Mumbai: A fresh political storm has erupted in Maharashtra after NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar accused Minister Sanjay Shirsath of handing over prime 15-acre CIDCO land in Navi Mumbai, valued at nearly Rs 5,000 crore, to the heirs of the Bivalkar family, allegedly bypassing rules.

Pawar claimed that the land, reserved for housing projects for the poor and the agrarian community, was given away during Shirsath’s first meeting as CIDCO chairman in 2024. He alleged that the move amounted to “betrayal of local sons of the soil,” who have been struggling for years to obtain land rights.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Pawar further alleged that the Bivalkar family was originally rewarded by the British with over 4,000 acres in Navi Mumbai for their role in siding against the Maratha Empire. Following independence, and under various laws and government decisions, the land was vested with the state. “Despite repeated attempts, the family’s claims were rejected. Yet, Shirsath Saheb, ignoring all norms, handed over 15 acres back to them,” Pawar alleged.

Pawar said the land could have been used to construct 10,000 affordable houses, benefiting thousands of needy families. Instead, he alleged, “the rightful share of the poor has been gifted to the heirs of those who once sided with colonial powers.”

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has announced a protest march at the CIDCO office in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday, August 20, at 11 am, demanding that the land allocation be scrapped and that Minister Shirsath resign immediately. Pawar has also urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take cognizance of the matter and act.

Mumbai: In a shocking incident, a 27-year-old Ola driver, Sahil Gujjar, was brutally stabbed to death late Saturday night after an altercation with members of the illegal parking mafia in Malad.

The incident took place on Lagoon Road near Plot No. 50 in Malwani, where Gujjar had gone to return his rented car. According to police sources, a heated dispute erupted between the car owner and a man who was running an unauthorized parking operation in the area. When Gujjar tried to intervene, the situation escalated.

The accused reportedly called in reinforcements, and within minutes, nearly 10 to 15 men surrounded and attacked Gujjar. Amid the violent scuffle, he was stabbed in the stomach. Passersby rushed him to Shatabdi Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of Sunday.

The Malwani Police have registered a case of murder and are identifying those involved in the attack. Police teams are scanning CCTV footage and conducting raids to track down the accused.

Similar Incident

In another incident, a 32-year-old man was killed in Sakinaka after a quarrel over parking escalated into a brutal assault. The incident had raised concerns about the unchecked operations of parking mafias across the city, often operating under the radar in busy residential and commercial zones.

The Malad case has once again highlighted the growing menace of such mafias and the urgent need for stricter policing. Residents have demanded that authorities crack down on unauthorized parking operators, warning that unchecked turf wars are putting ordinary citizens at risk.

Police said investigations are ongoing, and multiple teams have been deployed to arrest the accused at the earliest.

Mumbai: Mumbai woke up on Monday morning to dark, cloudy skies and persistent heavy rainfall, marking the third consecutive day of intense showers across the city. Heavy rainfall is expected to cause traffic disruption and delays in public transport.

12:20 PM

Visuals show waterlogging in Tilak Nagar area near Chembur. Commuters and vehicles wading through flooded streets.

Holiday Declared For Schools & Colleges Amid Heavy Rains

BMC shared an update on X informing the citizens about the weather warning, upgraded from orange to red alert. The civic body also announced a holiday for schools and colleges across the city.

Mumbai Under Red Alert!

IMD upgrades weather warning for Mumbai from orange to red alert. The weather department also warned of extermely heavy showers to lash the city in next few hours.

11:20 AM

Mumbai Police Commissioner issues advisory cautioning citizens of extreme conditions. “Please avoid non-essential travel, plan your commute with care, and step out only if necessary,” urged the police force chief in an update on X.

11:00 AM

BMC Issues Warning Of Extremely Heavy Rainfall Over the Next Three to Four hours.

The weather department in Mumbai shares data on rainfall recorded across city this morning. The data shows rainfall recorded across city between 9:00 am and 10:00 am.

Avg Rainfall details frm 0900 hrs to 1000 hrs :

CT- 37 mm

ES- 39 mm

WS- 29 mm

Rainfall details frm 0900 hrs to 1000 hrs:

CT- Pratiksha Nagar Mun. School, Sion, Worli Seaface Mun. School, Worli- 37mm, B Nadkarni Park Mun. School, Wadala- 34, Frosberry Reserviour- 33, Municipal Head Office- 30, Rawali Camp, City Institute of DM, Sewri Koliwada Mun. School, Sewri – 29, SWD Workshop Dadar- 27, D Ward Office, F North Ward Office ES-26

ES- Chembur Fire Station-65mm, Shivaji Nagar Mun School -50, Vaibhava Nagar Mun school-49, Mankhurd fire stn-48, Collector colony mun school chembur-46, Nutan Vidya Mandir -44, MPS Maharashtra Nagar Mun School Mankhurd -43, M/E, M/W ward office-42, Tagore Nagar Mun School Vikhroli -42, BP office Vikhroli West-38, Rambai Mun school Ghatkoper-37, Vikhroli fire stn-36, MCMCR Powai-35

WS: Bandra fire stan-2mm, Versova pumping stn-24, BKC fire stn, Marol fire stn-23

10:10 AM

BMC shares video of Hindmata flooding amid heavy rains. “All seven pumps at the Hindmata Pumping Station are in operation for draining rainwater from the Hindmata area. Traffic in the area is presently smooth and unobstructed,” posted the civic body on X.

Traffic Jams Reported Across City Amid Heavy Rains

Massive traffic jams were reported across the city during peak morning hours in the city. Traffic jams were reported at several places including Byculla, Eastern  Freeway, P D Mello Road, Chembur, Kurla and Thane. Another long traffic jam was reported from Goregaon to Bandra in the peak morning hours.

Red Alert For Pune, Satara & Raigad

IMD issued a red alert for Raigad, Ratnagiri, Satara, Kolhapur and Pune, indicating the likelihood of extremely heavy rainfall in these districts.

IndiGo Issues Travel Advisory For Passengers

IndiGo released a travel advisory on Monday morning, cautioning passengers about waterlogging on key arterial roads leading to the airport. The airline urged travelers to plan journeys with extra time in hand and to check flight status updates on digital platforms before leaving home.