Mumbai: The clandestine manufacture of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MD), popularly known as mephedrone, has seen a disturbing surge in India. Mumbai police have discovered several factories producing MD and dismantled these illegal operations, revealing a complex network of small-time criminals and organised networks setting up makeshift laboratories in various locations.

Criminals exploit loopholes in the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) regulation of controlled substances order, 2013, to procure necessary chemicals. Authorities cannot impose a complete ban on some substances as they are used in everyday items like soaps, shampoos, and medicines. Clandestine labs rely on industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals that are legally available but diverted for illicit use.

The production process is relatively simple, requiring minimal equipment. It involves mixing chemicals, heating to a certain temperature, producing crystals, and then converting them into powder. This simplicity allows MD to be produced even on farms or at home. Chemicals like bromine, methylene dichloride, ethyl acetate, and acetone are essential for production, and these are readily accessible to criminals.

A police officer explained, “In these rackets, at least one or two individuals are typically educated, often with engineering, science, or medical backgrounds, or possess some knowledge of chemistry. Many chemicals used in MD production are found in legitimate products such as shampoo, detergent, and medicines; thus, these individuals sometimes gain experience working in medical or chemical production companies. Sometimes they even use waste materials from such companies to obtain chemicals. Making mephedrone (MD) is relatively easier compared to other drugs.”

Madan Ballal, Assistant Commissioner of Police, said, “We have dismantled factories not only in Maharashtra but also in Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. Our senior officers and chief ministers advocate a zero-tolerance approach to drug-related crimes, and the Maharashtra Police are working accordingly.”

Recent raids in areas like Andheri, Kurla, Bhiwandi, Mira-Bhayandar, Palghar, Navi Mumbai, Raigad, and even Sangli, Nashik, and Latur have resulted in large seizures of mephedrone and the arrest of several suspects. The growing availability of locally produced MD is fuelling addiction, particularly among young people. Mephedrone is a powerful stimulant that can lead to severe psychological and physical harm, including paranoia, heart palpitations, and long-term dependency.

Law enforcement agencies face a dual challenge — dismantling clandestine labs and breaking the networks that distribute MD across the city. Enhanced surveillance, stricter precursor tracking, and public awareness campaigns are urged to stem the tide, but experts stress that closing regulatory gaps is key to curbing this accessible peril.

Metro Line 3, also known as the Aqua Line, is Mumbai’s inaugural fully underground metro corridor, linking the western suburbs, central Mumbai, and the southern tip without utilizing surface-level roads. The line, measuring 33.5 km from Aarey to Cuffe Parade, comprises 27 stations and is anticipated to accommodate approximately 1.3 million passengers daily, serving as a vital connector for north-south travel in the city.

The project marks the culmination of a 15-year vision, with the final phase, stretching from Acharya Atre Chowk (Worli) to Cuffe Parade, set to be inaugurated on September 30, 2025, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This stretch includes 11 stations: Science Museum, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai Central, Grant Road, Girgaon, Kalbadevi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Hutatma Chowk, Churchgate, Vidhan Bhavan, and Cuffe Parade. The total cost of Rs 9,785 crore for this phase contributes to a substantial budget increase from the original estimate of Rs 23,136 crore to Rs 37,276 crore. Funding is primarily provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for 60%, with the Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra sharing the remaining costs equally.

Metro Line 3’s role in improving connectivity is significant, serving critical residential, commercial, and business districts. It connects major hubs like Cuffe Parade, Nariman Point, and business districts while facilitating transport at key railway stations and ensuring airport connectivity.

The line is expected to drastically decrease commute times, reducing a typical journey from Cuffe Parade to Aarey from 90–100 minutes during peak hours to just 54 minutes. The fare structure is affordable, ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 70, offering a cheaper alternative to cabs, which charge over Rs 700 for similar distances.

To stimulate economic development, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has initiated a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) strategy to generate non-fare revenue, selling a 4.16-acre plot at Nariman Point to the Reserve Bank of India for Rs 3,472 crore, with the proceeds invested back into the project.

Challenges in construction have included navigating heritage sites, narrow streets, and unstable soil, particularly in South Mumbai, using advanced techniques to avoid damage to historical buildings.

Despite public opposition regarding the car shed’s location in Aarey Colony, amid concerns about ecological impacts, the site remained due to feasibility issues. Initial phases attracted lower-than-expected ridership, with only 20,000 daily users initially, given the lack of complete connectivity.

However, with the full line’s launch serving commercial areas, MMRC anticipates a significant increase in ridership, projecting 13 lakh daily passengers at stabilization and 31.5 lakh by 2055 following upgrades.

Mumbai, Sep 22: The Indian benchmark indices opened marginally lower on Monday, despite positive global cues, with IT stocks leading losses owing to some concerns over the new US H-1B visa rules.

As of 9.26 am, the Sensex was down 189 points, or 0.23 per cent at 82,772 and the Nifty was down 40 points, or 0.16 per cent at 25,286. Sensex and Nifty had opened with dips of 0.40 per cent and 0.33 per cent respectively, but later cut down on the losses.

IT giants such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, Tech Mahindra, and Coforge slipped in the morning trade.

The US government has clarified that visa holders returning to the country are exempt from the new $100,000 fee, which provided marginal relief to Indian IT companies.

White House said the visa fee would be a one-time payment, applicable only to new applications from the next lottery cycle (March–April 2026), and not on renewals.

The broad cap indices Nifty Midcap 100 dipped 0.05 per cent, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 lost 0.12 per cent.

The losers were Tech Mahindra, TCS, Tata Motors, Apollo Hospitals and Dr Reddy’s Labs.

Among sectoral indices, Nifty IT, the top loser, lost 2.68 per cent. Nifty Pharma (down 0.45 per cent) and Nifty Healthcare (down 0.33 per cent) also weighed down on the indices. All other sectoral indices were trading with marginal gains.

The Nifty index has held firmly above the 25,300 mark, closing at 25,327 in the previous session. It continues to trade above its key moving averages—the 20-day, 50-day, and 200-day EMAs—reaffirming the broader bullish undertone.

Analysts predicted that sentiment will remain positive as long as the index remains above these averages. Immediate resistance is placed at 25,500, followed by the 25,600 and 25,850 zones. The support lies at 25,150 and 25,000 zones.

They said that the market is likely to exhibit mixed behaviour, with the IT sector being affected by the H-1B visa issue and domestic consumption themes responding positively to the potential increase in consumption from lower GST rates kicking in from today.

According to them, the present low interest rate regime will aid the consumption boost and will also facilitate an increase in credit demand, boosting the profitability of financials.

Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose on Monday, tracking Wall Street’s gains from Friday and boosted by China’s key lending rate decision that kept key rates unchanged.

In the US markets, Nasdaq has added 0.72 per cent, the S&P 500 edged up 0.49 per cent, and the Dow inched up 0.37 per cent in the last trading session.

Most of the Asian markets were trading in the green during the morning session. While China’s Shanghai index edged up 0.07 per cent, and Shenzhen advanced 0.17 per cent, Japan’s Nikkei added 1.45 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 0.82 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi added 1.06 per cent.

On Friday, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) purchased equities worth Rs 390 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of equities worth Rs 2,105 crore.