Connect with us
Monday,02-February-2026
Breaking News

National News

BMC Elections 2026: 5 Pressing Issues Faced By Mumbaikars That Have Taken Centre Stage Ahead Of Civic Body Polls

Published

on

Mumbai: As Mumbai prepares for the long-awaited Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on January 15, 2026, the city stands at a crossroads. After nearly four years under an appointed administrator, Mumbaikars are demanding accountability for issues that have been exacerbated by rapid urban growth and prolonged bureaucratic control.

Here are the five most pressing civic issues faced by the city’s residents:

Despite a brief reprieve from unseasonal New Year’s rain, Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has frequently dipped into ‘unhealthy and severe’ categories this winter. The city sees major pollution each day, with dust from the Metro projects and real-estate redevelopment contributing majorly to PM2.5 levels.

The ‘concretisation’ of Mumbai’s roads remains a primary campaign promise and a primary failure. Commuters continue to face gruelling travel times due to poorly synchronised infrastructure projects and the perennial return of potholes during monsoon months.

While the BMC announced an ambitious overhaul of health infrastructure, the ground reality for many remains bleak. Several civic surveys in the past have highlighted a severe shortage of public toilets, particularly for women, where the ratio is reportedly 1 seat for every 4 available to men currently.

Mumbai continues to grapple with saturated landfills and black spots where garbage piles up. Furthermore, the fear of flooding looms every year as the city’s aging colonial-era drainage system struggles to cope with intensified rainfall patterns.

With thousands of residents living in dilapidated buildings or stalled Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects, the ‘right to a home’ has become a central election theme. Rapid redevelopment is straining existing civic lines, water, sewage and electricity, which were never designed for high-rise densities.

The 2026 election is unique because it follows a period where citizens felt ‘voiceless’ without elected corporators. The mandate of 2026 will likely depend on which party can move beyond identity politics and offer a concrete, measurable roadmap for these basic civic needs.

Crime

Mumbai Police Rebuts Social Media Claims About Missing Children; Warns Action Against Rumours

Published

on

A day after reports claimed that 12 minor children went missing within 36 hours across Mumbai, the Mumbai Police on Monday issued a statement rejecting the claims and warning social media users against spreading rumours related to missing or abducted children.

In a post on X, the Mumbai Police said, “Some social media accounts are spreading false information and rumours regarding missing and abducted children. We completely deny these claims.”

The police added that the process has been initiated to register FIRs and take strict legal action against individuals deliberately circulating false information to create fear among the public.

The clarification came a day after Media reported that 12 minor children, including eight girls, had gone missing within a 36-hour span. The unusually high number had triggered concerns about the possible presence of organised child trafficking networks in the city.

While some cases were linked to family disputes or children running away from home, a human trafficking angle was suspected in others.

According to Mumbai Police records, 145 children went missing between June and December 2025, including 93 girls. Between November 1 and December 6 alone, 82 missing cases were registered, with adolescents accounting for more than half. These included 41 girls and 13 boys under 18. Police said several children were later traced and reunited with their families.

Continue Reading

Crime

‘Drunk’ SUV Driver Ploughs Into Crowd After Hitting Several Vehicles In Sangli; 11 Injured

Published

on

Chaos unfolded in Maharashtra’s Sangli on Sunday when an SUV ploughed into a crowd after ramming several vehicles on Tilak Road near the Ganpati Temple. According to reports, 11 people, including five police personnel, were injured in the incident.

The accused driver has been identified as Praniket Dattatrey Panchal from the Barshi Road area in Latur. The vehicle first hit several vehicles before ploughing into a crowded stretch where people were walking to attend the Krushnamai Festival.

After the incident, the driver was pulled out of the vehicle by an angry mob and assaulted. The crowd also vandalised the SUV.

The accused was later rescued by the police.

According to reports, the driver was under the influence of alcohol when incident occured. The injured were rushed to hospitals for treatment. Police stated that the driver has been booked and further investigation is underway.

Continue Reading

National News

Fierce govt-Oppn showdown in LS over Rahul Gandhi’s mention of ex-Army chief’s unpublished memoir (Lead)

Published

on

New Delhi, Feb 2: The Lok Sabha witnessed uproarious scenes and a huge pandemonium with opposition and treasury benches getting into a face-off over the citing of an ‘unpublished’ book by former Army Chief Mukund Naravane.

LS Speaker Om Birla’s repeated attempts to bring order in the House failed utterly as the Congress party persisted with demands to quote Naravane’s memoirs while the government strongly objected, terming it ‘theatrics’.

The ruckus broke out after the Leader of Opposition (LoP), Rahul Gandhi, led the opposition charge during the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President’s address on Monday.

The Congress MP started his speech by targeting the Centre over an article in a magazine, based on the memoirs of former Army chief Naravane. This invited a quick and direct counter from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and also Home Minister Amit Shah.

Gandhi said that the BJP questions the Congress party’s patriotism but blocks a book penned by a top officer of the Armed Forces.

As he started citing lines from the memoir, loud protests erupted from the treasury benches.

Rajnath Singh strongly objected to Gandhi’s quoting from the book, stating that the claims were vague as the book had not even published.

“What is the government scared of?” asked Rahul while doubling down his charge.

LS Speaker Om Birla advised the opposition members to refrain from citing any unverified subject, stating that this would amount to a breach of parliamentary norms.

As the opposition resorted to slogan-shouting, prompting a counter from HM Amit Shah. He urged the Speaker to direct the LoP to stop misleading the House with falsified claims.

The ruckus over Gandhi’s claims, where he stated that Chinese tanks were hurtling towards the Indian border, continued unabated as the opposition insisted on raising these charges while the treasury benches, including Union Ministers, erupted in protest.

The parliamentary rulebook was also cited by some BJP members, but the chaos and pandemonium persisted.

At one point, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav also rallied behind Rahul Gandhi and stated that since the China border is a sensitive matter, the Congress leader should be allowed to speak on the same.

Congress MPs also pointed fingers at the Speaker, claiming that the ruling party lawmakers have quoted false claims on the Nehru rule multiple times, but they were always given a free hand.

Continue Reading

Trending