Mumbai: A 15-year-old teenager tragically lost his life, and three others were injured in a fire that broke out early Monday morning in a chawl at Machhimar Nagar, Cuffe Parade. Officials from the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) managed to extinguish the blaze within an hour. The injured individuals were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment

According to information received from the BMC’s Disaster Management Cell, the incident occurred around 4:00 am in a chawl located on Captain Prakash Pethe Marg. Fire officials from the MFB, along with local police and BEST personnel, rushed to the site to carry out firefighting and rescue operations.

The blaze was confined to electric wiring, electrical installations, three electric vehicle batteries, and household articles. It affected an area of approximately 10×10 feet on the first floor of a one-plus-one chawl structure..

Four persons were rescued and admitted to St. George Hospital, where one of the victims, Yash Khot (15), was declared dead. Devendra Choudhary (30) is currently admitted to the ICU, while the condition of the other two injured—Viraj Khot (13) and Sangram Kurne (25)—is reported to be stable. Cooling operations are currently underway, and the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

Mumbai: Due to the fluctuations in the weather over the past few days, the citizens of Mumbai and Konkan are once again experiencing different weather conditions. While there is intense heat on one hand, there is still a possibility of drizzle in some parts. According to the weather department’s forecast, there will not be a big difference in the weather in these parts on October 20.

On October 20, the city is expected to experience minimum and maximum temperatures laying between 20 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees Celsius, accordingly to a recent update by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The humidity is expected to range around 61% while the wind will be flowing at 10 kmph.

Today’s weather in Mumbai is dry and clear, with rising temperatures due to a prolonged heat wave. The heat intensity has been noticeable since morning, and the weather department warns of further increases post-noon, urging citizens to limit outdoor activities and stay hydrated.

Thane and Navi Mumbai are experiencing similar conditions, with intermittent cloud cover giving way to renewed intense heat. Residents are advised to prioritize their health amidst the escalating temperatures.

In Palghar district, light rain has ceased, leading to a rise in temperature and a noticeable increase in summer heat. Raigad district experiences stable, dry weather, while Ratnagiri forecasts drizzle to moderate rain.

The Meteorological Department continues a yellow alert for Sindhudurg district, indicating possible rain showers and cloudy conditions persist today.

Following the withdrawal of the monsoon, Mumbai’s air quality index (AQI) has deteriorated, worsened by Diwali firecrackers. The Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) recorded an AQI of 310, classified as ‘Very Poor’, up from 231 the previous day. Other poorly performing areas included Navi Nagar (263), Colaba (263), Kherwadi (225), and Deonar (212). Overall, Mumbai’s AQI was 158, considered Moderate.

Authorities link the declining air quality to weather changes and dust from increased construction activity post-monsoon; a coordination committee meeting is planned to address pollution control. Construction sites are required to follow pollution control regulations, but only 450 out of 1200 have set up AQI monitors. Additionally, the BMC has retracted plans to buy battery-operated dust vacuum vehicles due to inefficiency and health complaints.

Mumbai, Oct 18: The Maharashtra government has issued a gazette notification to rename the Aurangabad railway station to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar station.

The government’s move comes two years after the name of Aurangabad city was renamed to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The government’s move coincided with the ongoing preparations by ruling MahaYuti and opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi for the local and divic body elections.

The BJP-led MahaYuti government issued a gazette notification on October 15 to rename the Aurangabad railway station to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar station. The renaming process, though, was originally initiated by the Shiv Sena-led Mh Vikas Aghadi government.

Aurangabad was originally named after Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and the renaming was done to honour Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.

Aurangabad railway station was opened in 1900. It was made by the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. The railway station is located on the Kacheguda–Manmad section. This section mainly serves Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city (formerly Aurangabad). The station falls under the Nanded division of the South Central Railway zone. It has rail connectivity with major cities in the country.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city is a tourist hub, surrounded by many historical monuments, including the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is also known as the City of Gates, each of which has a local history, built during the Mughal Era, and 2 ASI-protected monuments (Bibi ka Maqbara and Aurangabad caves), as well as many more within city limits.

The demand for the renaming of Aurangabad sprang up in the late 1980s. Over 25 people were killed in a communal riot in 1988, and in the subsequent elections, the Shiv Sena won the Aurangabad municipal corporation elections.

On May 8, 1988, Bal Thackeray announced the renaming of the city to ‘Sambhaji Nagar’ and a resolution was passed by the municipal corporation in 1995. Following this, the then Shiv-Sena-led government issued a notification seeking objections and suggestions from the people.

However, on September 16, 2023, the Eknath Shinde-led government issued a government notification to rename the Aurangabad district to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, following approval from the special state cabinet meeting.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last month announced that Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will become the country’s Electric Vehicle (EV) capital, as it is a favoured investment destination.

He further stated that Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar can be called a favourite investment destination. The investment by Hyundai shows that companies are preferring cities like Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.