Mumbai News Highlights: Trains, flights disrupted as rain plays havoc, schools shut for today

HEAVY downpour and thunderstorms continued to lash the city and its suburbs on Wednesday, jolting life in the maximum city to a halt as several pockets were left inundated owing to waterlogging. The intensity of showers gathered pace from evening, taking a hit on traffic, railway and flight services, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a red warning for Mumbai and Thane districts, which is slated to remain in place until Thursday morning.

A holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in the city on Thursday. This is the first red alert issued in the metropolis this month, while the previous warning was issued in Mumbai on July 25.

In the comeback of the wet spell, the total stock in the seven lakes catering to Mumbai's water supply also surpassed 99 percent--catapulting to 99.26 per cent--on Wednesday morning.

The Bombay High Court has approved rescheduling the Mumbai University's senate graduate constituency elections to September 24, following MU's submission that it was not feasible to conduct the elections on the previously scheduled date of September 22. 

MU cited logistical challenges due to the short notice for the polls. 

Earlier, the court had directed that elections be held on September 22, staying the state government’s decision to postpone or delay the elections.

Amid indications that assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand could be held together, Election Commission will visit the two states next week to take stock of their poll preparedness: Sources

(PTI)

The Bombay High Court Saturday stayed the Maharashtra government's circular postponing the University of Mumbai's senate elections and directed that the elections proceed as scheduled on September 22. 

A division bench of Justices A.S. Chandurkar and Rajesh Patil stayed the government’s September 19 circular, which had temporarily postponed the elections.

The circular was challenged by candidates Milind Satam, Shashikant Zore, and Pradeep Sawant, who were aspiring to contest in the elections. Following their petition, the court held a special hearing on Saturday.

In its operative order, the court said, "The order issued postponing the elections sine die is stayed until further orders. The elections shall proceed as per schedule."

(With PTI inputs)

As tensions rose over the BMC’s plan to demolish an alleged illegal section of a mosque, the mosque's trustees held talks with BMC officials seeking four to five days to remove the encroached portion.The request was agreed upon by the officials. 

On the occasion of International Coastal Cleanup Day, a beach cleanup drive was held at Mumbai's Juhu Beach on September 21, 2024. 

The event saw the participation of key dignitaries, including Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, and Mumbai City District Guardian Minister Deepak Kesarkar. 

Also in attendance were Mumbai Suburban District Guardian Minister Mangalprabhat Lodha, MP Ravindra Waikar, MLA Amit Satam, and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board Chairman Siddesh Kadam, who collectively emphasised on making Maharashtra clean and beautiful. 

Responding to eviction drive by BMC in Dharavi, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule said, 'When BJP is in power such instances increase. It has become a pattern. Their members speak against Constitution, against communities ...it leads to communal divide ...Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis overlooks all this which is shocking.'

Tension prevailed in Dharavi slum here on Saturday after hundreds of local residents gathered on a road and opposed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's plan to pull down an alleged illegal portion of a mosque, an official said.

A large number of police personnel have been deployed there to prevent any untoward incident in view of the prevailing situation, he said. "A team of BMC officials from G-North administrative ward reached the 90 Feet Road in Dharavi around 9 am to demolish alleged illegal portion of Mehboob-E-Subhani masjid. Soon, a large number of local residents gathered at the spot and stopped the civic officials from entering the lane where the mosque is located," the police official said.

PTI

The India Meteorological Department has forecast light rainfall likely at isolated places in south Konkan – Goa and central Maharashtra as well as at few places in Marathwada districts. The weather department said dry weather is likely to prevail in north Konkan districts.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Chavan's brother-in-law and former minister Bhaskarrao Patil Khatgaonkar on Friday returned to the Congress fold after quitting the saffron party, ahead of the assembly polls in Maharashtra, news agency PTI reported. Khatgaonkar, a three-time former Lok Sabha MP from Nanded, rejoined the Congress in the presence of  MPCC president Nana Patole and senior leader Amit Deshmukh. 

The Mumbai Coastal Road will be open for traffic all days of the week starting September 21, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation announced on Friday, news agency PTI reported. Earlier the road, which links  Marine Lines and Worli, was operational from 7 am to midnight on weekends. In a press release, the BMC said that  92 per cent of the work on the Dharmaveer Swarajyarakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Mumbai Coastal Road was completed. 

However, in a separate notification, the Mumbai traffic police banned heavy vehicles from plying on the road. The notification also prohibited vehicles from stopping and people from alighting, taking pictures and shooting videos on the road., 

The Bombay High Court on Friday struck down as “unconstitutional” the amended Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021 which empowered the government to identify “fake news” on social media platforms through a “Fact Check Unit” (FCU). Giving a deciding final opinion on a split verdict, Justice Atul S Chandurkar allowed pleas challenging the amended IT rules.

Justice Chandurkar agreed with the opinion of Justice Gautam S Patel and struck down the amendment to the IT Rules, through Rule 3(1)(b)(v), and held that the said amendments providing FCU were violative of Article 14 and 19 (1) (a) and 19 (1) (g) of the Constitution. Read Omkar Gokhale's report

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a two-day visit to the state starting September 24, during which he will also meet the party functionaries in the state, news agency PTI reported. He will interact with party functionaries in Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on the first day of his tour, and then visit Nashik and Kolhapur on September 25, Bawankule told reporters, as per the PTI report. The visit comes ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls, which are likely to be held in November.

Former chief secretary of Maharashtra Manoj Saunik on Friday took charge as the chairman of the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA), news agency PTI quoted Housing Minister Atul Save as saying. Saunik, who was appointed to the post in July, will assume charge after the retirement of Ajoy Mehta. He is a 1987 batch IAS officer

Modi during his speech in Wardha said, “The party which respects our culture will not disrespect Ganpati puja…Congress party has problem with Ganpati puja…I went for Ganpati puja and they had problem with it.”

Slamming Congress party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the party leaders go to foreign nation and deliver anti-national speeches. “Its the Congress which runs tudke tudke gang and urban naxals,” Modi said.

PM Modi was quoted as saying by BJP on X, "Just 2 days ago, we all celebrated Vishwakarma Puja and today on the holy land of Wardha, we are celebrating the success of 'PM Vishwakarma Yojana'.Today is also special because on this day in 1932, Mahatma Gandhi started a campaign against untouchability.

Through the Vishwakarma Yojana, we have pledged prosperity through labour and a better tomorrow through skill....

Bapu's inspiration will become the medium to take our resolutions to success. I congratulate all the people associated with this scheme, all the beneficiaries across the country on this occasion.

Today the foundation stone of 'PM Mitra Park' has also been laid in Amravati.Today's India is working to take its textile industry to the top in the global market.

The country's aim is to restore the thousands of years old glory of India's textile sector. 'PM Mitra Park' of Amravati is another big step in this direction."

Today, we are celebrating the “utsav” of PM Vishwakarma scheme's success, said PM Modi at Wardha in Maharashtra. 

PM Narendra Modi launches Maharashtra Govt's Acharya Chanakya Skill Development Centre scheme at event in Wardha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently visiting an exhibition at Vishwakarma program in Wardha

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to arrive in Maharashtra's Wardha district in Vidarbha region, Congress on Friday urged him to make his stand clear on Gandhi and his killer Nathuram Godse, who has been eulogised by a section of Hindutva front. 

'The non-biological PM is heading to Wardha today. Three questions he must answer: What is the BJP doing to prevent farmer suicides? Why has the BJP let down Adivasis in Forest Rights Act implementation? Where does the PM stand between Gandhi and Godse?' asked Jairam Ramesh, General Secretary, Congress.

'Wardha is the city where Mahatma Gandhi once lived. The Mahatma’s ideals are under concerted assault today, by the PM’s own party. Some of his leaders have abused and ridiculed the Mahatma, and others have said they are unable to choose between Godse and Gandhi. Gandhian institutions across the country – from the Akhil Bharat Sarva Sewa Sangh in Varanasi to the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat – have faced demolition and takeover by the RSS and its affiliates,' Ramesh posted on social media website X.

He said, 'Affiliates of the Sarva Sewa Sangh in Varanasi are currently on a 100-day fast to protest the Government's bludgeoning of this hallowed institution. Does the non-biological PM have any defense of his party’s actions? Where does he stand in choosing between Gandhi and Godse?'

The Congress also asked about the farmers' suicides in Vidarbha and implementation of Forest Rights Act. 'On an average day in Maharashtra, seven farmers take their own lives. This heartbreaking statistic comes from the state’s Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation, who reported that 2,366 farmers died by suicide between January and October last year. The reasons are evident: 60% of districts faced drought conditions last year but no help arrived from the government,' he alleged. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Wardha today to launch projects on the occasion of one year of Vishwakarma Yojna. During the visit, he will release credit to 18 Vishwakarma Yojna beneficiaries under 18 trades and issue certificates. The Prime Minister will also release a commemorative stamp to mark one year of the project. PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park at Amravati and launch Acharya Chanakya Skill Development Center scheme.

Hello and welcome to Mumbai News live blog ! PM Modi will be in Wardha today to commemorate one year of Vishwakarma Yojna. Stay tuned here as we bring you latest news from Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra.