The proposed Pagote Chouk Expressway in Maharashtra has moved a step closer to execution, with the National Highways Authority of India initiating the process for Coastal Regulation Zone clearance. The development marks a key milestone for the greenfield infrastructure project aimed at strengthening connectivity between Jawaharlal Nehru Port and major national highways.

At the same time, construction bids for the project are scheduled to open on April 16, 2026, signalling progress in the pre-construction phase.

The 29.3 kilometre six lane expressway is designed to provide a direct, access controlled route between JNPT Port and key arterial roads including NH48, the Mumbai Pune Expressway, and the Mumbai Goa highway. The corridor is expected to ease congestion on existing routes and streamline the movement of goods and passenger traffic.

The project is particularly significant for freight movement from the port, offering faster and more efficient connectivity to inland regions.

The expressway will include a mix of complex engineering structures to navigate the terrain. Plans include six major bridges, five minor bridges, four viaducts, and two tunnels measuring 1.9 kilometres and 1.57 kilometres respectively.

These elements are aimed at ensuring seamless travel while maintaining speed and safety standards across the corridor.

The project has a targeted completion timeline of 30 months from the start of construction. Once operational, it is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune.

Motorists travelling from Pune will be able to exit the Mumbai Pune Expressway shortly after the Khalapur toll plaza and reach the Chirle interchange of Atal Setu in around 20 minutes. The development is likely to bring both cities closer while boosting regional connectivity and economic activity.

Mumbai, March 20: The Mumbai Press Club received a threatening email claiming that several small bombs filled with poisonous gas had been planted inside the building and would explode at 1 pm on Friday. The sender identified herself as Neerja Ajmal Khan.

Soon after the email was received, the police and security agencies swung into action. A search operation in and around the Press Club premises is expected to begin shortly. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and the dog squad have been called to the spot to prevent any potential threat in time.

In the email, the sender claimed to represent Muslims from Coimbatore and made certain political allegations. The message stated that injustice had been done to them and that their voices were being suppressed. It also mentioned that the sender had limited resources and had used them to target the Mumbai Press Club. However, the sender also wrote that the intention was to cause damage and advised people to vacate the building.

The email further referred to alleged secret networks linked to Naxalites and Pakistan, which has made the case more serious for investigators.

Taking the threat seriously, the Mumbai Police immediately began an investigation. The cyber team is examining details such as the email ID used to send the message, its possible location, and who may be behind it.

Preliminary information suggests that the email was sent using the secure email service Proton Mail, which is generally difficult to trace.

At present, people inside the Press Club have been alerted. Police officials said that all angles are being probed and no negligence will be tolerated. According to initial information, the email was sent yesterday at 7.33 PM.

Mumbai: Facing sharp criticism from the civic standing committee over an 11% cost escalation above the BMC’s estimate, authorities have been forced into fresh negotiations with the lowest bidder, M/s Soma Enterprises Limited, on Friday for the Gargai Dam project.

The committee has taken a firm stand, demanding that the Rs 3,276 crore (after including taxes Rs 5,396 crore) project be awarded strictly at par with the original estimate, putting renewed pressure on the civic administration to rein in costs.

The Gargai Dam Project was initially estimated at Rs 3,105 crore. After tenders were floated in December last year, the lowest bidder, Soma Enterprises Limited, quoted Rs 3,334 crore. Following negotiations, the company agreed to execute the work for Rs 3,276 crore.

However, the Standing Committee raised concerns over a 2% incentive on the total contract value granted to the contractor after negotiations, terming it unnecessary.

In a subsequent meeting on Wednesday, the committee again questioned the administration and directed it to hold fresh negotiations with the company to further reduce and align the contract cost.

A senior civic official said, “A meeting has been called with Soma Enterprises Limited, and the administration will seek its best possible revised price in line with the Standing Committee’s directions. A fresh proposal will then be placed before the next meeting of the Standing Committee.”

According to sources, the company had earlier justified its higher bid during negotiations by citing cost escalation over the past two years since the project proposal was prepared in 2023, as well as the challenging and inaccessible terrain at Wada and Mokhada, where the dam is proposed to be constructed.

The Gargai Dam Project in Palghar’s Wada taluka is expected to augment Mumbai’s water supply by 440 million litres per day (MLD). The project proposes construction of a 69-metre-high dam near Ogada village, along with a 2.2 km tunnel to divert water to the Modak Sagar Reservoir.

Its implementation would require the felling of approximately 3.1 lakh trees, including areas within the Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary. As a result, the civic body will need to undertake compensatory afforestation on identified non-forest land.

The BMC supplies 4,000 MLD of water to Mumbai from seven lakes—Tansa, Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Tulsi, Vihar, Upper Vaitarna, and Middle Vaitarna—with 34% lost to theft and leakages. Rising pollution and urbanisation have pushed demand to 4,463 MLD, expected to reach 6,900 MLD by 2041.

The last major dam, Middle Vaitarna, was completed in 2014, highlighting the need for new projects like the Gargai Dam. The project is expected to be completed by 2029.