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Maharashtra

Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Customs Department sign MoU for conservation and restoration of Mahim Fort

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The vision of the conservation and restoration of the Mumbai Mahim Fort is to revive its historical beauty. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that it is a matter of pride and honour that the Municipal Corporation is preserving this fort. An MoU was signed between the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and the Customs Department today (June 18, 2026) at the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Headquarters for the conservation and restoration work of Mahim Fort, which has been declared a State Protected Monument.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi, Principal Commissioner of Customs Department Shri Ajay Kumar Pandey, Additional Commissioner of Customs Department Nitin Tagde, Vikram Phadke, Deputy Commissioner (Commissioner Office) of Mumbai Municipal Corporation Prashant Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner (South Zone) Prashant Gaikwad, Assistant Commissioner (South Zone) Prashant Gaikwad were also present on the occasion. Yogesh Desai, Advisor on Conservation of Ancient Heritage Vikas Dilawari, Dr. K. K. Sangle, Head of the Department of Structural Engineering, Virmata Jijabai Institute of Technology, etc. were present on the occasion.

As per the directions of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, the conservation and preservation of ancient structures in Mumbai is being done under the guidance of Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi. On this basis, the Municipal Corporation has taken the initiative to conserve and revive the Mahim Fort.

Under this agreement, the dilapidated structure of Mahim Fort will be strengthened and reconstructed. The historical well present in the fort area will be searched and excavated. A pedestrian path will be made all around the interior of the fort. In addition, a protective wall will also be constructed to protect the foundation of the fort. Rs 20 crore has also been allocated for this. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that the Municipal Corporation’s G (North) Department has removed the encroachments on the Mahim Fort and rehabilitated the local residents. So now help will be given to restore the glory of this fort. Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi said that the Municipal Corporation has made great efforts to remove the encroachments on the Mahim Fort, which is a historical and ancient heritage, and to preserve it. Now the administration is planning to develop this fort as a tourist destination.

Principal Commissioner of the Customs Department Ajay Kumar Pandey said that apart from being a historical heritage, Mahim Fort is known as the customs station of the Customs Department. The conservation and restoration work undertaken by the Municipal Corporation will make this fort famous. Also, this fort will develop as a tourist destination for Mumbaikars. Mahim is an ancient fort and the descendants of Raja Bimbadev built this fort around the 12th and 13th centuries. Mahim was the main centre of power among the seven islands of Mumbai and this fort is a symbol of that glorious history. The Maharashtra government declared Mahim Fort as a state protected monument in 1975. The total area of ​​the fort is about 3,796.02 sq m. Currently, the fort is under the jurisdiction of the Customs Department. The existing structure of Mahim Fort was encroached upon in the form of slums. After surveying the entire area, proper documents were verified and 275 slums have been rehabilitated in flats available for project victims in Kurla and Malad. However, the restoration of a religious structure is underway.
The restoration and conservation work of the fort is proposed to be carried out under the guidance of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s G (North) Division Office, Customs Department, Advisor on Conservation of Ancient Cultural Heritage Vikas Dilawari and Dr. Sangal K. Jijabai, Head of the Structural Engineering Department of Veermata.

Maharashtra

BEST bus driver injured after head-on collision with private travel bus in Mumbai

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Mumbai, Sep 20: A BEST bus operating on Route 496 collided head-on with a private travel bus in Mumbai Mulund West early on Sunday, leaving its driver injured and triggering a minor fire in the vehicle.

The incident took place at around 5.50 a.m. in Mulund West, where ongoing Metro construction work on LBS Marg had restricted traffic movement to a single lane.

The BEST bus was travelling from SEEPZ towards Teen Hath Naka in Thane when it was involved in a collision with an oncoming private travel bus.

The impact of the head-on collision caused the steering wheel of the BEST bus to strike the abdomen of its driver, identified as 40-year-old Sandeep Namdev Karande.

He sustained injuries to his abdomen and right leg and also suffered heavy bleeding following the collision.

Soon after the impact, a minor fire broke out in the bonnet of the BEST bus, creating an additional emergency at the spot.

The conductor of the bus immediately responded by using the fire extinguisher available onboard and managed to douse the flames.

Following the accident, the conductor immediately arranged for the injured driver to receive medical attention, and Karande was rushed to the Agarwal Hospital in Mulund.

Authorities said that Karande was conscious and in a stable condition after being admitted to the hospital.

He was being treated for the injuries sustained in the collision.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, three people were killed, and another was critically injured in a serious accident involving a high-end car on the Mumbai Coastal Road early on Sunday, officials said.

According to information received from the Coastal Road Control Room, the accident occurred at around 5.20 a.m. near Lotus Jetty, opposite Lala College.

The car was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle, reportedly due to overspeeding.

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Maharashtra

8-year-old among two electrocuted to death near Ganpati Pandal in Mumbai Lalbaug

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Mumbai, Sep 20: A tragic incident marred the Ganesh festival celebrations in Mumbai Lalbaug area after an electric shock near the pandal left two people dead and four others injured early on Sunday, officials said.

An 8-year-old girl died in the incident, while four others sustained serious injuries. A second death was reported later, when officials said a woman at Global Hospital had also succumbed to her injuries.

According to preliminary information from the fire brigade, the incident occurred at around 2 a.m. on Sunday when devotees were present near the pandal.

Two boys and three girls, aged between 8 and 20, reportedly came into contact with the electrical current and suffered burn injuries.

Following the incident, all five victims were rushed to Masina Hospital in Byculla for treatment. Doctors declared the 8-year-old girl Raghni Ghanshyam Yadav dead upon arrival.

Kiran Akbar Naik, 19, Tanvi Narsh Hande, 19, Sahil Sandip Tare, 19, and Ruhi Singh, 12, were undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the incident.

Meanwhile, a second victim, a woman who was admitted to Global Hospital in Parel, later succumbed to her injuries. Her identity was yet to be ascertained.

Among the injured, one girl was reportedly in critical condition and was shifted to Global Hospital in Parel for further treatment. The remaining three injured victims are undergoing treatment at Masina Hospital and have been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), where their condition remains serious.

The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the festive celebrations in the Kalachowki area.

Further details on the circumstances that led to the electrical current spreading are awaited.

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Maharashtra

Three killed after high-end car crashes on Mumbai Coastal Road

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Mumbai, Sep 20: Three people were killed, and another was critically injured in a serious accident involving a high-end car on the Mumbai Coastal Road early on Sunday, officials said.

According to information received from the Coastal Road Control Room, the accident occurred at around 5.20 a.m. near Lotus Jetty, opposite Lala College.

The car was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle, reportedly due to overspeeding.

Following the accident, all four occupants of the car were rushed to Nair Hospital, where emergency medical teams assessed their condition.

According to an update issued by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Nair Hospital at around 8.40 a.m., three of the occupants were declared brought dead by doctors.

Among those who died were a 21-year-old and a 17-year-old, while the identity and other details of the deceased were yet to be ascertained.

The fourth occupant, a 20-year-old male, sustained serious injuries in the accident and was admitted to the trauma ward of Nair Hospital. His condition was reported to be critical, according to the hospital authorities.

Further details regarding the identities of the deceased and the exact circumstances of the accident are awaited.

Police are investigating the case.

On September 3, several people were booked after Mumbai Police took cognisance of a viral video showing luxury and high-performance cars speeding and racing dangerously inside the Marine Drive-Southbound Coastal Road tunnel.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, three people were critically injured after a speeding off-road SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) hit them near PKC Hospital in Vashi, Navi Mumbai.

The driver fled the spot after the crash instead of helping the injured.

The accused was booked under relevant sections; however, he was not arrested. Police issued him a notice under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and subsequently released him.

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