer will finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the project under a 25-year Lease-Develop-Operate-Transfer (LDOT) concession, after which the assets will be transferred back to MKVDC.Power generated will be evacuated through MSETCL/MSEDCL substations at Lonand and Shirwal.The EOI also outlines safeguards to ensure the project does not affect dam operations, irrigation releases or the reservoir’s ecology.Developers will be required to maintain exclusion zones around critical dam infrastructure, prepare environmental management plans and coordinate with fisheries stakeholders.To qualify, bidders must have experience in developing at least a 5-MW floating solar project and a 2-MW battery energy storage system, or equivalent energy-sector PPP projects, besides operating a renewable energy project of at least 5 MW for two years.They must also meet specified financial eligibility criteria.MKVDC said the EOI is only a market-sounding and shortlisting exercise and does not constitute a commitment to issue a request for proposal or award the project.

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday likened people participating in the CJP protests to an “avatar of Lord Vishnu”, saying citizens from Mumbai to Delhi had overcome fear and taken to the streets to save the country and democracy.In an interview with Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut in the party mouthpiece Saamna, Uddhav said the government had long ruled through fear, but people were now defying it.“Vishnu has taken the form of the people. I saw it at Jantar Mantar. This is Vishnu, to save the country and religion. Religion is not just Hindu or Muslim. The religion of humanity is being protected by the youth who have come out on the streets. Their parents and grandparents are with them. This is the incarnation of Vishnu born to save the country,” he said.Warning the Centre against ignoring the protests, Uddhav cited student-led movements in neighbouring countries. “Ask Sheikh Hasina, whom you have given shelter to, why she could not crush the students’ movement. Ask Nepal’s Prime Minister why the Gen Z movement could not be suppressed. A country is its people, and they know how to express their opinion in a democracy,” he said.He said public anger could escalate into a larger movement if left unaddressed. “A spark can turn into a revolution. If corrective steps are not taken in time, a grave situation could arise. Once these young people take to the streets, they will not stop until they achieve their goal,” Uddhav said.Targeting the BJP-led Centre, he alleged that people had lost faith in politicians because parties were being split for political gain. He blamed Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged paper leaks and also criticised Union home minister Amit Shah.“The people elected you to govern. Do your job. Why wasn’t the machinery used to prevent paper leaks before they happened?” he asked.Uddhav also claimed that people who backed the BJP since 2014 now felt betrayed. Citing unemployment, inflation, fuel prices, pothole-ridden roads, bridge collapses and alleged irregularities in the Ram temple donation collection, he said the government had failed to deliver.“People feel those they supported have stabbed them in the back. Jobs have not come, inflation has not fallen, petrol and gas prices remain high, roads are full of potholes, bridges are collapsing and nothing of value has been delivered,” he said.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to transform itself into a global tourism destination, targeting ₹1 lakh crore in private investment and creation of 18 lakh jobs by 2034, while shifting the focus beyond Mumbai, Pune and the Ajanta-Ellora circuit to promote year-round travel across the state.The tourism department plans to develop integrated circuits covering heritage forts linked to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Buddhist and spiritual destinations, wildlife parks, Konkan’s coastline, wine tourism in Nashik and rural tourism. The strategy aligns with the state’s Vikasit Maharashtra vision and aims to significantly increase domestic and international tourist arrivals.Additional Chief Secretary for Tourism Sanjay Khandare said major flagship projects include India’s first underwater naval museum and artificial reef using the decommissioned INS Guldar off Sindhudurg, expansion of scuba diving facilities at Tarkarli, development of cruise and yacht tourism along Maharashtra’s 878-km coastline, immersive AR/VR experiences at heritage sites, and a dedicated MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) Convention Bureau to attract business tourism.With the 2027 Nashik Kumbh Mela expected to draw millions of pilgrims, the government is accelerating investments in roads, riverfronts, accommodation, sanitation, signage and digital crowd management systems. Khandare said the infrastructure created for the Kumbh will be retained to position Nashik and Trimbakeshwar as year-round destinations combining pilgrimage, wine tourism and heritage.To attract longer visitor stays, Maharashtra will intensify digital campaigns, destination branding and story-driven marketing highlighting forts, festivals, cuisine, local traditions and coastal experiences, he added. It has also planned investment promotion offices in Mumbai, Dubai and Singapore while encouraging public-private partnerships in hotels, eco-tourism, ropeways, adventure tourism and convention infrastructure.The state is also preparing standard operating procedures and safety audits for adventure tourism, promoting homestays and women-led tourism enterprises, and introducing the Mahatithi digital platform to integrate tourism stakeholders and generate real-time visitor analytics for policy planning, he added.Officials said the long-term objective is to position Maharashtra as a premium, experience-driven destination by combining world-class heritage, spirituality, wildlife, beaches, urban culture and business tourism with improved infrastructure and higher-quality visitor experiences.