Thane: Water supply will remain suspended for 24 hours in several areas of Thane on Thursday due to pipeline work being carried out near the Siddheshwar Water Tank, according to the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC).

According to the civic body, excavation work for laying a new pipeline in the Uthalsar ward committee area is affecting the existing 600 mm diameter outlet pipeline connected to the Siddheshwar water tank.

As part of the project, the current pipeline will need to be shifted to facilitate the installation of the new line. To carry out the work, water supply will be suspended from 9 am on Thursday (March 12) to 9 am on Friday (March 13), officials confirmed.

During this period, water supply will remain disrupted in several areas of the Uthalsar ward, including the Siddheshwar Lake vicinity, Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, Ganeshwadi, Nitin Company area, Panchpakhadi, Sarovar Darshan, Chandanwadi, Hansnagar, Singh Nagar, Khopat, Flower Valley, Shelar Pada, Gokuldaswadi, Kolbad and Gokulnagar.

Apart from these localities, parts of the Naupada ward will also face water supply disruption. These include Panchpakhadi, Chandanwadi, the municipal corporation premises, Charai and Dhobi Ali.

Civic officials have appealed to residents to store sufficient water in advance and use it judiciously during the shutdown period. The municipal corporation has also urged citizens to cooperate with authorities while the pipeline work is underway.

Mumbai, March 11: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has begun a key stage in the construction of the twin tunnels under Phase 3B of the Goregaon Mulund Link Road project, with the lowering of Tunnel Boring Machine components into a shaft at the Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari site.

The civic body shared updates and footage of the operation on social media platform X on Wednesday.

The operation involves carefully lowering several loose components of the Tunnel Boring Machine into the deep shaft from where tunnelling activities will eventually begin. The process marks a crucial step in preparing the machine that will excavate the twin tunnels planned under the GMLR project.

Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani visited the site to personally inspect the ongoing work and review the progress of the installation process.

To carry out the complex operation, specialised cranes with lifting capacities of 800 metric tonnes and 350 metric tonnes have been deployed at the site. These high capacity machines are being used to lower the TBM parts safely and precisely into the shaft.

The components are being lowered in phases to ensure safety and accuracy during assembly within the shaft.

Among the major parts lowered on the first day was the Type A shield, considered the primary mining component of the Tunnel Boring Machine. The massive structure weighs around 135 metric tonnes and plays a central role in the tunnelling process.

Several senior officials from the civic administration were present during the inspection and the lowering operation.

These included Additional Municipal Commissioner for Projects Abhijit Bangar, Deputy Commissioner Infrastructure Girish Nikam, Chief Engineer Bridges Rajesh Mule, Deputy Chief Engineer Bridges Naresh Meghrajani, and Executive Engineer Bridges Namdev Ravkale. Municipal engineers and project consultants were also present during the process.

The Goregaon Mulund Link Road is one of Mumbai’s major road infrastructure projects aimed at improving east west connectivity and reducing travel time across the city. The twin tunnels being constructed near the Aarey area form a critical part of this corridor.

Mumbai: In a bid to tackle persistent dumping of garbage and prevent trespassing along railway tracks, Western Railway (WR) has initiated the installation of metal fencing along a problematic stretch near Bandra East station. The move aims to curb illegal access from adjoining slum settlements and protect railway infrastructure that has been repeatedly damaged due to waste accumulation and human activity along the tracks.

The work began on February 28 after authorities identified the sections where the metal barricades would be erected on the Harbour Line near Bandra East. The railway administration has planned a three-metre-high metal fence along a 150-metre stretch to restrict access to the tracks and prevent the dumping of waste.

Railway engineers accelerated the work in recent days after completing the initial survey and marking process. Officials said pits are currently being dug for the installation of foundation poles. Out of the planned 50 pits, digging work for 48 has already been completed, while foundations have been laid in 33 pits so far. Authorities confirmed that fencing work covering approximately 37 metres of the stretch has already been completed.

The slum settlements located along the eastern side of the tracks near Bandra station have existed for several decades and have gradually expanded toward the Harbour Line and Bandra Terminus. Railway officials have long struggled to address issues arising from the proximity of these settlements, including the dumping of garbage along the tracks and frequent trespassing.

Officials told Media that waste dumped along the tracks often settles beneath the concrete sleepers, weakening railway infrastructure and creating serious maintenance challenges. In the past year alone, railway authorities reportedly removed nearly 600 cubic metres of garbage and debris from the track area.

Additionally, Western Railway recently replaced several concrete sleepers damaged due to prolonged exposure to waste and moisture. The repair work reportedly cost between ₹8 crore and ₹10 crore, undertaken to ensure the longevity and safety of railway assets.

Officials said that once completed, the barricade will help prevent both garbage dumping and unauthorised entry onto the tracks, improving safety and protecting critical railway infrastructure.