Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Tree Authority is set to consider a proposal to fell 35 trees and transplant 11 others to facilitate the proposed Ramabai and Kamraj Nagar Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project in Ghatkopar East.The proposal, listed for consideration at the Tree Authority meeting on Aug 14, pertains to a plot at Ghatkopar Village No. 194/B (Part), Kamraj Nagar, where the proposed redevelopment project is being undertaken under the slum redevelopment scheme.According to the proposal, a survey found 90 trees on the site. Of these, 46 are likely to be affected by excavation and other work related to the project. The BMC has proposed felling 35 trees, transplanting 11 and retaining the remaining 44 trees.The trees proposed to be felled include peepal, coconut, rain tree, almond, vilayati chich and other species. Several of the trees are between 15 and 30 years old, with some having circumferences of up to eight feet.As compensation for the proposed removal, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has undertaken to plant 955 new trees on the same land within 15 days of the felling. The proposal states that the new trees will be at least six feet tall and comprise local species.The compensatory plantation is proposed across around 2,583 sq m of open space and 1,234 sq m reserved as a recreational ground. The applicant has also undertaken to maintain and conserve the newly planted trees for seven years.The proposal follows an application made by the MMRDA’s Town Planning Department in Jan 2026, seeking permission to remove 35 trees and replant 11. A physical inspection of the site was subsequently carried out by BMC officials.BMC said the tree permission process was being considered under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975. An advertisement inviting objections and suggestions was issued in February, with notices also displayed on the trees proposed for removal.The Tree Authority has been requested to grant, conditionally grant or reject permission under Section 8(3) of the Act. The proposal also states that the prescribed fees, deposits and compensation will have to be paid before permission is granted.

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Wednesday remarked that it was time for a long-pending dispute about recovery from Vijay Mallya, founder of the erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines, “be brought to an end”.Justice Milind Jadhav made the remark after senior counsel Amit Desai for Mallya submitted that a petition against seizures of his assets turned infructuous with seizures and sales over the last six years.“Actually, this issue needs to be put to an end. The idea is to move on… otherwise the relations and the economy of the country suffer,” Justice Jadhav remarked and sought a reply from the ED to clarify if the civil liabilities have been effectively settled with the recovery of Rs 15,000 crore.Has everything been “done and dusted”, asked the high court.Justice Jadhav in his order made available on Thursday said applications filed by Mallya and Kamsco Industries Pvt Ltd “have seen the light of the day today for the first time after the board department was directed to list all old shelf matters”.Mallya had sought quashing of a December 2019 PMLA court order over seizure of his assets. Desai said Mallya’s “civil liabilities have effectively been settled” as “consortium of banks have recovered approximately Rs 15,000 Crores from (Mallya) when compared with the original claim of Rs.6203 odd Crores including interest.”The high court said the ED needs to confirm such settlement. The high court clarified Mallya’s plea would have to be ascertained and confirmed by the ED.Justice Jadhav said only after hearing deputy director of ED would the high court “decide the further course of action in the present” plea.Mallya had left India for the UK in 2016 and that is where he remains.The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had confiscated Mallya’s assets in alleged claims of Rs 6,203 crore.In 2020, Mallya filed the petition and challenged a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) trial court order that permitted an SBI-headed consortium to use such ED-confiscated assets to recover unpaid dues. It was filed when settlement talks were afoot, said Desai, but by 2026 most of the properties he wanted protection for had been attached by the ED and sold, rendering the challenge redundant.In February, the high court had asked Mallya to inform the court when he intended to return to India. Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad had at the time orally said Mallya cannot avoid court processes by taking advantage of the pendency of his petition, in which he challenged the constitutionality of provisions of the Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO) Act.

Riddhi Thakkar died on Wednesday morning on NH-30 in Chhattisgarh’s Balod district after her motorcycle was hit by an unidentified heavy vehicle. (Photos taken from her Instagram account @gearglimpse54)

MUMBAI: On her social media profiles, Riddhi Thakkar described herself in two words that captured the two sides of her life: makeup artist and rider.At 24, the Mumbai biker had built an identity around motorcycles, long-distance rides and the freedom she associated with life on two wheels.Her YouTube channel, @Ridewithridz, described her as a biker determined to “carve my own path in a world where the throttle doesn’t care about gender” — a glimpse into how she saw riding not merely as a hobby, but as part of her identity.Thakkar died on Wednesday morning on National Highway 30 in Chhattisgarh’s Balod district after her motorcycle was hit by an unidentified heavy vehicle while she was travelling towards Bastar with a group of bikers. Police said the vehicle fled the scene and efforts were underway to trace it and its driver.A journey she had been sharing onlineThe Bastar trip was not a journey that began with the group in Chhattisgarh. Riddhi had ridden from Mumbai to Chhattisgarh on her motorcycle before joining the other bikers in Raipur.Just days before the fatal crash, she had posted information about her solo ride from Mumbai to Chhattisgarh on Instagram. A day before the accident, she shared another photograph of herself on the platform.Those posts now offer a glimpse of the journey she had undertaken just before it ended on NH-30.Her online presence showed that riding was central to her life. On Ridewithridz, she wrote about solo rides, road trips, motorcycle reviews, riding tips, gear guides and the “real, unfiltered moments” of life on the road.She also spoke about wanting to challenge stereotypes around women riders and inspire other women to take up motorcycling.“I’m here to break stereotypes, inspire others (especially women) to chase freedom on two wheels, and build a community where all riders are welcome.”Her channel also described her as someone documenting the ups, downs and milestones of her riding journey, along with moto-vlogs, travel stories and the biker lifestyle.From a solo ride to a group journeyAfter reaching Raipur, Riddhi joined a group of around 20 motorbikers from Maharashtra and other states who were travelling towards the Bastar region.At around 6am on Wednesday, near Markatola Ghat under Purur police station limits, Riddhi’s motorcycle was hit by the unidentified heavy vehicle, police said.A fellow rider told police that she, Riddhi and another biker were travelling behind the main group when the accident occurred.The impact left Riddhi seriously injured, particularly in her legs. The heavy vehicle fled immediately after the collision.Her fellow riders called the police helpline Dial 112, following which an emergency response vehicle took her to Charama Community Health Centre in neighbouring Kanker district. Given the severity of her condition, she was later referred to a private hospital in Dhamtari.Doctors there declared her dead on arrival, police said.The unanswered final stretchThe circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation. Police are trying to identify the heavy vehicle and its driver and are expected to examine CCTV footage from stretches around the accident site for clues.For now, the final stretch of Riddhi’s journey remains marked by unanswered questions — but her digital trail leaves behind a clearer picture of the young woman behind the motorcycle.She had presented herself online not simply as someone who rode bikes, but as a woman determined to make riding part of her independence, identity and message to others.Her final journey to Bastar, which began with a solo ride from Mumbai, ended just days later on a highway in Chhattisgarh.(With agency inputs)

With World Photography Day approaching (August 19), we turn the lens on Mumbai’s wildlife photography enthusiasts who have ventured into India’s forests in search of its iconic big cat. They share why capturing a tiger in the wild takes far more than the right gear — it takes patience, respect and a responsible mindset towards wildlife.‘Tigers are solitary and elusive’For Vikram Dave, a businessman, who pursues wildlife photography as a passion, the appeal of photographing tigers lies in their unpredictability. He shares, “Unlike lions, which are easier to spot in prides, tigers are solitary and elusive. You can go through four or five safaris without seeing a single tiger. That rarity is what makes every sighting special. They are majestic creatures, and every photograph feels earned. I have been photographing wildlife since 2018 and make five to six safari trips every year with a group of fellow photographers.”

‘Wildlife photography is as much about restraint as it is about instinct’For photographer and celebrity stylist Aesana Bhuta, tiger sightings have occurred during several visits to forests in Ranthambore and Madhya Pradesh. “I have spotted tigers mainly while visiting safari parks across India. Sightings are wonderfully unpredictable. It’s about being at the right place at the right time,” she says, adding, “We should respect their space because it is their home that we are visiting. Crowding or blocking their pathways just to click pictures is a big no. Wildlife photography is as much about restraint as it is about instinct.”

‘Safaris have become a trend’For Hemant Shankar Khushale, an IT professional and wildlife photographer, capturing the tiger photograph he had imagined was a long process.He says, “It took me around five years to consistently capture the kind of tiger photographs I had envisioned. I started with a point-and-shoot camera before moving to a DSLR. Luck certainly helps, but patience, preparation and spending time in the jungle matter much more.”While every season offers different photographic opportunities, Hemant says the summer months — from March to June — generally provide the best chances for tiger photography as visibility improves and animals frequently visit water bodies.

‘The best wildlife photographs are earned through preparation and respect for the jungle’Adding another perspective, Lokesh Tardalkar, a professor of photography and cinematography and a wildlife photographer, says, “Great tiger photographs are never just about the season. They begin with studying the park’s geography, terrain, vegetation, water bodies and light. I visualise the frame in advance — not just a close portrait of a tiger, but an image that places the animal within its habitat. Such photographs tell a stronger conservation story than a simple sighting.”

Mumbai’s key stories today include landslide deaths, proposed auto-cab rule changes and calls for greater contractor accountability

MUMBAI: The city is stuck between monsoon-related safety concerns and changes that could affect daily commuters. Two people have died and two have been injured in a landslide incident in Mumbai, which has brought renewed focus on the city’s vulnerability during the monsoon and the safety of people living or traveling near vulnerable slopes.Meanwhile, the impending language rule for auto-rickshaw and cab drivers in Maharashtra is creating talks among commuters and the transport sector, with the provision slated to come into force from August 18.The state government also is assembling a system to rate contractors on the quality of their work and their ability to meet deadlines, an issue that hits close to home in a city where road, drainage and infrastructure projects often overlap.For Mumbaikars, today’s city conversation is not about an isolated event, but about safety, accountability and how civic infrastructure performs in the monsoon.

Landslide reignites monsoon safety focus

The deaths in the landslide have brought out the dangers of unstable ground in heavy rains. With the monsoon active across Mumbai region, the incident is likely to fuel questions over vulnerable locations, preventive inspections and emergency response.Such risks are particularly challenging to manage in the dense development of the city, where homes, roads and public infrastructure are often built close to slopes and retaining structures.

New language rules for auto and cab drivers

Auto-rickshaw, cab drivers must know Marathi: The shift could impact thousands of drivers and be a major talking point for transport workers, passengers and app-based mobility platforms.For commuters, the question is immediate: How will the requirement be enforced, and what documentation or testing mechanism will be used?

Contractors under scrutiny

The Maharashtra government is also planning to have a system to grade the contractors on quality and time bound delivery.The contractor’s performance is critical in Mumbai, where the monsoon exposes the weaknesses of roads and public infrastructure.The proposed system could shift focus from contract award to the monitoring of proper completion and continued functionality of projects post-handover.