Navi Mumbai, October 11: The newly built Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) road witnessed its first accident around 4 pm on Friday, causing panic among locals and motorists. three cars travelling at high speed on the Ulwe-Panvel service road collided with each other. Fortunately, no major injuries were reported, though the vehicles sustained significant damage.

Preliminary information suggests that a car heading from Panvel city towards the airport rammed into a tempo coming from the opposite direction. The impact was so severe that the sound of the crash could be heard across the area. Within moments, another car trailing behind the first vehicle hit the accident site, resulting in a three-vehicle pile-up.

The accident’s intensity caused the small tempo to overturn, blocking the road completely for a brief period. Locals and motorists quickly rushed to help and rescued the tempo driver, who sustained minor injuries as per the report. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Upon receiving the alert, police officials arrived at the scene and cleared the wreckage to restore the traffic flow. The incident has been registered at the local police station. Initial investigations point towards over-speeding and negligence as the primary causes of the mishap.

As this is the first reported accident on the newly constructed NMIA road, concerns have been raised about road safety and speed management. The route sees frequent movement of heavy vehicles and construction materials related to the airport project. Police have urged motorists to follow traffic rules strictly and maintain safe driving speeds.

The incident has prompted calls for increased vigilance and safety measures along the high-speed corridor connecting Panvel to the upcoming international airport.

Mumbai: Parents will soon be able to verify whether their children’s schools have implemented the child safety measures mandated by the Maharashtra government. The state informed the Bombay High Court on Friday that over 88,000 of the total 1,00,816 schools have already uploaded their compliance details on a web portal launched by the education department.

The information was placed before a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Sandesh Patil during the hearing of a suo motu PIL concerning child safety in schools. The court was told that the remaining schools are expected to upload their details by October 15.

Public prosecutor Prajakta Shinde submitted that the portal became operational on October 5 and can be accessed by anyone by entering the school’s name. “Schools have been directed to update all information by the 15th of every month,” she added.

The education department had circulated a 60-point questionnaire to government, aided and private schools, seeking details such as whether the May 13 government resolution (GR) was shared with parents via WhatsApp, email or notices; whether Sakhi-Savitribai committees and student safety committees have been formed; and if police verification of school and bus staff has been completed.

The bench, however, questioned the state’s data. “It (information provided by schools) says a workshop was scheduled. When was it done? Otherwise it is meaningless. Parents are unaware — specific date-wise details have to be given,” the court remarked.

The judges also directed that schools must designate a nodal officer to provide information to parents and that surprise inspections be conducted to verify compliance.

Amicus curiae (friend of the court) Advocate Rebecca Gonsalves suggested that the portal should be made bilingual. “The portal is only in English. It should be in Marathi as well since many parents may not know English,” she said. The court directed the government to ensure that information is made available in both languages.

Shinde further informed the bench that the Women and Child Development Department has issued a similar GR on July 3, 2025, applicable to residential schools. Also, the GR was adopted for Anganwadis and Ashramshalas in the state.

The court appreciated the state’s efforts but emphasised continued monitoring. “We are very happy with what has been done, but we are not disposing of this PIL until everything is in place,” the bench said.

It also directed the education department to publicise the portal through newspapers and notice boards so that parents can easily access and verify school compliance. The matter will be heard next after eight weeks.

The GR was issued following the high court taking suo motu (on its own) cognisance last year of the sexual assault of two minor girls in a Badlapur school.

The GR includes key safety measures such as mandatory CCTV installation on campuses, character verification of staff, accountability for student transportation, and education on distinguishing between good and bad touch. It also recommends awareness of cyberbullying and displaying the toll-free child helpline number ‘1098’ prominently on school premises.

Mumbai: In a significant ruling reinforcing the rights of train accident victims, the Bombay High Court has held that a commuter who died in a railway mishap in 2012 was a bona fide passenger, even though no ticket was found on him.

The court directed the Union of India to pay his family Rs 4 lakh compensation with 6% annual interest, subject to a total cap of Rs 8 lakh, to be divided equally among the four legal heirs.

Justice Jitendra Jain, on October 7, allowed the appeal filed by Vijay Gondake’s wife and children, while setting aside the Railway Claims Tribunal’s order. On January 31, 2018, the tribunal rejected their claim holding that the deceased was not a genuine passenger, citing the absence of a ticket and the claim that he was trespassing on the tracks when hit by a train.

The deceased, a government employee working in the Post Office, was travelling home from Grant Road to Shahad via Dadar on October 29, 2012, when he fell between Kanjurmarg and Bhandup stations. He succumbed to his injuries a few days later, on November 4, 2012. His family sought Rs 4 lakh in compensation, but the tribunal dismissed their plea, terming the death an act of “negligence”.

Disagreeing with the tribunal, Justice Jain said, “It is incomprehensible that a government employee would be travelling to his workplace and back home without any ticket.”

He added that the deceased’s wife had clearly deposed that he held a monthly pass, and the minor inconsistency in using the words “ticket” and “pass” could not discredit her testimony.

“The phrases ’monthly pass’ and ‘ticket’ are used interchangeably in Mumbai and when in the cross-examination it is stated that he was having a second class ticket, it cannot be inferred that he was travelling without ticket,” the court said.

The judge also questioned the Station Master’s report, which claimed the man was hit by a train while trespassing. “If there are no eye witnesses, then how could the Station Master have certified that he was hit by an unknown train while trespassing?” the court asked, noting the absence of any statement from the motorman or medical expert.

Calling the tribunal’s findings “perverse,” the HC concluded that the deceased had indeed fallen from a moving train, an “untoward incident” under the Railway Act.

The court directed the Railways to deposit the compensation within eight weeks of receiving the appellants’ bank details.