Navi Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, approved a 25-km elevated road connecting Thane to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), allocating ₹6,363 crore for the project to be executed by CIDCO under a PPP model.

This initiative is considered a crucial urban infrastructure project aimed at enhancing connectivity to NMIA. The Cabinet approved land acquisition for commercial use along the corridor and allowed CIDCO to utilize government land beneath the elevated road at nominal costs. As travel time greatly reduces, expenditure increases. The elevated road toll is expected to surpass the existing rates of Atal Setu.

The six-lane elevated road will feature six interchanges, enabling speeds of up to 100 km/hr. This project promises to significantly reduce travel time from Thane to the airport from approximately 90 minutes to just 30 minutes, thereby relieving congestion on the Eastern Express Highway and Thane-Belapur Road.

The CIDCO is tasked with securing all necessary permits within six months, while the overall completion timeframe is estimated at three years, subject to potential delays from environmental clearances and land acquisition processes.

The elevated corridor is viewed as a means to alleviate traffic congestion and foster economic growth by improving access to NMIA, which is anticipated to be one of India’s largest aviation hubs. With the current strain on Mumbai’s airport, the construction of NMIA is timely, providing a more accessible option for travelers from Thane, Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath-Badlapur, and Bhayandar regions.

However, users will face a toll of ₹365 for a one-way trip along the elevated road. Comparison of tolls reveals that this cost is higher than the ₹250 toll on the Atal Setu sea bridge in Mumbai. As the project progresses, the toll rates are expected to increase annually. The airport is slated to open soon, with initial projections suggesting up to 2 million passengers annually, potentially growing to 9 million by 2038 when operations reach full capacity.

Nagpur: A powerful explosion ripped through Solar Industries’ explosives unit at Bazargaon, around 40 kilometres from Nagpur city, late Wednesday night. The midnight blast claimed the life of one worker and left at least 10 others injured, with several sustaining serious wounds from flying debris.

The explosion reportedly occurred inside its safety and commercial explosives unit between 12 and 12:30 am. Workers reported seeing smoke billowing from the reactor for nearly 20 minutes before a sudden, loud blast reduced parts of the unit to rubble.

Eyewitnesses described the impact as so severe that many workers were thrown off their feet, with stones and debris injuring dozens. “The incident took place around midnight. After continuous smoke for 20–25 minutes, the blast occurred, and 40–50 people were hit by stones,” one injured worker recounted.

The injured were rushed to nearby private hospitals, with a large number admitted to Dhande Hospital in Nagpur. Dr Nripal Dhande, ICU in-charge, confirmed that 22–23 people had been treated at the hospital. While most were discharged after receiving first aid, nine patients, including two women, remained under observation. “Two of them are in critical condition and on ventilator support,” Dr Dhande said.

NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh expressed concern over the explosion at the plant. “Seventeen people have been injured, and one has died in this blast. Such incidents highlight the need for strict adherence to safety measures. The government must ensure that all industrial safety norms are properly followed,” he said.

Police teams quickly reached the site and secured the factory premises as anxious crowds gathered at the gates. Heavy deployment of security personnel remained in place through the night while an investigation into the cause of the explosion was launched. This was the second major blast at the Bazargaon unit in less than two years. In December 2023, a massive explosion at the same facility had killed nine workers.

Mumbai: Class IV employees of KEM Hospital will stage a protest on Thursday against the hospital administration over the delay in appointing contract workers. They alleged that the delay has forced regular employees to work double shifts to keep services running.

Pradeep Narkar, joint general secretary of the Municipal Mazdoor Union, said the contracts of 421 outsourced workers lapsed on August 15. However, fresh appointments have been stalled due to opposition from the previous contractors.

“The delay in resolving the matter has left existing staff overburdened with excessive workloads,” Narkar said. He added that Class IV employees will gather outside the dean’s office on Thursday morning to press for immediate resolution and demand that the 421 contract workers be reinstated.

According to the Municipal Mazdoor Union, KEM Hospital—one of Mumbai’s largest civic-run facilities—has 1,991 sanctioned Class IV posts, of which only 1,100 are permanently filled.