General
Chandrayaan-3 Launch: ISRO All Set To Launch Its Third Moon Mission At 2:35 p.m.
The countdown for the launch of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third mission to the moon, began on Thursday at 1.05 pm at the Satish Dhawan Spaceport in Sriharikota. The board has authorised the launch at 2.35 pm on Friday and the weather conditions are expected to be favourable.
The critical 25 hours 30 minute countdown will be used to fill the rockets with cryogenic fuel and the Indian Space Research Organisation will be closely monitoring the process looking out for any fuel leak.
A successful mission would see India enter an elite club of nations that have achieved such a feat, the others being the United States, China and the former Soviet Union.
Chandrayaan-2 managed to land on the Moon but failed to manoeuvre a soft landing due to software and mechanical issues. Now they have worked on every aspect of it for four years and are hopeful of a soft landing, a former scientist was cited as saying.
ISRO Officials Seek Lord Venkateswara’s Blessings Ahead Of Launch
As is customary, ISRO chairman S Somanath accompanied by senior officials visited Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, ahead of the launch. Officials presented a miniature model of the rocket and spacecraft to the temple and sought blessings. It is an old ISRO tradition to seek the blessings of the deity ahead of satellite launches in Sriharikota. Sommanath told the media in Tirumala that the stage is set for the launch of Chandrayaan-3 and expressed confidence in the mission’s success.
“It is a long journey. We will be ready for landing on the moon possibly by the last week of August. The landing date is decided when there is sunrise on the moon. When we are landing, sunlight must be there. So the landing will be on August 23 or 24,” Somnath said.
The Chandrayaan-3, which will be India’s third lunar mission, consists of an indigenous lander module (LM), propulsion module (PM), and a rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for inter-planetary missions.
Details On The Mission Route
According to ISRO, the lander has the capability to soft land at a specified lunar site, and deploy the rover, which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility. The Lander and the Rover have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface.
The LVM3 will place Chandrayaan-3 in an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 36,500km as against 45,475km during Chandrayaan-2. The perigee (closest point to Earth) will be around 170km, nearly the same as last time. “This is being done to get more stability,” Somanath was quoted in the media.
Isro will then conduct multiple Earth-bound manoeuvres to increase Chandrayaan-3’s orbit before commands for trans-lunar insertion (TLI) that will kick off the spacecraft’s journey towards the Moon.
Chandryaan To Land On Moon On August 23
After Chandrayaan-3 reaches the moon’s orbit, the lander module will separate from the propulsion module and be eventually brought to a 100km X 30km orbit, from where commands for de-boost and final descent is expected on August 23. The lander’s legs have been further strengthened and new sensors and solar panels have been added. A key change is that ISRO has increased the size of the landing area.
“In Chandrayaan-2, the landing site was 500m X 500m and we wanted to land at the centre, which resulted in some limitations. Now, the landing site is 4km X 2. 5km. At nominal conditions, we’ll attempt landing at the centre point, but otherwise, Vikram can land anywhere in this area, giving it greater flexibility,” Somanath was quoted in the media.
Maharashtra
Kasturba Marg Police recover 100 stolen mobile phones, return them to their original owners

Acting on complaints regarding stolen and lost mobile phones within the jurisdiction of the Kasturba Marg Police Station in Mumbai, police analyzed data from the CEIR portal and conducted technical investigations. By verifying device details, IMEI numbers, and user information, officers from the Kasturba Marg Police Station tracked down and recovered a total of 100 mobile phones from locations across Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra.
The total estimated value of the 100 recovered mobile phones is ₹2,270,658. Of these, 18 phones have already been returned to their respective owners/complainants, including: 1) Rajendra Puri, 2) Khush Saw, 3) Kripa Lodhiya, 4) Shreya Satam, 5) Atul Sathe, 6) Priyanka Mistri, 7) Banu Tarang, 8) Prem Gupta, 9) Adya Shaikh, 10) Shweta Shah, 11) Sandhya Pandit, 12) Deepak Sawdekar, 13) Saurabh Jhangar, 14) Ketan Shete, 15) Onkar Raut, 16) Jayalal Yadav, 17) Lakshmi Appa Kripagiri, and 18) Praveen Dubey. The process of returning the remaining phones to their owners is currently underway.
This operation was carried out under the supervision of the DCP (North, Zone 3), Mumbai, by the team at Kasturba Marg Police Station, led by Balasaheb Bunkar.
Maharashtra
Monsoon Withdraws Further from Maharashtra; Hot and Humid Weather Alert Issued for Konkan Region

MUMBAI PRESS — The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Saturday, October 3, 2026, that the Southwest Monsoon has withdrawn from parts of Maharashtra, as well as the remaining regions of North India, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.
The current withdrawal line of the Southwest Monsoon passes through Harnai, Baramati, Parbhani, and Brahmapuri in Maharashtra, extending northeastward through Raipur, Ranchi, and Supaul. Weather officials stated that conditions are favorable for further retreat from most parts of Marathwada, Vidarbha, and additional areas of Madhya Maharashtra over the next 2 to 3 days.
Hot and Humid Stretch for Coastal Maharashtra
Residents in the coastal belt should prepare for elevated discomfort over the weekend. The IMD has issued a hot and humid weather warning for Konkan & Goa prevailing from October 3 through October 5.
Following this dry and muggy stretch, mild weather activity is expected to return to the region. Isolated to scattered rainfall is forecast across Konkan & Goa and Madhya Maharashtra between October 6 and October 9.
Southern and Northeastern Forecast
While monsoon forces retreat from central and northern parts of India, southern states are bracing for heavy downpours. Isolated heavy rainfall is predicted over Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal from October 4 to October 6, with South Interior Karnataka expected to receive heavy spells on October 5 and 6.
In the northeast, isolated heavy rainfall is expected to continue over Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh through October 3.
Advisory for Fishermen
Due to lower-tropospheric cyclonic circulations over the Arabian Sea, the IMD has urged fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the Kerala coast, Lakshadweep, Maldives, and the Comorin area on October 3. Farmers in heavy rainfall zones have also been advised to ensure proper field drainage and move harvested crops to covered storage to prevent crop damage.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: BMC directed to strictly implement ‘Air Pollution Control and Enforcement Action Plan 2026’: Mayor Ritu Tawde

To curb air pollution in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has formulated the ‘Air Pollution Control and Implementation Action Plan-2026’. The objective of this plan is to implement effective measures against various sources of pollution and take strict action against violators.
Under the guidance of Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, and Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, Assistant Commissioners of all administrative wards have been directed to implement the ‘Air Pollution Control and Implementation Action Plan-2026’.
Under this action plan, at least 10 air pollution hotspots will be identified in each administrative ward, and an updated list accompanied by maps will be prepared. These hotspots will include major construction and redevelopment projects, infrastructure works, sites of open waste burning, debris dumping grounds, and traffic congestion zones. A designated officer will be appointed for each hotspot to ensure regular monitoring.
Controlling Pollution at Construction Sites
The existing 28-point guidelines for construction and demolition sites will be strictly enforced. Construction sites found violating these norms will be issued ‘show-cause’ and ‘stop-work’ notices; if necessary, action will also be taken to seal the premises. Each inspection team has been directed to inspect at least two construction sites daily. During demolition work, the installation of proper barricades, covering the site with tarpaulins or green netting, and continuous fine water spraying will be mandatory.
Special cleaning drive to reduce road dust:
A ‘Post-Monsoon Deep Cleaning Drive’ will be conducted during the first and second weeks of October to remove the soil, mud, and dust that accumulated on roads following the monsoon. Special cleaning operations will be carried out on major roads, medians, intersections, and road shoulders. Where necessary, roads will be washed with recycled water or treated with a fine water spray.
It is now mandatory for developers or contractors to keep adjacent roads clean in proportion to the size of the construction site. Roads must be kept clean for a distance of up to 100 meters for projects up to 4,000 square meters, up to 200 meters for projects between 4,000 and 10,000 square meters, and up to 500 meters on both sides for projects larger than 10,000 square meters. Regulations for Debris-Carrying Vehicles
Vehicles transporting debris from construction and demolition activities must be fully covered, and their wheels must be cleaned before entering public roads. The transportation and disposal of debris will be managed through the ‘Mumbai Debris Control and Tracking System’ (MDCTS). Instructions have also been issued to ensure that concrete or other materials do not spill onto roads from ‘Ready-Mix Concrete’ (RMC) vehicles.
Open Burning of Waste and Vehicular Pollution
Strict action will be taken against the open burning of waste across Mumbai. Such incidents will be monitored by ward-level marshals and CCTV surveillance systems. Furthermore, special ‘PUC’ (Pollution Under Control) inspection drives will be conducted on major traffic routes and high-congestion areas, and action will be taken against vehicles emitting visible smoke, in accordance with regulations.
Additional Measures in Case of Rising Air Quality Index (AQI)
The Air Quality Index will be continuously monitored, and measures under the ‘Graded Response Action Plan’ (GRAP) will be implemented based on the situation. If the AQI exceeds 200, measures such as deep cleaning, road washing (where necessary), water sprinkling, misting, and a strict ban on open waste burning will be enforced in the affected areas. Arrangements have also been made to halt polluting activities within a 2-kilometer radius of a monitoring station if the AQI remains above 300 for three consecutive days.
To ensure Mumbai’s air remains clean and eco-friendly, the implementation of this comprehensive action plan will be regularly reviewed at the ward level. Furthermore, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr. Avinash Dhakne has directed that necessary precautionary and enforcement measures be taken against major sources of air pollution.
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