Maharashtra
Mumbai: Illegal share-taxi services thrive in city
Quite a few of the woes faced by taxi users in Mumbai arise from the fact that more than a quarter of the share-taxi routes in the city are unauthorised.
Not only commuters but even taxi unions have complained about the blind eye turned by the authorities to the operation of these unauthorised services.
The services are operated even at prominent locations like CSMT, Gateway of India and Churchgate in south Mumbai using Maruti Eeco vans which are officially licensed to carry six passengers but into which are often crammed twice as many, including children.
The police, however, claim the allegations of connivance against them are false and they alert the Regional Transport Office (RTO) whenever an irregularity is spotted, especially on camera.
“Several share-taxi routes starting from CSMT, Gateway, Churchgate, Mumbai Central, Mahalaxmi and Grant Road are unauthorised,” said AL Quadros, long-time General Secretary of the Mumbai Taximen’s Union, the city’s oldest and most prominent black-and-yellow taxicab union.
Commuters also said taxi drivers openly flout rules across different so-called share-taxi routes and not only overcharge passengers but also overload the vehicles.
“Anyone can spot the stools placed in most of the share taxies plying in the city,” said Mayuresh Kamble, 32, a resident of Dadar. “On Saturday I took a share taxi from the Gateway of India to CSMT and the driver charged me Rs30.”
Mr Kamble said he was asked to sit on a stool by the driver but he refused. The driver then requested another passenger already in the vehicle to take the stool and gave Kamble a seat in the third row of the vehicle.
Thane resident Ritesh Shah, 28, who travelled from Girgaum Chowpatty to CSMT, said, “I was first offered the front seat by the driver. Then he asked me to make space for another commuter. As I was in a hurry, I complied but it was very inconvenient.”
Mr Quadros said these unauthorised routes are being operated by local goons with the help of the traffic police.
But a traffic police officer dismissed the allegation and claimed that “in the South region especially, taxi drivers mostly abide by rules”, though the illegal operators are plainly visible on the main streets of Fort, a kilometre from the police headquarters.
The officer further claimed that “in case we do find something wrong and they are caught on CCTV cameras, we intimate the RTO, who take strict action”.
An officer from the Colaba traffic division said taxi stands are sanctioned by the RTO and the BMC. “We [the traffic police] have no role to play in the taxi stand part, but if we do receive any complaints, we check on them and, if necessary, act against the offenders.”
Asked about overloading, he said, “There are times when a single officer is out there managing the scene. Sometimes one may miss out on a vehicle or two, as it is humanly impossible to check every vehicle. However, if any taxis are found overloading, challans are issued to the owners.”
The irony is that some of the routes are operated from just outside the office of Maharashtra’s Director General of Police near the Gateway and the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) at Bori Bunder.
Another taxi union leader, who did not want to be named, said these illegal share-taxi services are able to operate as they have the blessings of local politicians. He also blamed officials of the Transport Department for the rampant growth of unauthorised share-taxi routes.
“Getting approval for a new share-a-taxi route in the city is not easy,” the union leader said. “That’s why a large number of unauthorised routes have cropped up.”
Explaining the process of setting up a new share-a-taxi route, a Transport Department official said the union has to first send in a request to the RTO, which then approaches the department for consent. “If the Traffic Department does not have any objection, a joint survey is conducted. If the proposed route is found feasible from the point of view of traffic safety and commuter convenience, the RTO gives its approval and fixes the fare.”
The official also passed the buck on to commuters, saying they need to come forward and report errant drivers, though the violations happen on the main street in daylight.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Complaints related to potholes should be resolved within 24 hours, road blockages should be removed after concreting is completed: Municipal Commissioner

The water level in the dams supplying water to Mumbai has reduced. The Meteorological Department has also predicted a delayed arrival of rains. In this context, all the wells in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region should be inspected immediately and their current condition should be assessed. The silt and garbage present in the wells should be removed and cleaned. A system for recharging rainwater should be established. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide directed that in collaboration with local corporators, coordination should be established with housing societies in the area of the wells and they should be encouraged to use water from these wells. The process of cleaning drains should continue even during the monsoon. Complaints regarding potholes should be remedied within 24 hours of receipt. Bhede also directed that radars, other materials and road blocks should be removed immediately after the completion of cement concreting of roads. The monthly review meeting of various departments of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation was held today (June 11, 2026) at the Municipal Corporation Headquarters. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Vipin Sharma, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr. Avinash Dhakane, Joint Commissioner (Vigilance) Dr. M. Devendra Singh, Joint Commissioner of Police (Transport) Mr. Satyanarayan Chaudhary, Deputy Commissioner (Municipal Commissioner Office) Mr. Prashant Gaikwad were present on the occasion. Apart from this, all the Joint Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Heads of Departments were also present in this meeting.
Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that for proper management of water resources in Mumbai, it is necessary to restore traditional sources of water and use alternative sources. Due to increasing population and climate change, water management has become difficult. Latest information about all government, public and private wells and boreholes in Mumbai should be collected by the Assistant Commissioners of all administrative departments (wards). Their use should be ensured during the repair of wells. Private housing societies should take the initiative and use this water. Mrs. Bhide also said that the local corporator, administration and housing society should coordinate for this.
Necessary improvements should be made in engineering at accident-prone (black spot) places
All the concerned agencies should take special care that the traffic flow remains smooth and uninterrupted during the rainy season. Necessary planning and measures to avoid traffic congestion should be implemented in constant coordination with the traffic police. Accident prone (black spots) places should be identified and necessary engineering improvements should be made there immediately. Also, an effective action plan should be prepared to reduce the number and severity of accidents by determining priorities. It should be strictly implemented. Strict measures should be taken to prevent unauthorized parking on both sides of the roads. Public awareness and incentive activities should be implemented so that the public parking lots of the civic and residential municipal corporations are used to the maximum. A special campaign should be launched in collaboration with the traffic police and the transport department to remove abandoned and long-standing vehicles from the roads. Planned measures should be implemented according to the local situation to avoid traffic congestion around schools, hospitals and other important government institutions. Mrs. Ashwini Bhide directed that all the concerned departments should work in coordination to provide a safe, convenient and fast transport system to the citizens.
Planned and effective measures should be implemented to reduce flood points
Reviewing the river and drain cleaning works, Mrs. Ashwini Bhide said that 112 percent of the silt has been removed from major drains, 115 percent from small drains and about 84 percent from Mithi River as compared to the set targets. However, drain cleaning works are in progress at some places in Zone 5 and should be completed immediately. Assistant Commissioners of all administrative divisions should visit drains, storm water channels and flood-affected areas in their divisions and review the work regularly. The campaign to remove floating waste from drains should be continued without interruption and it should be ensured that the drain cleaning work continues continuously even during the rainy season. Planned and effective measures should be implemented in their respective departments to reduce ‘flood points’ (water accumulation areas). Effective coordination should be made with Metro, Railways and other concerned agencies to ensure that pre-monsoon preparations are completed in their areas of responsibility. Also, if new or artificial water storage areas have been created due to development works or other reasons, they should be removed immediately. Manhole covers on underground sewers and storm water channels should be thoroughly inspected and covers that are broken, loose or pose a threat to the safety of citizens should be replaced.
Maharashtra
Kankoli Police’s strange business proved murder as accidental death, Mumbai Crime Branch turns it into murder, four accused arrested, two absconding

Mumbai: The strange business of Sindhudurg Kankoli Police was to convert a five-year-old murder into an accidental death and make the deceased an accused in the charge sheet, but the Mumbai Crime Branch has revived the mystery by declaring this accidental death as murder and has also claimed to have arrested four accused.
The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested four accused, claiming to have solved the mystery of a five-year-old murder case, which the accused had succeeded in declaring as an accidental death and the police had also declared it an accident and had made the deceased an accused in the road accident. The Mumbai Crime Branch had received information that the accused who committed the murder in Sindhudurg was residing in Mumbai, after which the Crime Branch has solved the murder case after five years. The accused had killed Ashfaq Malani in Sindhudurg in 2021, after which his accomplices threw the body into the ghat and proved the murder to be an accidental death. But later, a secret information was received that some people from Mumbai had committed the murder in Sindhudurg, on this basis, the Crime Branch took action and arrested the accused. The accused were in a dispute over money. Ashfaq was taken to Omkar Deluxe Hotel in Sindhudurg by his associates and killed. After that, the body was put in an ambulance and hidden. To prove the accident, the motorcycle was also thrown into the ghat. Along with it, the mobile phone was also recovered from there. The police found the body after 22 days and the police registered an ADR. The police had also filed a charge sheet in it, but the murder was revealed after five years. The accused have also confessed to the crime during the investigation. The accused had opened a loan office and after that, they used to collect fees from people by luring them to provide loans. In this case, the police have arrested four accused, while two accused are still said to be absconding. DCP Crime Branch Detection Nonath Dhule said that the murder was committed due to a dispute over money of Rs 1.5 to 2 lakhs. All these accused used to provide loans in the name of loan apps. During the investigation of the Crime Branch, the accused have confessed to the murder. The four accused have been identified as Manoj Narayan, Surendra Chavan, Atish Bhagwan More and Shetty. All four have been arrested and handed over to the Kankoli police, while two accused Amit Raut, Manoj Bhandari are still absconding. The DCP said that to prove this case as an accident, the accused had left all the documents including the victim’s motorcycle at the scene so that there would be no doubt that this was not an accident but a murder.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Goregaon bridge quality and quality of construction in 48 hours alleged, video of asphalt being torn off goes viral on social media, opposition criticizes BMC

Mumbai: A video of the tarmac of a bridge collapsing in just 48 hours in Goregaon, Mumbai, has gone viral, raising questions about the quality of the bridge and allegations of corruption in its construction. Mumbai’s poor infrastructure has once again come under scrutiny. It has not even been 48 hours since the inauguration of the Rs 248 crore Murnilathai Flyover in Goregaon that serious questions have started being raised about its quality. The 750-metre-long flyover took eight years to complete, but the ground reality tells a different story. A special ground report revealed that the tarmac had collapsed at several places, and the construction quality is also poor. Public anger has erupted on social media and demands for accountability regarding the quality of the multi-crore project have gained momentum. BMC Mayor Ritu Tawde inaugurated the bridge two days ago, but its fort has opened in two days. Questions are being raised about the quality of work on the Mrinaltai flyover. When asked about the poor work on the Mrinaltai bridge, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawade said that the bridge has not been given the final touches, while its quality is not poor, while on the other hand, the opposition has started criticizing the ruling party regarding the work on the bridge.
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