Politics
Amarnath pilgrims should have hassle free Darshan: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday directed all stakeholders to ensure a hassle free Darshan during the upcoming Amarnath Yatra.
Reviewing the preparedness for this annual pilgrimage at a meeting here, he directed that arrangements should be made for all essential facilities including movement, lodging, electricity, water, communication, and healthcare of the pilgrims.
Noting that this is resumption of the pilgrimage after the Covid-19 induced lockdowns, he said that adequate arrangements must be made to deal with the health-related issues of the pilgrims due to the high altitude.
Shah has asked the telecom department to set up a sufficient number of mobile towers on the Yatra route for better communication and dissemination of information. He ordered the deployment of equipment to open the route immediately in case of landslides.
The Home Minister instructed to have adequate numbers of oxygen cylinders and medical beds at altitudes above 6,000 feet and deploy ambulances and helicopters in case of any medical emergency.
The Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir informed that for the first time, every Amarnath Yatri would be given a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card and they would be insured for Rs 5 lakh each. Earlier, the RFID was was given to a vehicle.
“A tent city, WiFi hotspots and proper lighting will be arranged on the Yatra route along with online live Darshan of the holy cave, and live telecast of the morning and evening aarti at the Amarnath cave will be organised at the Base Camp,” he informed.
The meeting was attended by Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Secretary, Director of Intelligence Bureau, Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir and senior officials of various ministries and departments of the Central government to discuss the logistics.
The Union Home Minister held a separate meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, LG Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary, Director of Intelligence Bureau, Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir and senior officers of security agencies to discuss security matters related to the Yatra.
Maharashtra
Heavy rain ravages Maharashtra: 13 dead, 10 injured, ‘Red Alert’ issued for hill stations

Over the past two days, torrential rains accompanied by strong winds have battered Maharashtra, claiming 13 lives and injuring 10 others. The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) reported that around 100 houses have been damaged, leaving hundreds of people homeless due to severe flooding.
Data from the last 24 to 48 hours highlights the intensity of the downpour across the coastal and western regions. Lonavala recorded a staggering 625 mm (24.71 inches) of rain in the last 48 hours. Raigad received 236 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, Thane got 161 mm, Ratnagiri clocked 152 mm, Palghar averaged 132 mm and Mumbai registered between 100 mm and 161 mm across various sectors.
Water bodies across the state are overflowing rapidly. The Ulhas, Kalu, and Pinjal rivers have crossed their warning levels. Amba, Savitri, Kundalika, Patalganga, Jagbudi, and Ulhas rivers have breached their danger marks. Consequently, flood alerts have been issued for Badlapur, Mohane, and Jambhulpada.
Tragic incidents were reported from multiple districts as infrastructure buckled under the pressure of the storm.
In Mumbai, six people were killed and one was injured in the Mankhurd area when a building collapsed onto a slum cluster.
Additionally, one person died in the suburbs due to a tree falling. In Thane, two people sustained injuries when a portion of a building collapsed. In Palghar and Sindhudurg, one drowning fatality was reported in each district. High-velocity winds also caused the collapse of 30 houses in Sindhudurg. In Satara, a landslide resulted in one death and left four people injured.
A ‘Red Alert’ has been issued for hill stations including Matheran, Lonavala, Khopoli, and Lohagad due to an imminent threat of landslides caused by continuous heavy rainfall.
Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed to these areas. In the Mawal taluka of Pune district, four citizens were trapped after a landslide hit a house in Patan.
In another incident near Talegaon-Dabhade, a bus carrying 25 passengers got stranded in floodwaters. All passengers were safely rescued by the NDRF.
In the Sudhagad taluka of Raigad district, six members of a family—including a six-month-old infant—were stranded on their roof due to rising floods. Since the roads leading to the village were completely submerged, rescuers used boats to safely evacuate them.
Traffic disruption was reported on major highways due to blockages. On Mumbai-Goa Highway, traffic ground to a halt after a landslide in the Kashedi Ghat. On Mumbai-Pune Expressway and Khopoli Highway, landslides and heavy waterlogging suspended traffic, though authorities managed to restore movement by the afternoon.
The Mawal and Tamhini Ghat was affected heavily by landslides and flooding, prompting traffic to be diverted to alternative routes.
Meanwhile, in stark contrast to the deluge hitting the rest of the state, the Vidarbha region is still awaiting its monsoon spell. Districts including Wardha, Akola, Amravati, Yavatmal, and Chandrapur have recorded no rainfall during this period.
Maharashtra
BMC machinery is operating round-the-clock amidst heavy rainfall to keep Mumbai’s daily life running normally

Mumbai Mumbai region has been receiving continuous rain for the last five days. Even in these conditions, officers and staff of BMC’s Mumbai Fire Brigade, storm water drains, roads and traffic, gardens, public health, solid waste management, and other departments are working on the ground to ensure smooth daily life in Mumbai. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has expressed satisfaction over the tireless efforts of all these officers and staff who are making continuous efforts to maintain normalcy amidst the heavy rain. However, he has urged them to take all necessary measures while keeping their health and safety in mind. Mumbai has been receiving heavy rains for the past few days. Even in such difficult circumstances, necessary measures are being implemented immediately through constant coordination between all the concerned departments of BMC. BMC engineers, officers, staff, and workers along with Mumbai Fire Brigade, Storm Water Drainage Department, Roads and Traffic Department, Health Department, Solid Waste Management Department, and other concerned units are ready round the clock to provide immediate services to the citizens. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide praised the dedication and sense of duty shown by all the officers and staff for maintaining the smooth functioning of daily life in Mumbai, even in the face of adverse weather conditions. He has also directed the field level teams to be extra vigilant and proactive, noting that the coming days are critical in terms of rainfall. He has directed that special emphasis should be given to works like drainage of water, running dewatering pumps at waterlogging points, regular cleaning of roads, trimming of trees, immediate removal of garbage and construction/demolition, immediate cleaning of possible water bodies and waste affected areas, effective monitoring during field operations and timely provision of effective arrangements. Coordination should be maintained with the concerned departments as per the requirement. In the context of rainy season, the staff is advised to take care of their personal safety and health. Furthermore, all employees should take necessary precautions to avoid leptospirosis. They are advised to take 200 mg doxycycline tablets as a preventive measure against leptospirosis. The administration has informed that these tablets are available in municipal dispensaries.
Maharashtra
Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) inspects various areas amid heavy rain, directs BMC to remain on high alert

Amidst the ongoing heavy rains in Mumbai, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) of Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Smt. Prajakta Varmalongare today (July 6, 2026) visited various parts of Mumbai City Division to take stock of the situation arising out of the rains. She also reviewed in detail the measures being implemented by the Municipal Corporation’s monsoon management machinery. During the visit, she directly interacted with the officers and staff of the concerned departments and issued necessary instructions.
On Monday morning, Lavangare personally inspected the areas including Malabar Hill, Ambivadi (Kala Chowki), Mahim, Maheshwari Adhan (King’s Circle) area, Ravindra Natya Mandir area, Hindmata and other places. He carefully reviewed the rain-related situation, waterlogging hotspots, drainage system in operation, preparedness of emergency response mechanism and civic services provided to the citizens. Furthermore, he directed the concerned authorities to immediately mobilize municipal teams to clear fallen trees or branches during the rain. He also directed all the concerned departments to work together to ensure that the rain does not cause any disruption to traffic or the daily life of the citizens. He also directed the ward-level officials and staff to remain constantly alert and ensure that all operational systems function at full capacity. He issued instructions to prioritize immediate resolution of issues like waterlogging, uprooted trees, drainage issues and other emergencies. He stressed that all departments should work together and take prompt and effective action on every complaint so that the citizens do not face any hardship or inconvenience. Furthermore, Prajakta Verma Lovengare appealed to Mumbaikars to contact the Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s emergency helpline number, 1916, for immediate assistance in emergencies.
Deputy Commissioner (Zone-1) Ms. Chanda Jadhav, Deputy Commissioner (Zone-2) Shri Prashant Sapkale, Assistant Commissioner Smt. Swapnaja Kshirsagar, Assistant Commissioner Shri Gajanan Belle, Assistant Commissioner Shri Arun Kshirsagar and other senior officers and staff of the concerned departments were present during the inspection.
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