Maharashtra
BMC health machinery should always be ready to take care of patients during monsoon season, focus on high-risk areas
Mumbai: In view of the monsoon season, the health machinery of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) must be constantly prepared and highly capable to provide patient care. Prajakta Verma-Laungare, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) has issued important instructions to ensure that all necessary precautionary measures are effectively implemented in all hospitals.
Today (July 18, 2026) Prajakta Verma-Laungare visited the Hindu Hardayisamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Municipal Hospital in Jogeshwari (East) and took a detailed review of various health-related issues.
He directed the Zonal Deputy Commissioners and all Assistant Commissioners to coordinate with the officers and staff of the health department to determine the health-related priorities for each ward. He directed them to regularly review health matters and devise an effective mechanism to collect citizens’ feedback. Furthermore, she directed that the new measures aligned with the overall health policy of the BMC should be effectively implemented.
Special measures to prevent monsoon-related diseases
She also issued instructions to inspect construction sites and effectively implement preventive health measures in light of the monsoon season. The preventive measures should be implemented with special focus on slums. Special campaigns and necessary precautions should be implemented to identify patients suffering from monsoon-related and epidemic diseases like dengue, malaria, leptospirosis and gastroenteritis as well as to prevent their spread. Mrs. Verma-Lovangre directed that special attention should be paid to high-risk areas for this purpose.
Regular monitoring of health measures
All Assistant Commissioners and Health Department Officers in Zone 4 should regularly monitor the implementation of health-related measures. Regular reviews should be conducted regarding the Health Management Information System (HMIS), measures to control stray dogs, necessary minor repairs in health facilities and cleanliness drive in health centres. Assistant Commissioners were directed to personally visit the field to inspect the work and adopt a data-driven approach for decision-making. He also directed that the vacant posts of health related posts like Assistant Medical Officers and Insecticide Officers should be filled up at the earliest by following the prescribed procedure.
Priority for repair of health facilities
The Hospital Infrastructure Cell (HIC) should formulate a policy to ensure that the repair works of health facilities in the zone are completed on priority basis and expeditiously. Instructions were issued to treat the zone as a unit and take necessary steps for expeditious completion of repair works in ‘mission mode’.
On this occasion, the Additional Municipal Commissioner also reviewed the operations of S.K. Patil Hospital, M.W. Desai Hospital, and Siddharth Hospital, all of which fall under Zone 4. Varmalawangire directed all the concerned officials to work with responsibility and sincerity, keeping the patients at the centre and keeping their needs in mind, especially in the backdrop of the monsoon season. Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners to regularly review hospitals Varmalawangire reviewed the issues and pending matters related to hospitals in Zone 4. He directed the Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners to regularly visit the hospitals and take necessary action to resolve various issues in a timely manner.
On this occasion, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Prajakta Varmalawangire inspected the healthcare facilities and operations at Hindu Hardayisamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Municipal Hospital in Jogeshwari (East).
Make licensing and regulatory processes more citizen-centric
The concerned departments should have a clear vision on various licenses issued by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and ensure strict compliance with all licensing regulations. He also directed that in order to improve ease of doing business and ensure smooth delivery of services to citizens, emphasis should be placed on effective implementation and adoption of citizen-centric systems – such as online application process and issuance of online licenses.
Focus on strengthening Citizen Facilitation Centres
The Citizen Facilitation Centre (CFC) acts as a vital link between the BMC’s health services and the public. Therefore, these centres should be strengthened to streamline all health-related registration processes. The measures should include providing a dedicated window for health services, enabling application tracking, and displaying standard application forms at places easily visible to citizens. The aim is to maximise service delivery while minimising human intervention in health-related services.
Crime
Stall operator booked after two die of electrocution in Mumbai Lalbaug Ganesh pandal

Mumbai, Sep 20: An FIR has been filed following a tragic electrocution incident near a Ganesh festival pandal in Mumbai Lalbaug area early on Sunday, which resulted in the deaths of two people, including an 8-year-old girl.
Two people, including an eight-year-old girl, died and four others were seriously injured after receiving electric shocks from a loose wire at a Pepsi-Cola stall near Aastha Hospital on Dattaram Lad Marg in Kalachowki, Mumbai, early Sunday.
Police have registered an FIR against nearby stall operator Kamal Shetty under Sections 106(1) and 125(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alleging negligence, and have begun an investigation.
According to information from the fire brigade, the incident occurred at around 2 a.m. on Sunday when devotees were present near the pandal.
Two boys and three girls, aged between 8 and 20, reportedly came into contact with the electrical current and suffered burn injuries.
Following the incident, all five victims were rushed to Masina Hospital in Byculla for treatment. Doctors declared the 8-year-old girl Raghni Ghanshyam Yadav dead upon arrival.
Meanwhile, a second victim, a woman who was admitted to Global Hospital in Parel, later succumbed to her injuries. Her identity was yet to be ascertained.
Kiran Akbar Naik, 19, Tanvi Narsh Hande, 19, Sahil Sandip Tare, 19, and Ruhi Singh, 12, were undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the incident.
Among the injured, one girl was reportedly in critical condition and was shifted to Global Hospital in Parel for further treatment. The remaining three injured victims are undergoing treatment at Masina Hospital and have been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), where their condition remains serious.
According to the FIR filed at Kalachowki Police Station, the wire allegedly came into contact with the girl, Raghni, and others nearby.
The girl was declared dead at Masina Hospital, while another woman, identified as 33-year-old Sujata Thorati, died at Global Hospital. Four injured persons were admitted for treatment.
Maharashtra
17-year-old among three killed in Mumbai high-end car accident (Lead)

Mumbai, Sep 20: A 17-year-old was among the three people who were killed in a serious accident involving a high-end car on the Mumbai Coastal Road early on Sunday, officials said.
Another person is critically injured and is currently receiving treatment.
According to information received from the Coastal Road Control Room, the accident occurred at around 5.20 a.m. near Lotus Jetty, opposite Lala College.
The car was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle due to overspeeding.
The speeding vehicle crashed onto the Coastal Road and hit a boundary wall. It fell off the bridge into an area where construction work was underway.
The severity of the accident was evident from the extent of the damage to the car.
The vehicle tore off through the signboard hanging from the bridge. The roof of the car was pushed inwards, the windshield was shattered, and the bonnet was completely destroyed.
Following the accident, all four occupants of the car were rushed to Nair Hospital, where emergency medical teams assessed their condition.
According to an update issued by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Nair Hospital at around 8.40 a.m., three of the occupants were declared brought dead by doctors.
Two of the deceased have been identified as 21-year-old Shanay Gajjal and 17-year-old Dhirya Seth. The identity of the third deceased is yet to be ascertained.
The injured has been identified as 23-year-old Aditya Oswal.
Speaking about the incident to media, Senior Police Inspector Meena Jagtap said: “At around 5:20 a.m., a black BMW was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali in the northbound direction when it fell from the Coastal Road. There were four people in the car. Three people died, while Aditya is currently at Nair Hospital.”
She said that it is yet to be ascertained whether the occupants of the car were in an intoxicated state when the accident occurred.
Police are investigating the case.
Further details are awaited.
On September 3, several people were booked after Mumbai Police took cognisance of a viral video showing luxury and high-performance cars speeding and racing dangerously inside the Marine Drive-Southbound Coastal Road tunnel.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, three people were critically injured after a speeding off-road SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) hit them near PKC Hospital in Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
The driver fled the spot after the crash instead of helping the injured.
Maharashtra
BEST bus driver injured after head-on collision with private travel bus in Mumbai

Mumbai, Sep 20: A BEST bus operating on Route 496 collided head-on with a private travel bus in Mumbai Mulund West early on Sunday, leaving its driver injured and triggering a minor fire in the vehicle.
The incident took place at around 5.50 a.m. in Mulund West, where ongoing Metro construction work on LBS Marg had restricted traffic movement to a single lane.
The BEST bus was travelling from SEEPZ towards Teen Hath Naka in Thane when it was involved in a collision with an oncoming private travel bus.
The impact of the head-on collision caused the steering wheel of the BEST bus to strike the abdomen of its driver, identified as 40-year-old Sandeep Namdev Karande.
He sustained injuries to his abdomen and right leg and also suffered heavy bleeding following the collision.
Soon after the impact, a minor fire broke out in the bonnet of the BEST bus, creating an additional emergency at the spot.
The conductor of the bus immediately responded by using the fire extinguisher available onboard and managed to douse the flames.
Following the accident, the conductor immediately arranged for the injured driver to receive medical attention, and Karande was rushed to the Agarwal Hospital in Mulund.
Authorities said that Karande was conscious and in a stable condition after being admitted to the hospital.
He was being treated for the injuries sustained in the collision.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, three people were killed, and another was critically injured in a serious accident involving a high-end car on the Mumbai Coastal Road early on Sunday, officials said.
According to information received from the Coastal Road Control Room, the accident occurred at around 5.20 a.m. near Lotus Jetty, opposite Lala College.
The car was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle, reportedly due to overspeeding.
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