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.

Mumbai: Mumbai woke up to cloudy skies and scattered showers on Thursday. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast cloudy skies and spells of moderate to heavy rainfall across Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) today. The weather department also issued a yellow alert for today and tomorrow, September 5.

According to the forecast, the city is likely to witness light showers in the morning and afternoon, with heavier downpours expected in the evening and late night hours. The IMD attributed this increase in rainfall activity to a low-pressure belt currently active over the Bay of Bengal, which is pushing moisture-laden winds towards the western coast.

In Navi Mumbai, light rainfall is expected through the early hours, followed by moderate to heavy showers later in the day. Thane and Kalyan-Dombivli are likely to witness intense spells by evening, which could lead to water accumulation on several roads. Officials have warned commuters to plan their travel accordingly, as traffic congestion may worsen during peak hours.

In the western suburbs, including Vasai-Virar and Mira-Bhayander, moderate rain is expected through the day. However, IMD has not ruled out the possibility of heavy showers in some pockets, particularly along coastal areas.

The advisory further states that rainfall activity may remain high across Mumbai and MMR through the day, before easing between September 5 and 7. Cloudy conditions, however, will persist across the region during this period. The monsoon’s influence is likely to continue until mid-September, after which the intensity of rainfall will gradually decline, according to the weather department.

The Konkan region stays under orange alert with districts like Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg expected to see heavy rains today. The weather department has warned of very heavy showers in isolated areas.

Thane: Daily commuters on the Gaimukh to Fountain Hotel stretch via Godbunder Road have raised serious concerns over worsening traffic and extremely poor road conditions. This route, a key connector between Thane, Mira Road-Bhayandar, and Vasai-Virar, is now infamous for long delays and daily frustration.

The issue came into focus after X (formerly Twitter) user @VaruMehul shared a post with a screenshot from Google Maps showing traffic congestion and commented: “Daily traffic from Gaimukh to Fountain Hotel, very bad road conditions, wastage of time, money, fuel every day!”

The Gaimukh-Godbunder stretch is one of the busiest corridors in the region, serving as a crucial link between Thane and the western suburbs. Despite its importance, the area suffers from poor traffic management, resulting in massive delays and increasing fuel consumption, as highlighted by local commuters.

Authorities have acknowledged these concerns, with representatives from the traffic control department, Mira-Bhayandar Vasai-Virar Police Commissionerate, Mumbai Police and the Thane City Police stating that steps are being taken to address the situation.

The post quickly caught the attention of authorities and was acknowledged by several departments. Thane City Police responded: “Thank you for contacting the Thane City Police. Your information has been forwarded to the Traffic Control Room, Thane, for necessary action.”

Mira-Bhayandar Vasai-Virar Police Commissionerate replied: “Your information has been forwarded to the Senior Police Inspector, Kashimira Traffic Branch, for necessary action.”

The Mumbai Traffic Police further amplified the post by tagging @ThaneCityPolice, urging cross-jurisdictional coordination.

Following the death of Bhiwandi doctor Naseem Ansari in a pothole-related accident at Vanjarapatti Naka on the night of August 22, the Thane Traffic Department has implemented a new directive prohibiting the entry of heavy vehicles into the city.

Bhiwandi serves as a vital transit route for vehicles travelling between Gujarat and Mumbai. Owing to its strategic location, the city experiences a high volume of heavy vehicle traffic from both regions. Additionally, Bhiwandi is a major centre for powerloom and textile industries, housing numerous small-scale manufacturing units and warehouses, making it a key logistics hub adjacent to Mumbai.

Home to approximately 1.3 million residents, Bhiwandi also contains a dense concentration of offices, educational institutions, hospitals, banks, and schools. With around 4.5 lakh registered vehicles, including a significant number of heavy trucks, the city faces chronic traffic congestion and a high risk of road accidents.