Maharashtra
681 soak pits completed for rainwater management under road concreting project
Under the Mumbai Pothole-Free Roads initiative, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has launched a road concreting project. Out of the 700 km of roads planned for concreting under Phase 1 and Phase 2, 576 km of roads are being concreted so far, achieving about 81% of the target. As an integral part of the concreting project, soak pits have been constructed to effectively manage rainwater and promote groundwater recharge. Accordingly, a total of 681 soak pits have been completed so far in the three divisions of Mumbai City, Eastern Suburbs and Western Suburbs. These soak pits will help in collecting rainwater in the ground and will also help in reducing the pressure on the drainage system.
The implementation of the road concreting project has become a major milestone in modernising Mumbai’s transport system. The project is helping to make traffic on major and secondary roads of Mumbai smoother, faster and more orderly, and the daily commute of citizens has improved significantly. So far, 576 km of roads have been concreted and all these roads have been opened for traffic. The project is being implemented within the stipulated time frame, strictly adhering to quality standards. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation administration, headed by Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, has launched a comprehensive cement concreting project to improve the quality of infrastructure in Mumbai. Due to which, travel on the roads is becoming easier. There are very few incidents of potholes due to rain on concrete roads and the maintenance costs have also come down. Apart from this, concrete roads last longer. The reason is that the citizens of Mumbai are getting pothole-free roads. Its long-term positive effects are being seen. To ensure that natural drainage of rainwater is uninterrupted due to concreting and to accelerate groundwater recharge, cesspits have been developed under the project.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Project) Abhijeet Bangar said that special attention has been paid to natural drainage of rainwater and groundwater recharge while implementing the road concreting project.
It is planned to construct cesspits during the road work to allow rainwater to seep into the ground. These cesspits store rainwater and help it slowly infiltrate into the ground, which recharges the groundwater reserves. Filter media such as stones, gravel and sand are used in cesspools. Rainwater collected in roads or drains is diverted into these drains and from there it infiltrates into the deeper layers of the soil. This helps in storing rainwater locally without wasting it and helps in maintaining the groundwater level. It also helps in reducing the amount of water logging during heavy rainfall and aids in drainage system in urban areas. The completed concreting work has completed a total of 681 cesspools in Mumbai city, eastern suburbs and western suburbs by March 2026. While concreting of all remaining roads in Mumbai is being completed, more cesspools will be constructed along with it. This will help in developing a storm water management system across the city.
Pot filling method
In the construction of cement concrete roads, pits are made at desired locations to drain the rainwater collected on the road quickly into the ground, recharge the groundwater and prevent water from accumulating on the road surface and damaging the road. First, a pit of approximately 1.00 to 1.50 m diameter (circular) or 1.00 × 1.00 m to 1.50 × 1.50 m (square) size and 1.50 to 3.00 m deep is dug at the selected location for soaking. After the excavation is complete, the bottom of the pit is placed on natural soil without concrete, so that water can easily penetrate the ground.
Then a layer of large gravel 40 to 60 mm thick is placed at the bottom of the pit. On top of this, 20 to 40 mm. Gravel and finally 6 to 20 mm. A layer of gravel or coarse sand of the desired size is filled. Due to these layers, the water is filtered and gradually absorbed into the soil. Honeycomb brick construction or perforated RCC rings are installed on the sides of the pit due to which water also enters the soil from the sides and the absorption capacity is increased.
To carry water from the roadside drain or water channel to the absorption pit, two PVC or RCC pipes of 110 mm to 160 mm diameter are connected with a suitable slope. To prevent silt, plastic, garbage or other solids coming with the water from entering the absorption pit and clogging it, a silt trap or silt chamber is prepared before the pipe. This silt trap needs to be cleaned periodically.
A manhole cover is installed at the top of the absorption pit by providing an RCC slab of about 100 to 150 mm thickness. The location of the absorption pit is
Maharashtra
‘Save the Vote, Save the Nation’: Rahul Gandhi urges people to join INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ march

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Sunday urged people to join the INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ march in the national capital, calling for public participation in the protest against alleged electoral irregularities and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi appealed to people to gather at Connaught Place and march together towards Ramlila Maidan, where the opposition alliance is organising a major rally.
“Delhi, get ready! Save the Vote, Save the Nation. Come to Connaught Place, let’s march together. Or meet directly at Ramlila Maidan – but you must come. Today | 12 PM,” he posted.
The INDIA bloc has expressed optimism about public participation in the rally, asserting that the protest would witness “historic participation” extending beyond party workers.
Earlier in the day, while speaking to media, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut described the gathering as a “mega rally” and said the opposition would continue its agitation until the Chief Election Commissioner stepped down.
“They (the government) may be under the assumption that the agitation has ended, but we won’t let them go until Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” he asserted.
Raut also reiterated Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that people were being stopped from participating in the rally.
The INDIA bloc is organising the large-scale gathering at Ramlila Maidan to protest alleged electoral irregularities, oppose the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demand the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
The opposition alliance expects a major show of strength, as leaders from constituent parties, workers, and student groups have started to gather at the venue. The protest comes amid allegations by opposition parties of irregularities in the voter list revision process being undertaken by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Meanwhile, extensive security arrangements have been put in place across New Delhi and Central Delhi ahead of the rally. Additional personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), along with Delhi Police personnel, have been deployed around Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg.
Delhi Police have also tightened security across the national capital. Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) is in force across Delhi districts, and gatherings have been prohibited at key locations, including Jantar Mantar and the Election Commission office.
Bollywood
Tiger Shroff firing case: 12th accused sent to police custody till Nov 6

A Mumbai court on Saturday sent Amar, the 12th accused arrested from Haryana’s Sonipat in connection with the firing incident on Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff, to police custody till November 6.
On Thursday, a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court had sent 11 other accused arrested in connection with the firing on Shroff’s car to police custody till November 6.
The latest accused was arrested from Rohna village in Sonipat.
Earlier in the day, the Mumbai Police had produced Amar before a court, which sent him to police custody until November 6.
According to officials, Amar is accused of having transferred money, allegedly used in the commission of the crime, online. The funds were reportedly used for various expenses, including the purchase of a motorcycle and booking hotel rooms linked to the case.
According to the preliminary investigation, Amar is a friend and neighbour of Kunal, who was arrested earlier in the case. Police investigations have revealed that Kunal allegedly transferred Rs 40,000 to Amar’s bank account.
Amar subsequently transferred Rs 12,000 to Radha’s bank account, another accused arrested earlier, allegedly on Kunal’s instructions.
The Mumbai Police are investigating these financial transactions to establish the purpose of the transfers and determine the connections between the accused. The money trail is being examined as part of the wider investigation into the firing incident.
Amar, who studied up to Class 10, works at a supplements shop. His parents reportedly earn their livelihood through daily-wage labour.
Meanwhile, Amar’s family has claimed that he is innocent and alleged that he has been falsely implicated in the case.
With nine of the 12 arrested accused reportedly belonging to Sonipat, the district has emerged as a key focus of the Mumbai Police investigation.
The police are examining the financial dealings and personal connections among the accused to establish the sequence of events and identify the roles played by individual suspects.
Maharashtra
36-year-old absconding accused arrested from Gujarat in Mumbai non-bailable warrant

Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch has claimed the arrest of a wanted suspect, against whom a non-bailable warrant had been issued by the court in connection with a theft case. The 29-year-old complainant was en route to deliver diamonds, gold jewelry, and cash from his shop when, in front of the main entrance of the Panchratna Building, four unidentified individuals—acting in conspiracy—threatened him with a revolver and a knife. They injured him and forcibly stole the diamonds, jewelry, and cash, valued at approximately 2,048,964 rupees. A case was subsequently registered at the D.B. Marg Police Station. Following further investigation by Crime Branch Unit 2, a charge sheet was filed in court. The 59-year-old suspect involved in this crime had repeatedly failed to appear in court during the proceedings, leading to the issuance of a non-bailable warrant against him. The Crime Branch carried out this operation to execute the said warrant.
Acting on direct intelligence and technical analysis, the police team tracked down the 59-year-old suspect—who was a wanted individual subject to a non-bailable warrant—and took him into custody on October 30th in Gaonpur, Vadodara district, Gujarat. This operation was conducted under the directives of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, with the involvement of Joint Police Commissioner Anil Kumbhare, Additional Commissioner Krishna Kant Upadhyay, and DCP Raj Tilak Roshan.
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