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Mumbai: ‘Mahayuti In 2024 & Kamal Ki Sarkar In 2029 Should Be Our Aim,’ Says Union Home Minister Amit Shah

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Mumbai: 'Mahayuti In 2024 & Kamal Ki Sarkar In 2029 Should Be Our Aim,' Says Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Mumbai: Sensing unrest at many levels within the current Mahayuti ruling alliance in Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked BJP leaders and workers to resolve internal differences ahead of the assembly elections. This is Shah’s third visit to the state in a fortnight. On Tuesday, he met Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and the party’s Mumbai unit head Ashish Shelar at the meeting in Dadar. He is also said to have held seat-sharing meetings with the alliance partners, Shiv Sena and NCP.

Aim For 2024 & 2029

Promising a “pure government”, Shah said the BJP will take centrestage in Maharashtra by 2029, but this year the focus is on Mahayuti.

“Mahayuti in 2024 and Kamal Ki Sarkar in 2029 is what we should aim for,” said Shah, asking party workers to sort out every possible difference.

Shah added, “Why should we be disheartened? Narendra Modi has formed the government thrice in the last 60 years. We are in power, having won the elections; how can Rahul Gandhi claim victory?” He also promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Maharashtra when in power again.

“If UCC is introduced, Maharashtra will become the third state in the country to do so. This indicates the BJP’s commitment to a uniform legal framework across communities,” he said.

Maharashtra NCP-SP President Jayant Patil Criticises Home Minister Amit Shah Over His Frequent Visits

Criticising Shah over his frequent visits, NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil said that the BJP has become very weak.

“Instead of going to Haryana and Jammu Kashmir where assembly elections are underway, he is in Mumbai,” Patil said, also claiming that BJP workers are not ready to campaign for their alliance partners.

NCP-SP Launches ‘Hakka Magtoy Maharashtra’ Campaign

Meanwhile, NCP (SP) launched ‘Hakka Magtoy Maharashtra’ (Maharashtra is seeking its right) campaign against the Mahayuti alliance. The party also released a song and a video advertisement to show how the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state, crime against women is allegedly peaking, and farmers and youths are not getting their dues.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra Tops In Millionaire Growth With 1.78 Lakh Wealthy Households

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Mumbai: The number of millionaire households in Maharashtra has grown by 194% to 1.78 lakhs in the last four years, which is the highest in the country. According to a latest wealth report, Mumbai alone hosts 1.42 lakh millionaire households with Maharashtra being the preferred investment destination for 43% of Indian millionaires.

India now has 8.71 lakh millionaire households, families with a net worth of at least 8.5Cr, increasing by 90% from 4.58 lakh in 2021, revealed the ‘Mercedes Benz-Hurun India Wealth Report 2025’ launched on Thursday. The report states that the number of such millionaire families have grown by 445% from 2017 whereas only 0.01% became billionaires. However, these households comprise only 0.31% of the total households in India, highlighting the growing wealth disparity in the country.

Notably, the report revealed that Maharashtra leads the country in terms of millionaire households, 1.78 lakh, recording a 194% growth since 2021. Mumbai, the country’s financial capital, alone hosts 1.42 lakh millionaire families, which is again the highest in the country, followed by 68,200 in New Delhi. The report stated that the economic expansion of Maharashtra, which is home to 471 individuals featured in the ‘Hurun India Rich List 2024’, is underpinned by a 55% increase in its gross state domestic product (GSDP) between 2020-21 and 2023-24, crossing Rs40 lakh crore. Similarly, Mumbai accounts for 80% of the state’s total wealth, backed by 55% GSDP growth.

Maharashtra stood out as the most preferred investment destination in India for millionaires, with 43% of them choosing it over Gujarat, Karnataka and Delhi NCR, revealed the ‘Mercedes-Benz Hurun India Luxury Consumer Survey 2025’, also launched on Thursday. The survey revealed that stocks, real estate, and gold remain the top asset choices for millionaires with 51% expecting Indian real estate to grow in the next two years, while 38% believe it will remain stable.

Anas Rahman Junaid, founder and chief researcher at Hurun India, said, “I am struck by the extraordinary upward mobility we’re witnessing in India. This democratisation of prosperity speaks to the resilience of our economy, with opportunity spreading to millions of new wealth creators. We project India’s millionaires could double to around 1.7 to 2 million households in the next decade. Powered by our young demographic, technology and entrepreneurial spirit, India is poised to become the world’s fastest-growing wealth hub, gradually closing the gap with the leading economies.

Santosh Iyer, MD and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, highlighted that the millionaires are also quickly shifting towards luxury electric vehicles (EVs) in comparison to the overall shift in general EVs. He stated that while the overall shift to EV is around 4%, luxury car owners record an 11% shift. “India’s growth story underscores the resilience and transformation of the economy, driven by a burgeoning domestic market and soaring aspiration of today’s young generation. Mercedes-Benz remains a symbol of social prestige, financial affluence and unmatched desirability,” he added.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai News: Central Railway’s Sector-Wise Local Train Proposal Sparks Outrage Among Commuters; Officials Call It ‘Impractical’

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Mumbai: A controversial proposal by the Central Railway’s (CR) Mumbai division to overhaul the suburban railway system by segregating it into sector-wise corridors—akin to metro train operations—has ignited widespread backlash from commuters and railway officials alike.

Originally presented to the Railway Minister last year, the proposal aims to increase suburban train frequency to one every three minutes during peak hours by dividing the existing network into eight operational corridors.

These would include routes such as CSMT-Thane (slow), Thane-Kalyan (slow), Kalyan-Kasara (slow), CSMT-Kalyan (fast), CSMT-Panvel (slow), Belapur-Uran (slow), and Thane-Nerul/Vashi (slow), among others.

Although the presentation claims that this move could transform Mumbai’s local train operations, a fierce debate has erupted over the practicality of the leaked proposal.

“This proposal is unadulterated absurdity. The person who prepared it has no idea about Mumbai and has clearly never used the Mumbai suburban network as a means of transport for work,” said former General Manager of Central Railway, Subodh Jain

According to a senior CR official, who declined to be named, “The plan may look good on paper, but in reality, it’s completely impractical. It would involve mass transhipment of passengers at busy junctions like Thane and Kalyan—already under tremendous pressure.”

“Catching one train itself is a big hassle—now imagine the inconvenience of changing 3 to 4 trains in a single journey and the extra time lost at each station,” said a senior Central Railway officer.

“The crowding at transhipment stations will be unimaginable. Passengers who manage to get a seat in the first train will likely lose it in the connecting train, as those already standing will rush to board first.”

The elaborate plan (FPJ has a copy) involves running services sector-wise — with the first sector operating only between CSMT and Thane on the slow line, the second sector covering CSMT to Kalyan on the fast line, and the third sector managing operations between Thane and Kalyan on the slow corridor, as well as Kalyan to Kasara and Kalyan to Karjat.

While the presentation made by the Mumbai Division under the leadership of the then Divisional Railway Manager, Rajnish Goyal, claims that sector-wise operations could boost efficiency and frequency, even internal voices remain skeptical.

The concerns are not just logistical but also practical—crowding at transhipment points, loss of seating priority, added travel time, and passenger confusion could worsen the already strained infrastructure.

Sources within CR have hinted that the proposal may have been “deliberately leaked” this week, rekindling both internal debates and public scrutiny.

Passengers, who form the backbone of Mumbai’s lifeline, expressed their frustration across social media platforms and in interviews.

Jayant Sathe, a daily commuter from Kalyan, remarked, “Whoever designed this plan clearly doesn’t understand Mumbai’s suburban travel. Changing trains at Thane after boarding from Badlapur? That’s completely unrealistic.”

The proposal has also drawn sharp criticism online. Devesh Tiwari posted on X (formerly Twitter), “This is a stupid plan. It will create horrible bottlenecks at terminal stations. Why can’t CR reduce headway to 120 or 90 seconds during peak hours? It’s simple tech, but there’s zero willpower to implement it.”

Another internet User @warrenbhai added posted on X “Changing and crossing FOBs will be a nightmare. A lot of us catch up on sleep during the long travel. That won’t be possible anymore.”

Another commuter, Kumar Saket, called the proposal the “joke of the month,” while Bharat Soni criticized what he termed the “Reel Minister” for making hollow promises, stating:

“What’s new in promising 3-min frequency? WR already does that. CR used to run locals every 5 minutes up to Kalyan. Try giving us 15-min services up to Kasara and Karjat—that would be actual progress.”

@smartkalyan7 posted on X “Instead of this jumlabazi, build a new line between Kalyan and Borivali. Thousands waste time commuting to the western suburbs via Dadar.”

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Floral Tribute Paid To Late Meenatai Thackeray At Dadar’s Shivaji Park; Security Measures Reviewed

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Mumbai: A floral tribute was offered today at the statue of late Meenatai Thackeray at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park, followed by an inspection of the site.

Speaking on the occasion, leaders said that the affection Shiv Sainiks hold for late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray is equally deep for late Meenatai Thackeray, who had left behind a legacy of warmth and family values.

Strongly condemning the recent act of vandalism against the statue, they emphasized that such incidents, motivated by personal malice, will not be tolerated. The accused has already been arrested, and police interrogation is underway.

Authorities also reviewed the security arrangements around the statue and Shivaji Park. It was announced that immediate measures would be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future. Necessary funds have been approved for enhanced security, and as per the directives of Shiv Sena chief leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, additional resources will be provided.

The statue of Meenatai Thackeray at Shivaji Park, along with another at Khed, were installed under the initiative of senior Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam, creating an emotional bond with Shiv Sainiks since their childhood.

Former corporator Samadhan Sarvankar, DCP Zone-5 Mahendra Pandit, and other police officials were present during the visit.

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