Mumbai: In a bid to strengthen sanitation efforts, Ashwini Bhide, Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), conducted a surprise early-morning inspection at a solid waste management facility in Bandra West on Tuesday.

The inspection was carried out at Dharmashala Chowki in the H-West Ward, located at Kherwadi opposite the Government Polytechnic. During the visit, Bhide reviewed staff attendance, checked official registers and interacted directly with sanitation workers to assess on-ground workforce deployment.

Stressing strict hygiene standards, the civic chief directed officials to prioritise cleanliness across the ward. She instructed teams to ensure effective road sweeping, proper waste handling, and regular sanitation of public spaces such as bus stops and surrounding areas.

Bhide also stressed the need for stronger coordination between various departments within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, stating that improved inter-departmental cooperation is crucial for maintaining cleanliness and enhancing overall civic management.

Senior officials, including Deputy Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Kiran Dighavkar, Deputy Commissioner Prashant Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner Vishwas Mote and Assistant Commissioner Dinesh Pallewad, were present during the inspection. The surprise visit highlights the BMC’s renewed focus on accountability and real-time monitoring as part of its city-wide cleanliness drive.

Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has allocated Rs 105 crore for pothole repairs ahead of the monsoon, much lower than last year’s Rs 200 crore expenditure. Officials attribute the reduced cost to the ongoing Rs 17,000-crore road concreting project, which is now nearly 75 per cent complete, compared to 45 per cent progress during the same period last year. The use of mastic for road repairs has also declined by 50 per cent over the past year.

The repair plan includes two major tenders of Rs 30 crore each for the Western and Eastern Express Highways, along with multiple tenders for roads of varying widths that have not yet been concreted. A separate tender has also been floated for procuring cold mix material. With the monsoon approaching, the civic body aims to minimise pothole-related disruptions while continuing its push for improved road infrastructure and urban sanitation.

Navi Mumbai: Traffic on the Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway will be temporarily suspended for three hours on April 23 and 24 due to bridge maintenance work near Kusgaon, authorities said.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said the closure is required to carry out shuttering removal and painting work on a bridge located at km 58/500 between Dongargaon and Kusgaon.

According to the schedule, traffic heading towards Mumbai will remain completely closed on April 23 from 12 pm to 3 pm. Vehicles will be diverted via Kiwale–Dehu Road–Talegaon and routed through National Highway 48 to rejoin at Kusgaon toll plaza. Similarly, traffic towards Pune will be shut on April 24 from 12 pm to 3 pm, with vehicles diverted via Kusgaon toll plaza onto National Highway 48 and then through Dehu Road–Kiwale towards Pune.

Officials have urged motorists to plan their journeys in advance and use alternate routes during the closure period to avoid inconvenience.

In case of any difficulty, commuters can contact the control room at 9822498224 or the highway police helpline at 9833498334.

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police on Tuesday took into custody Aamir Sayyed, the boyfriend of arrested drug peddler Ashwini Paul, from jail in connection with an Ecstasy pills drug case.

According to police sources, Aamir Sayyed is suspected to have supplied around 5,000 Ecstasy pills that were recovered from Ashwini Paul. Investigators are now probing the source of the contraband and his wider network.

Earlier, the Anti-Narcotics Cell had arrested Ashwini Paul from Titwala on Saturday with a massive consignment of Ecstasy tablets reportedly valued at around ₹6 crore. Two other accused were also arrested in the case.

During the investigation, Sayyed’s name surfaced as a key supplier. However, police found that he was already lodged in jail. He was subsequently taken into custody for questioning in this case.

Officials revealed that Sayyed had previously been arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in a cocaine seizure case. After being released on bail, he allegedly resumed drug trafficking activities.

His bail was cancelled in February after he repeatedly failed to appear for court hearings, following which the DRI sent him back to jail.

Police said that during his bail period, Sayyed had supplied Ecstasy pills to Ashwini Paul for distribution. Further investigation is underway.