Mumbai News Highlights: Amid ‘yellow’ alert in place, hot and humid conditions to prevail through the day in Mumbai

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) decision to reduce the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6 per cent has brought optimism to Mumbai’s real estate market. This marks the second consecutive rate cut in recent months, following a similar 25 bps reduction in February, bringing the rate down from 6.50 per cent to 6.25 per cent earlier.

With rates currently at their lowest since 2022, home loan consumers in Mumbai, one of India’s priciest housing markets, are likely to gain through reduced EMIs and better loan eligibility. Banks are set to cut their lending rates, which will have a direct impact on monthly outgo for homebuyers.

For example, a Rs 50 lakh home loan for 25 years at a rate of interest of 8.25 percent as compared to 8.75 percent would reduce the EMI by around Rs 1,600, helping borrowers save about Rs 20,000 every year. Read More

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday criticised the Maharashtra government for delaying the implementation of the suggestions made by a panel, set up in response to the Badlapur school sexual assault incident, regarding the safety of children in schools and other educational institutions.

The HC questioned the government's seriousness in tackling the issue and preventing such incidents.

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale urged the government to demonstrate sensitivity towards the matter, noting that if the government genuinely cared, it would work "day and night." In August 2024, two minor girls were sexually assaulted inside the toilet of a school in Badlapur, Thane district, by a male attendant, sparking widespread protests and outrage. The accused, Akshay Shinde, was later killed in an alleged retaliatory police shootout while being escorted in a police vehicle. (PTI)

Tahawwur Rana, wanted in India for his alleged involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, will be brought to the country after officials got confirmation of a “surrender warrant”. The US Supreme Court has denied Rana’s application seeking a stay on his extradition to India.

According to sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) and intelligence agency officers are in the United States to get custody of Rana.

After Rana is extradited, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to question him at its headquarters in Delhi amid enhanced security. Sources said he is likely to be lodged at Tihar Jail in a high-security ward.

Who is Tahawwur Rana? Know more here.

The Maharashtra government Wednesday informed the Bombay High Court that no vindictive action has been taken against citizens who reposted video clips or re-sung parody songs from comedian Kunal Kamra’s standup comedy show.

Kunal Kamra has been booked for cracking an allegedly objectionable joke on Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on the show.

On March 24, the MIDC police booked Kamra for offences punishable under sections 353(1)(b) and 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief), along with 356(2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), after Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel filed a complaint against him. The Zero FIR was later transferred to the Khar police.

Read the full story here.

The century-old Elphinstone Road Over Bridge (ROB), one of the crucial east-west links in Mumbai, will be closed for vehicular traffic for two years from Thursday in view of its reconstruction work, PTI reported quoting the officials.

The ROB, connecting Parel and Prabhadevi areas in central Mumbai, will be shut to facilitate its demolition and reconstruction as part of the Sewri-Worli Elevated Connector project of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The closure is likely to cause traffic congestion and disruptions, especially in Dadar, Lower Parel, Curry Road and Bharatmata areas of central Mumbai.

You can send objections regarding traffic arrangement following the closure of the east-west link to the Mumbai Traffic Police till April 13.

"The corridor connects the Atal Setu seamlessly with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and the Mumbai Coastal Road, significantly reducing travel time and providing signal-free access to central and south Mumbai for commuters from neighbouring Navi Mumbai," a MMRDA official said. (PTI)

Amid a ‘yellow’ alert in place, Mumbai and its suburbs will continue to face hot and humid weather through Wednesday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The skies are expected to be mainly clear.

The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be around 36 degrees celsius and 24 degrees celsius, respectively.

The weather bureau has forecast a cooler week for the city ahead as temperatures are likely to dip up to 33 degrees by April 12.

Mumbai has pipped Delhi as India's most forgetful city, where Uber riders left behind unique items such as a wedding saree and a gold biscuit last year, according to a recent report. In the last two years Delhi topped the list of cities most prone to absent-mindedness among Uber users. The findings were from Uber's 9th Annual Lost and Found Index, which provides a detailed snapshot of the items most frequently forgotten by riders, the most forgetful cities, and patterns surrounding when and where forgetfulness peaks. The report also places Pune as the third most forgetful city, followed by Bengaluru and Kolkata. Hyderabad emerged as the least forgetful metropolitan area in India. In 2024, items such as bags, earphones, phones, and wallets were the most commonly forgotten belongings in Uber rides across India, followed by spectacles, keys, and clothing. Jet-lagged Indians also made a habit of forgetting their passports in Ubers during 2024, the report said. PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday asserted that his party will reclaim the lost ground in the coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, where it faced reverses in the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls last year.

In a swipe at the rival faction headed by Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray said there is only one Shiv Sena, and he leads it.

Speaking at 'Matoshri', his residence in Bandra, the former chief minister said the people of Maharashtra need the Shiv Sena (UBT) as it is the only political party in the state that fulfils its promises.

He was speaking after Mumbai Congress leader Sahdev Petkar returned the Sena (UBT) fold at Matoshri. "We will reclaim Konkan. The (poll) results of Konkan were unexpected. People can be fooled once, but not all the time," Thackeray said. (PTI)

On the stock market upheavel, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "...Tariffs will impact us in some areas, but overall, a business opportunity is also being created for us because of the tariffs, and we are trying to assess that business opportunity and move in that direction. I think overall, if we see its impact, there will be a moderate impact. Initially, we think so, and that is why the market is gradually improving."

The Mumbai Central Division of Western Railway has recorded its highest-ever commercial revenue in the 2024-25 financial year, going beyond the Rs 4,485-crore mark for the first time. The achievement marks an indication of robust performance from several segments such as passenger services, freight, and station-based services, said Western Railway authorities.

“The division saw record revenues in segments like Passenger Revenue (Suburban and Non-Suburban), PRS (Passenger Reservation System), freight, parking, catering, and AC EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) services. Passenger revenue itself accounted for more than Rs 3,782 crore, an all-time high,” said Vineet Abhishek, Western Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO).

According to the Railways, growing ridership of AC local trains was also instrumental in driving revenue growth.

As per the figures, over 4.65 crore commuters travelled on AC local trains in the 2024-25 fiscal, raking in around Rs 215 crore in revenue, while the sector clocked a record-high of Rs 256 crore. The parking contracts and catering stalls fetched Rs 14 crore and Rs 16 crore respectively.

The CPRO said that the revenue boost is also attributed to enhanced digital services, crowd management policy, and upgraded ticketing systems for enhancing passenger comfort and the growth. Upgrades in infrastructure and freight-friendly policies further bolstered its operational strength, Abhishek stated.

Lauding his team for the financial success, Western Railway General Manager Ashok Kumar Misra said, “The continued momentum and the multiple revenue streams indicated a balanced strategy.” Read

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday notice to the state government on a writ plea by standup comedian Kunal Kamra seeking to quash the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Mumbai police against him for cracking an allegedly objectionable joke on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a standup comedy show. Pending the disposal of the plea, Kamra sought a stay on the proceedings arising out of the said FIR. The court was informed that Madras HC has extended interim protection from arrest to Kamra till April 17. The next hearing is on April 16.

The Bombay High Court is set to hear stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s plea on Tuesday seeking to quash an FIR filed against him by Mumbai Police. The FIR stems from a parody song Kamra performed at Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai, which allegedly mocked Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and sparked a political backlash.

A magistrate court in Mumbai Monday reissued a bailable warrant against actor Malaika Arora, a witness in the 2012 hotel brawl case involving actor Saif Ali Khan and two others. Arora had been summoned before to depose as a witness but had not appeared.

On March 15, the court issued a bailable warrant against Arora after she failed to appear, along with her sister Amrita Arora Ladakh. Amrita deposed as a witness on March 29.

As Arora remained absent again, the court reissued the bailable warrant of Rs 5,000, and sought a warrant report to be submitted by April 29.

In 2012, Arora, Khan, and others were eating dinner at a five-star restaurant in South Mumbai when a man got into a scuffle after an argument with them.

According to the police, on February 21, 2012, Iqbal Mir Sharma, a South African national and NRI, filed a complaint at Colaba police station against Khan, Amrita’s husband, Shakil Ladakh, and their friend, Bilal Amrohi, claiming that Khan had punched his nose, causing a fracture.

The trial in the case has begun, with three witnesses having deposed so far. Read