Mumbai: Consulate General of Iran, Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh, on Friday said that Tehran is deeply concerned about India’s LPG crisis. Calling India a “friend and partner,” he added that despite risks in a conflict-like situation, Tehran ensured safe passage for gas carriers to India.

While speaking to media, he said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has, from the very beginning, shown that it is a friend and partner of India. Personally, as the Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai, when I saw people facing a shortage of gas, I felt deeply concerned.”

“As you know, the situation is effectively a war zone, and gas carriers face their own risks; even the smallest impact can lead to serious consequences. However, by the grace of God, Iran was able to provide a safe passage so that these vessels could cross securely. This demonstrates our friendship with India,” he added as quoted by media.

Meanwhile, the Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, Jag Laadki, carrying approximately 80,886 metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil, arrived in Gujarat. Before that, LPG tanker Shivalik, which crossed the war-hit Strait of Hormuz, arrived at Gujarat’s Mundra Port. It roughly carried 40,000 metric tonnes of cooking gas from Qatar. These critical deliveries come at a time when the West Asia conflict caused LPG shortages across India.

India, the world’s third-largest crude importer, sources 88 per cent of its oil needs from abroad. It consumes 5.8 million barrels per day, of which 2.5-2.7 million barrels come from West Asian countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE via the Strait of Hormuz. The choke point also carries 55 per cent of India’s cooking gas (LPG) and 30 per cent of liquefied natural gas (LNG), used for power, fertilisers, CNG, and household cooking.

The proposed Pagote Chouk Expressway in Maharashtra has moved a step closer to execution, with the National Highways Authority of India initiating the process for Coastal Regulation Zone clearance. The development marks a key milestone for the greenfield infrastructure project aimed at strengthening connectivity between Jawaharlal Nehru Port and major national highways.

At the same time, construction bids for the project are scheduled to open on April 16, 2026, signalling progress in the pre-construction phase.

The 29.3 kilometre six lane expressway is designed to provide a direct, access controlled route between JNPT Port and key arterial roads including NH48, the Mumbai Pune Expressway, and the Mumbai Goa highway. The corridor is expected to ease congestion on existing routes and streamline the movement of goods and passenger traffic.

The project is particularly significant for freight movement from the port, offering faster and more efficient connectivity to inland regions.

The expressway will include a mix of complex engineering structures to navigate the terrain. Plans include six major bridges, five minor bridges, four viaducts, and two tunnels measuring 1.9 kilometres and 1.57 kilometres respectively.

These elements are aimed at ensuring seamless travel while maintaining speed and safety standards across the corridor.

The project has a targeted completion timeline of 30 months from the start of construction. Once operational, it is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune.

Motorists travelling from Pune will be able to exit the Mumbai Pune Expressway shortly after the Khalapur toll plaza and reach the Chirle interchange of Atal Setu in around 20 minutes. The development is likely to bring both cities closer while boosting regional connectivity and economic activity.

Mumbai, March 20: The Mumbai Press Club received a threatening email claiming that several small bombs filled with poisonous gas had been planted inside the building and would explode at 1 pm on Friday. The sender identified herself as Neerja Ajmal Khan.

Soon after the email was received, the police and security agencies swung into action. A search operation in and around the Press Club premises is expected to begin shortly. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and the dog squad have been called to the spot to prevent any potential threat in time.

In the email, the sender claimed to represent Muslims from Coimbatore and made certain political allegations. The message stated that injustice had been done to them and that their voices were being suppressed. It also mentioned that the sender had limited resources and had used them to target the Mumbai Press Club. However, the sender also wrote that the intention was to cause damage and advised people to vacate the building.

The email further referred to alleged secret networks linked to Naxalites and Pakistan, which has made the case more serious for investigators.

Taking the threat seriously, the Mumbai Police immediately began an investigation. The cyber team is examining details such as the email ID used to send the message, its possible location, and who may be behind it.

Preliminary information suggests that the email was sent using the secure email service Proton Mail, which is generally difficult to trace.

At present, people inside the Press Club have been alerted. Police officials said that all angles are being probed and no negligence will be tolerated. According to initial information, the email was sent yesterday at 7.33 PM.