National News
BMC Elections 2026: Underground Metro To Sea Bridges, How Mumbai Changed Over The Years After Previous Civic Body Polls
Mumbai: As Mumbai heads toward the long-awaited Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on January 15, the city stands as a starkly different landscape compared to the last time citizens went to the polls. Over the past few years, the financial capital has shed its image of perpetual gridlock, emerging as a laboratory for world-class infrastructure.
From the shimmering arches of the Atal Setu to the underground hum of the Aqua Line, the very geography of Mumbai has been rewritten.
The most visible change is the completion of the ‘Golden Trio’ of infrastructure that has finally bridged the gap between Mumbai’s isolated islands.
The Atal Setu (MTHL): Inaugurated in 2024, the country’s longest sea bridge has turned the grueling two-hour trek from Sewri to Navi Mumbai into a 20-minute breeze. This bridge didn’t just move cars; it shifted the city’s economic center of gravity toward the east.
The Mumbai Coastal Road: The BMC’s flagship project has fundamentally altered the Western seafront. With the sea bridge operational, the iconic Marine Drive now connects seamlessly to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link via undersea tunnels. For the first time, South Mumbai feels ‘connected’ rather than ‘bottlenecked.’
The Metro Revolution: 2025 was the ‘Year of the Metro.’ The full commissioning of Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) has moved thousands of daily commuters off the overburdened local trains and into air-conditioned underground comfort, linking Colaba to SEEPZ for the first time.
Beyond the steel and concrete of bridges, the BMC spent the last two years on a massive City Beautification Project. Several sites across multiple wards in the city have seen upgrades.
From illuminated flyovers and theme-based murals to the 5.25 km seaside promenade at Worli, the maximum city is looking more polished. Even the suburban wards like P-South (Goregaon) have seen a push for ‘hawker-free’ zones and the restoration of local water bodies like the Oshiwara river, though environmentalists argue there is still a long way to go.
This infrastructure blitz has triggered a real estate gold rush. Nodes like Ulwe and Panvel are no longer considered ‘outskirts,’ thanks to the newly operational Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), which saw its first commercial flights just weeks ago in December 2025. Property values in these growth tiers have surged by over 20 per cent, as the ‘One Mumbai-Navi Mumbai’ vision becomes a reality.
As the Model Code of Conduct holds the city in its grip, the focus is now on the ‘Missing Links.’ While the mega-projects are largely complete, the next administration faces the last-mile challenge.
Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR): With the Phase 1 expected to open by May 2026, this will be the final piece of the east-west connectivity puzzle.
Climate Resilience: With rising sea levels, the next BMC house will be judged on its ability to manage the city’s aging drainage system alongside its shiny new tunnels.
The 24/7 City: There is growing pressure to utilise this new infrastructure to boost Mumbai’s night economy, turning it into a truly global metropolis.
Crime
Suspicious passenger apprehended at Delhi Jama Masjid Metro Station after trying to flee during screening

Alert personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) apprehended a passenger at Delhi’s Jama Masjid Metro Station after he allegedly attempted to flee when a suspicious object was detected during his baggage screening.
According to the CISF, the incident came to light when the passenger’s baggage was being screened through an X-ray Baggage Inspection System (XBIS). During the examination, personnel noticed a dense and suspicious object on the scanner screen.
Sensing something unusual, the security personnel attempted to examine the matter further. However, the passenger allegedly tried to escape from the screening area, according to CISF.
Displaying promptness and alertness, CISF personnel immediately chased him and apprehended him near the station’s exit gate before he could leave the premises.
A subsequent examination of his belongings led to the recovery of an unidentified semi-solid substance concealed inside a stitched portion of his undergarment, the CISF said.
According to reports, the passenger reportedly claimed to be a non-resident Indian (NRI) residing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Following the recovery, the CISF handed over the passenger, along with his belongings and the suspected substance, to the police for further investigation.
The nature of the semi-solid substance and the reason behind its concealment remain unclear. Police are investigating the matter to establish the identity of the substance and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The CISF’s swift intervention prevented the passenger from leaving the station without further examination.
The force said its personnel remain alert during the screening of passengers and their baggage to ensure compliance with security protocols and prevent any potential threat to metro commuters. Further action in the case will depend on the findings of the investigation, said the police officials.
Crime
Bihar MLC election: Three FIRs filed against Anant Singh, Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh

Amid campaigning for the biennial elections for eight MLC seats on October 23 in Bihar, police have registered three FIRs in connection with alleged violation of election rules during a roadshow in the Mokama Assembly constituency of Patna district.
The roadshow was held on Sunday. The cases have been registered against local MLA Anant Singh and Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh, according to police sources.
Of the three cases, two were registered at Barh police station and one at Mokama police station in Patna district.
The police are investigating the alleged violations and examining the circumstances surrounding the roadshow.
According to police sources, the action followed complaints of violations of the Model Code of Conduct and other applicable regulations during the Member of Legislative Council (MLC) election-related event.
The allegations concern compliance with rules governing political roadshows and public campaigning.
However, the specific allegations against each leader and the legal sections invoked in the FIRs have not yet been independently confirmed.
The registration of the cases has triggered political discussions in the Mokama and Barh areas, where election-related activities have intensified.
During the MLC election period, candidates and political parties are required to comply with the Model Code of Conduct and applicable rules governing public meetings, roadshows, permissions and traffic management.
Authorities can initiate legal action when alleged violations are reported.
However, the filing of an FIR does not establish guilt. The allegations against Anant Singh and Anuj Singh will be subject to investigation and the due process of law.
Police said further action would be taken on the basis of the evidence collected and the findings of the investigation.
Additional details are awaited.
Anant Singh, the JD(U) MLA from Mokama in Patna district, has openly extended his support to Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh and is campaigning against his own party’s official nominee, Neeraj Kumar, in the upcoming MLC election.
Anant Singh said his decision to support Anuj Singh stemmed from a personal dispute with Neeraj Kumar. He clarified that his move had nothing to do with his political relationship with the JD(U).
The election for eight Legislative Council seats is scheduled to be held on October 23, with counting of votes and announcement of results set for October 27.
National News
‘Owaisi, BJP are twins’: Congress MP accuses AIMIM chief of splitting Oppn votes

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Monday hit back at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his recent remarks, accusing him of acting as an agent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Tiwari claimed that election results demonstrated how Owaisi’s party had contributed to splitting minority votes, prompting him to describe the AIMIM chief and the BJP as “twin brothers”.
The exchange comes amid political preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, with parties sharpening their positions and trading allegations ahead of the electoral contest.
Addressing a gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur, Owaisi had declared that he would “never make a Nehru, a Gandhi, or a Yadav” his leader. He also stressed the need to provide greater opportunities to young people from the Muslim community.
“Muslim youth have as much potential as people from other communities… However, they are not given a platform,” Owaisi had said, adding that the AIMIM would provide them with opportunities to move forward.
Responding to the AIMIM chief’s remarks, Congress MP Tiwari accused him of working to divide opposition votes in favour of the BJP.
Speaking to media, Tiwari said, “What standing does Owaisi have to even suggest someone like a Gandhi or a Nehru? His sole function, whether intentional or otherwise, is to divide the minority vote at the behest of the BJP. I can say with full confidence that this individual works for the BJP, as evidenced by election outcomes.”
Tiwari further cited electoral results in Maharashtra and Bihar to support his allegations, claiming that the AIMIM’s electoral performance had helped the BJP and its allies by splitting votes that could otherwise have benefited other candidates.
“In Maharashtra, while his party won four seats, it also caused other candidates to lose in 22 constituencies by splitting the vote, ultimately paving the way for a BJP-led government. He did something similar in Bihar … The results clearly show that he operates as an agent for the BJP. Owaisi and the BJP are twin brothers,” he added.
This comes as political parties begin gearing up for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Tiwari also commented on the controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
He argued that protecting citizens’ voting rights was essential and called for a change in government through the democratic process.
“The government in the country must be changed. The nation’s economic situation and foreign policy have both failed. The public wants relief from inflation and unemployment, and a change in government is essential to safeguard the right to vote. We want to change the government democratically through elections, and for that right to vote must be safeguarded,” Tiwari said.
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