Mumbai: In a major move toward strengthening the city’s primary and secondary schooling infrastructure, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday officially tabled its education budget for the fiscal year 2026-27.

Presented by Additional Municipal Commissioner Avinash Dhakne, the Budget Estimate ‘E’ (Fund Code – 30) outlines a total expenditure of Rs 4,248.08 crore, marking a robust upward trend in the city’s investment in its students.

The new budget represents a substantial increase over the previous year’s figures. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, while the initial estimates were higher, the Revised Estimates eventually stood at Rs 3,674.10 crore. The jump to over Rs 4,248 crore for the upcoming year reflects the civic body’s commitment to meeting rising operational costs and expanding educational services across the metropolis.

The budget is bifurcated into Revenue and Capital accounts, ensuring both daily operations and long-term infrastructure projects are funded. The lion’s share of the funds, totalling Rs 3,758.08 crore, is allocated to Revenue Expenditure.

This covers recurring costs such as teacher salaries, school maintenance and administrative expenses. This is an increase from the Rs 3,287.32 crore recorded in the 2025-26 Revised Estimates.

BMC students will undergo cyber literacy training in civic schools, with a budget allocation of Rs 11.08 crore each for the primary and secondary sections. Students who complete the program will earn academic credits. By next month, 57 civic school buildings which are under repairs, under construction, redevelopment and new construction are expected to be completed.

Focused on the future, the BMC proposed Rs 490.00 crore for Capital Expenditure. These funds are typically utilised for the construction of new school buildings, major structural repairs and the procurement of high-value equipment like digital classrooms and laboratory tech.

Mumbai: In a fresh crackdown on illegal immigration, Mumbai Police arrested 25 Bangladeshi nationals from the Yuri Nagar area of Andheri West.

The operation was conducted by the Versova division of the Mumbai Police in coordination with the Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC), following specific intelligence inputs.

Police sources said the team carried out a targeted operation in the locality, leading to the detention of the 25 individuals for allegedly residing in the city without valid documents.

Further investigations are underway to trace others who may be part of the network and to identify those who allegedly facilitated their illegal entry and stay in Mumbai, the police said.

The action comes amid an intensified drive against undocumented foreign nationals in the city. Earlier this week, a Bangladeshi woman was arrested in Vile Parle. It was later discovered that the same woman was deported to Bangladesh 6 months ago when she was discovered living illegally in Mira Bhayandar for 25 Years. Authorities have initiated fresh deportation proceedings against her.

Police indicated that porous border security and alleged collusion by certain personnel along the West Bengal border remain key concerns contributing to illegal infiltration.

Data shared by the police highlights the scale of the issue. Over the past three years, 1,758 Bangladeshi nationals have been detained in Mumbai for allegedly residing without valid documentation. Of these, 1,238 have already been deported, while the remaining cases are at various stages of legal processing.

As part of the ongoing crackdown, between January 1 and February 20, 2026, the police detained 113 Bangladeshi nationals. So far, 27 have been deported, and legal formalities are underway for the others.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satyanarayan Chaudhary stated that in 2025 alone, 1,100 Bangladeshi nationals were deported. During the year, 150 cases were registered involving 224 accused. All cases are currently pending before the court and deportation proceedings will be completed after obtaining the necessary judicial orders.

Police have reiterated that the drive will continue in the coming weeks.

Mumbai: In a serious security breach amid rising incidents of copper cable theft in the city, unidentified persons attempted to steal a high-voltage copper cable from the Mumbai Monorail corridor along the Eastern Freeway in Chembur. The RCF police have registered a case and launched a search for the accused.

The attempted theft took place between Monorail pillars 2B-57 and 2B-58 on the Chembur stretch of the corridor.

According to the FIR, the complainant, Faiz Ahmed Mohammed Iqbal Shaikh, 39, works as an Electrical Supervisor with Mumbai Monorail and is currently posted at the Wadala Depot in the Power Supply Traction Department. The monorail receives its incoming power supply from a substation located at Mysore Colony in Chembur.

On February 10, 2026, at around 1:30 am, Shaikh’s electrical team conducted a routine inspection of cables along the monorail guideway between Chembur and Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk. At that time, all cables were found to be intact.

However, in the early hours of February 22, 2026, a civil department team of the monorail was returning to the Wadala Depot after clearing obstructions from the track. At around 2:00 am, when the team reached the Eastern Freeway, traffic police personnel on duty stopped their vehicle and inquired whether any authorised work was being carried out on the monorail line.

The civil department staff clarified that no work was scheduled at that location. The traffic constable then informed them that some individuals were seen cutting cables on the monorail viaduct.

The team immediately inspected the stretch between pillars 2B-57 and 2B-58 and found that the 22 kV copper armoured cable had been cut. They also spotted a few unidentified persons attempting to remove the cable.

On seeing the officials, the suspects fled the spot, abandoning the partially cut cable. Police said the accused had attempted to steal approximately 27 metres of 22 kV, 240 sq mm, three-core copper cable worth around Rs 1.5 lakh.

Following the incident, Shaikh lodged a complaint with the RCF police station. A case has been registered against unknown persons under Sections 303 and 62 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act.

Police officials said efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the culprits, and further investigation is in progress.