Maharashtra
‘360 KM Of Bullet Train Project Complete,’ Says Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw; Blames Uddhav Thackeray For Delay

Ahmedabad: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday said that 360 km of the Bullet Train project has been completed, with significant progress on the Maharashtra section that got a setback due to a delay in permissions by the Uddhav Thackeray government.
“The Bullet Train project is progressing well, with 360 km completed and track laying underway… The project aims to create economic hubs along the route, boosting growth in cities like Mumbai, Thane, Vapi, Surat, Vadodra, Anand and Ahmedabad, making them interconnected as a single economic zone,” Vaishnaw told mediapersons.
He said all these cities will see huge economic activities. “A Bullet Train should not be seen just as a transportation project but it a project for the growth of the entire area,” he said.
He said that the Maharashtra section of the Bullet Train project is advancing well, with “almost 2 km of the undersea tunnel completed.”
He criticised Uddhav Thackeray alleging that his government delayed the project by two-and-a-half-years. However, he stated, work is now moving at full speed and will greatly benefit future generations.
The Railway Minister also highlighted the growth patterns related to the first Bullet Train in Japan between Tokyo and Osaka.
The six big stations between Osaka and Tokyo – Nagoya, Kyoto, Atami, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama and Odawara – have become big industrial hubs, he said.
Vaishnaw said similar gains, in terms of growth, will be made on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor.
“In the morning, a person would be able to have a breakfast of fafda-dhokla in Ahmedabad and attend to work in Mumbai during the day before returning home and spending time with kids in Ahmedabad,” he said.
Similarly, a person in Mumbai would begin the day with a breakfast of poha and complete his work in Surat during the day and return to Mumbai to spend time with the family in the evening, he said.
During his visit to Ahmedabad’s Kalupur Railway Station, the Minister attended an event organised by the Rail Line Development Authority.
Speaking about the Ahmedabad Kalupur Railway Station redevelopment project, Vaishnaw emphasised that it is a four-year initiative designed to be a major gift for the city.
The Minister highlighted that the station’s new design has been planned while keeping Ahmedabad’s cultural heritage in mind. The project has also received significant inputs from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said the station has been designed with special stress on strength of material used in girders to manage pressure zone developed around a train moving at a speed of 350 kmph.
“The roof of the platform is also left open to manage the pressure generated,” Vaishnaw said, during the inspection of the station.
The station’s design is unique, he said, highlighting its three-levels. “The ground level, concourse level and platform level. Passengers will wait on the concourse level and the platform level,” he said.
Trains on Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor will operate at a speed of 320 kmph covering a distance 508 Km and 12 Stations. There will be 35 trains per day/one direction, with a frequency of 20 minutes in peak hours and 30 minutes in non-peak hours.
With a limited stop (in Surat and Vadodara) service, it will cover this distance in 1 hour and 58 minutes and all stops service will take 2 hour 57 minutes. Operational Control centre for MAHSR corridor will be located at Sabarmati.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Rains: High Tides Hit Gateway Of India, Vakola Flooded, Andheri Subway Closed; Check IMD Forecast, Warning, Police Advisory

Mumbai: Mumbai experienced intense rainfall throughout Friday, majorly disrupting normal life across various parts of the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier issued an orange alert for Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane, anticipating heavy to very heavy rainfall as the monsoon system remains active over the Konkan coast. Palghar district was placed under a yellow alert.
Rain began lashing the city late Thursday night and continued into Friday morning, affecting both South Mumbai and the western suburbs. Localities such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Churchgate, Dadar, Dahisar, Borivali, Kandivali, Malad, Goregaon, Jogeshwari and Andheri were among the worst-hit, with widespread waterlogging reported. Commuters faced delays and difficult travel conditions as flooded streets slowed vehicular movement.
Visuals Show Flooding In Several Areas
Social media was flooded with visuals showing the impact of the downpour. High tides slammed against the walls at the Gateway of India and Marine Drive, while in areas like Vakola, people were seen wading through knee-deep water. Vehicles navigated waterlogged roads in Andheri and Borivali. Andheri Subway was closed for traffic this morning due to heavy rains.
Over 65mm Rainfall Recorded In 3 Hours
According to BMC rainfall data, the western suburbs witnessed particularly intense rainfall between 8 am and 11 am on Friday. The highest recorded was at the Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Hospital in Jogeshwari, where 67.3 mm of rainfall was measured in just three hours.
Flight operations at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport saw minor delays due to poor visibility and heavy rains. IndiGo Airlines issued a travel advisory cautioning passengers about potential weather-related disruptions.
Mumbai Police Issues Advisory
In response to the worsening conditions, Mumbai Police issued a public advisory urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel and stay away from coastal areas. “Due to heavy rainfall in Mumbai and nearby districts, citizens are advised to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, avoid coastal areas and drive cautiously. Our officials and staff are on high alert and ready to assist Mumbaikars. In case of any emergency, please dial 100 / 112 / 103,” read the police advisory on X.
As rainfall is expected to continue, authorities remain on alert to prevent any untoward incidents, with emergency services deployed across the city to respond swiftly to distress calls.
Crime
Mumbai: High-Profile Sex Racket Busted At Andheri Hotel; 3 Vietnamese Women Rescued

Mumbai: The MIDC Police busted a high-profile sex racket involving foreign nationals at a hotel in Andheri. The illegal operation was being run from the Empire Suite Hotel near Times Square on Andheri-Kurla Road. The raid, carried out recently following a tip-off, led to the rescue of three Vietnamese women who were allegedly forced into prostitution.
Acting on specific intelligence, senior police officials directed the MIDC Police to verify the information and take immediate action. a decoy customer was sent to the hotel to confirm the operation. Upon reaching the premises, the decoy was received by hotel manager Alam Khalil Chaudhary, who allegedly offered sex services for Rs 6,000 and led him to a room on the eighth floor. There, the decoy met a foreign woman, who later admitted to being involved in prostitution along with two other Vietnamese women staying in another room.
3 Women Rescued From Hotel
After receiving a pre-arranged signal from the decoy, the police team raided the 8th and 9th floors of the hotel, rescuing all three women. The women were taken in for questioning, during which they confirmed their involvement in sex work. They also revealed that their clients were coordinated through an agent who shared their photographs online and directed customers to the hotel.
Further investigation revealed that the sex racket was being run with the knowledge and alleged involvement of the hotel owner, Abdul Salam. According to the police, the manager facilitated all transactions and coordinated with the agent, while Salam oversaw the operation. Police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act (PITA) against both Chaudhary and Salam.
Manhunt Launched For Hotel Owner
While Alam Chaudhary has been arrested, the hotel owner is currently absconding. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest him. The rescued women, all citizens of Vietnam, have had their passports seized and were sent to a shelter home after undergoing medical examinations. The Vietnamese Embassy in India has been informed of their rescue.
Police are now working to identify and track the agent involved in the online coordination of the racket and are investigating whether more people or locations are linked to the operation.
Crime
Mumbai Police Seize 926 Kg Of Narcotics Worth ₹174 Crore In 6 Months; 744 Arrested In Citywide Crackdown

Mumbai: The city police have seized over 926 kilograms of contraband in the first half of this year and have arrested 744 persons allegedly involved in 634 drugs related cases registered in the city. Total value of the seized contraband is a whopping Rs 174.19 crore. Statistics revealed that ganja and Mephedrone (MD) have been the most seized contraband in the city.
Ganja, MD Top List Of Most Seized Drugs In City
According to the statistics provided by the police, from January till June this year, the police have registered 28 cases related to seizure of heroin, arrested 35 persons in heroin related cases and had seized 0.85 kg of heroin valued at Rs 2.09 crore.
The police have registered 10 cases related to seizure of charas, arrested 16 persons in charas related cases and have seized 16.27 kg of charas valued at Rs 14.39 crore. The police have registered 402 cases related to seizure of ganja, arrested 416 persons in ganja related cases and seized 865 kg of ganja valued at Rs 31.59 crore.
Cocaine Seizure Small In Volume, High In Value
Stating about the seizures of high-end drugs in Mumbai, the statistics revealed that the police have registered 10 cases related to cocaine seizure, arrested 17 persons in cocaine related cases and seized 6.49 grams of cocaine valued at Rs 57.18 crore.
Thousands Booked For Drug Consumption Alone
The police have registered 136 cases related to seizure of MD, arrested 187 persons in MD related cases and had seized 37.23 kg of MD valued at Rs 68.55 crore. As far as consumption cases are concerned, this year the police have registered 3484 drug consumption cases and have arrested 2968 persons in these cases.
Police Monitoring Darknet, Strengthening Informant Network
“We not only rely on our informant network to get information about drug trafficking in the city, but also keep a close watch on the darknet where drug dealings take place clandestinely. Our efforts are directed towards breaking the chain and syndicates involved in drug peddling in the city. We also take awareness campaigns to make citizens, especially youngsters aware about the menace of drugs and its impact on health,” said a police source.
Statistics from January till June 2025
Heroin – Cases (28), Persons Arrested (35), Seized (0.85 kg)
Charas – Cases (10), Persons Arrested (16), Seized (16.27 kg)
Ganja – Cases (402), Persons Arrested (416), Seized (865 kg)
Cocaine – Cases (10), Persons Arrested (17), Seized (6.49 kg)
MD – Cases (136), Persons Arrested (187), Seized (37.23 kg)
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