Mumbai: 14.95 per cent hike in fares of the buses operated by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) came into operation on Saturday.

Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation on Friday approved the hike as per the formula determined by the Hakim Committee.

As a result of this hike, passengers travelling by MSRTC buses will have to pay more for their journeys. The fare increase will be applicable to all routes operated by MSRTC, which has a massive fleet of 15,000 buses. These buses transport around 55 lakh passengers daily, making it one of the largest bus networks in India.

MMRTA Approves 3% Increase In Base Fare

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) has approved a Rs 3 increase in the base fare for both auto rickshaws and black-and-yellow taxis. This means auto-rickshaw fares will rise from Rs 23 to Rs 26, while taxi base fares will increase from Rs 28 to Rs 31 1.

Additionally, the fare for blue-and-silver AC cool cabs will also see an increase of Rs 8, with the new fare for the first 1.5 kilometers being Rs 48, up from the current Rs 40.

It’s worth noting that these new rates will only be applicable once the meters in all vehicles have been recalibrated to reflect the changes.

Western Railway Initiates A Three-Day Jumbo Block

Meanwhile, the Western Railway has initiated a three-day jumbo block, which will take place on the 24th, 25th, and 26th of this month. The mega block commenced at 11 PM last night, with plans to extend until 8:30 AM each morning.

This block was taken for the construction of a bridge between Bandra and Mahim. Currently, Western Railway has resumed normal operations.

This will lead to repercussions on several long-distance trains, Train No. 20901, Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express, scheduled for January 25, 2025, will now depart at 06:15 hrs from Mumbai Central.

Similarly, Train No. 22953, Mumbai Central-Ahmedabad Gujarat Superfast Express, will be rescheduled to depart at 06:40 hrs on January 25, 2025. Train No. 12009, Mumbai Central-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express, will depart at 06:30 hrs from Mumbai Central on the same date. Additionally, Train No. 09052, Bhusaval-Dadar Special, will short terminate at Borivali and remain partially cancelled between Borivali and Dadar on January 25, 2025, according to Western Railway social media platform X updates.

Mumbai: The much-awaited Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF) is back for its 25th edition, transforming Mumbai into a vibrant hub of culture and creativity. From January 25 to February 2, 2025, the festival will bring together artists, performers, and audiences in a grand celebration of artistic diversity and heritage.

With the theme ‘Silver’, this year promises a dazzling lineup of events, performances, and installations. “For 25 years, KGAF has brought out the best of Mumbai’s creative spirit, giving all kinds of artists and art forms the platform and freedom to express, engage and inspire,” said Festival Director Brinda Miller.

An unparalleled lineup of events

This year’s festival will feature over 300 programs across 15 categories, hosted at more than 25 venues. From visual arts to theatre, literature, music, dance, and even stand-up comedy, there’s something for everyone. The district will come alive with heritage walks, children’s activities, food events, and much more.

The opening event, Silver Sitaare Fusion, will be a spectacular showcase of 25 distinct dance styles, performed by 55 celebrated artists. Additionally, renowned composer Shantanu Moitra will unveil the KGAF Anthem, marking a special tribute to the festival’s incredible journey.

What are the highlights of the 2025 Edition?

Art lovers can expect a plethora of unforgettable experiences this year:

Literature Enthusiasts: Dive into thought-provoking sessions featuring Devdutt Pattanaik, Gurcharan Das, and Jerry Pinto. Topics will range from mythology to modern queer narratives.

Culinary Delights: Foodies will love the Chefs of Kala Ghoda series, showcasing creative culinary experiences.

Dance and Theatre: Be mesmerized by performances from Aditi Mangaldas, Padmashri Narthaki Nataraj, and Prachee Shah Pandya, or enjoy plays by legends like Makarand Deshpande, Juhi Babbar, and Aakarsh Khurana.

Tributes: A special screening of The Hundred-Foot Journey will honor Om Puri, followed by a conversation with his family and friends.

Interactive Fun: Join a lively session of Kvizzing with the Comedians, featuring Shreeja Chaturvedi and Kumar Varun.

The festival will be hosted across iconic venues like the David Sassoon Library, Elphinstone College, Asiatic Library Steps, and Afghan Church, to name a few. Entry to the festival is free, but registration is required through Paytm Insider.

25 years of art and creativity

Launched in 1999 by the Kala Ghoda Association, KGAF has grown from a local street arts initiative to Asia’s largest multicultural festival. The funds raised each year contribute to the restoration of heritage sites in Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda district.

Bringing together heritage, contemporary art, and a global audience, the festival stands as a testament to Mumbai’s artistic pulse. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a heritage lover, or simply curious, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2025 offers an unforgettable experience.

Mumbai: Political leader Waris Pathan has expressed doubts over the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan. He recently shared a video statement, urging the Mumbai Police officials as well as the actor’s family to address the public’s concerns. Ever since Saif got discharged from Lilavati Hospital, netizens raised doubts about his swift recovery, calling it ‘too good to be true.’

It has been nine days since the attack, however, several questions of public, concerning security measures and the attacker, remain unanswered.

Amid this, Waris Pathan shared a video statement, demanding clarity on the horrifying incident and urging transparency in the investigation from Mumbai Police.

‘Saif Ali Khan Hospital Se Haste Khelte Bahar Aa Raha Hai’

“We condemn attack on Saif Ali Khan. In a city like Mumbai, in a place like Bandra, a man climbs 12 floors and enters his house. He attacks him with a knife. He goes to the hospital. Saif Ali Khan gets his treatment done there. The doctor says that he took out a 2.5-inch knife. And the police posted a photo a few days ago that a man was coming down the stairs. This could be the attacker. And then the police arrested someone… Later, people started asking questions on social media. First of all, how did someone climb 12 floors? And the photos that people were showing, they said that these are completely different photos,” he is heard saying in the video.

“Secondly, Saif went to the hospital…he was treated in Lilavati. And if such a major operation was done by a doctor, and he took out a 2.5-inch knife. Post such a major surgery, he comes out walking joyfully from the hospital after 3-4 days (haste khelte bahar aa raha hai)..good we want him recover soon. But a lot of things are coming to people’s minds. They are asking me if there’s something being hidden. Why isn’t the police telling us what it is? We would like the police to come forward and say what the reality is. What happened that night? Police should clarify that. The family should clarify what happened. Why did this happen? Why did Saif go to the hospital in an auto? We will pray for his health. He should get well soon. But there are a lot of things that people want to know,” he added.

On a concluding note, he mentioned in the video, “People have the right to know. He is a film star. He was attacked in a city like Mumbai. So we would like the police and the administration to come forward and tell the people the whole truth so that all the doubts that are arising in people’s minds can be stopped.”

The investigation

The Bandra police produced the accused, Shariful Islam, 30, in the metropolitan magistrate court on Friday (January 24). Meanwhile, the court extended his custody till January 29.

Investigating Officer (IO) Ajay Lingurkar told the court that they recovered the weapon but still need to investigate where and from whom the accused bought it. The officer added that Shariful’s facial recognition process needs to be conducted, and the shoes worn by him on the day of the incident need to be recovered and matched with his size. Additionally, they need to investigate his other associates. The officer further stated that the accused has been evading questions and not cooperating with the investigation.

Saif was attacked in the wee hours of January 16 at his Bandra apartment.