Mumbai: Mumbai experienced a crisp and pleasantly cool start to Tuesday as clear skies, light winds and mild winter-like temperatures provided a refreshing break from the city’s usual warm, humid climate. Early morning brought a noticeable chill in the air, giving residents a brief taste of seasonal comfort rarely felt in November. However, the welcome weather was partially overshadowed by a thin layer of smog hanging over the skyline.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Tuesday is expected to remain clear and moderately warm, with daytime temperatures forecast to peak at around 33°C. Night and pre-dawn temperatures may fall to nearly 19°C, continuing the mild winter-style pattern seen early in the morning. Despite the pleasant conditions, low visibility was reported in multiple parts of the city as haze persisted through early hours, muting what could have been an ideal seasonal morning.

The uptick in pollution levels comes shortly after intense rainfall had temporarily cleansed the atmosphere, flushing out dust and suspended particulate matter. For a short window, air quality and visibility markedly improved, prompting relief among residents. But as rain activity ceased, harmful pollutants rapidly began to accumulate again, reversing the gains and pushing Mumbai back into unhealthy air territory.

On Monday morning, Mumbai recorded an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 274, placing it in the ‘unhealthy’ category and marking a major deterioration from the moderate levels seen earlier this month.

Several locations reported highly concerning numbers, particularly the Wadala Truck Terminal, which recorded an AQI of 406, falling into the hazardous range. Chembur (325) and Mazgaon (321) also showed severe pollution levels, with Malad (315) and Colaba (315) following close behind.

Suburban pockets recorded relatively better but still unsatisfactory readings. Kandivali East stood at 173 and Mankhurd at 197, both in the poor category, while Borivali East (207), Jogeshwari (207) and Bhandup West (217) registered unhealthy levels, reflecting city-wide impact.

According to established AQI standards, values between 0–50 are categorised as Good, 51–100 Moderate, 101–150 Poor, 151–200 Unhealthy, and readings beyond 200 fall into Severe or Hazardous categories.

Kalyan: In a major pre-election crackdown, the Kalyan Crime Branch has arrested a habitual offender involved in the sale of illegal firearms and sharp weapons. The operation, executed with precision amid heightened security concerns during the election season, has exposed a troubling link between criminal activities and suspected political backing.

According to officials, the Crime Branch arrested Roshan Jha, a repeat offender with multiple criminal cases registered in Ulhasnagar. Acting on specific intelligence received by Assistant Police Sub-Inspector Dattaram Bhosale, officers were alerted that a man was attempting to sell country-made pistols and other dangerous weapons in the Dombivli area.

Following the tip-off, a team led by Police Officer Sarjerao Patil laid a strategic trap at Gokuldham Tower in Desale Pada, Dombivli (East), where the accused was believed to be residing. Upon raiding his residence, police recovered a significant cache of weapons.

Weapons Recovered During Raid
The seized items include:

Three country-made pistols

Three live cartridges

Two magazines

One dagger

Two knives

Two swords

Officials confirmed that Jha was taken into custody immediately after the recovery. Preliminary investigations reveal that he has seven serious cases registered across multiple police stations in Ulhasnagar, further reinforcing his reputation as a hardened criminal.

What has raised additional concern is emerging information suggesting the accused may have been receiving political patronage. Sources indicate that certain local political figures could be providing protection to Jha a possibility police have not ruled out. Senior officers have initiated a detailed probe to determine the extent of any political involvement.

The Crime Branch is now intensifying its investigation to trace the source of the arms and identify prospective buyers. Key questions under scrutiny include whether the weapons were intended to influence or disrupt the upcoming elections.

A senior officer stated that the crackdown is part of a broader effort to maintain law and order during the election period. “We will not hesitate to act against anyone involved, irrespective of their political connections,” the official said.

Mumbai: Mahanagar Gas Limited’s (MGL) on November 17 informed that the gas supply restoration is expected by noon tomorrow i.e. November 18 as the rectification work is in progress. This statement by the Mahanagar Gas came after the Gas supply across parts of Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai on Sunday was disrupted.

The disruption came after third-party damage to GAIL’s main gas pipeline inside the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) compound affected the flow of gas to Mahanagar Gas Limited’s (MGL) City Gate Station (CGS) at Wadala.

The MGL also informed that out of the total 389 CNG stations, 225 CNG stations are operating.

After Sunday, the city woke up to severe commute disruption on Monday too due to widespread CNG supply shortage left several fuel pumps across the city non-operational or functioning with limited output.

The unexpected outage resulted in a sharp drop in the availability of autos, kaali-peeli taxis and app-based cabs, pushing commuters into long waits, inflated fares and overcrowded public-transport alternatives like trains and metros during peak office and school hours.  

Mumbai has 130 to 140 CNG pumps, including MGL’s own facilities.

Many CNG pumps in the city have been non-functional since morning due to low gas supply pressure, Petrol Dealers Association (Mumbai) president Chetan Modi told Media. He said when he spoke to MGL officials some time back, he was informed that work for the resumption of normal CNG supply was going on a war footing and might take the whole day for full restoration of the damaged pipeline at RCF.

Anil Garg, leader of a school bus operator’s body, also said their operations were hit due to the CNG shortage. “Many school buses in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region are facing problems in getting CNG,” Garg said, adding that they have been forced to combine the school bus routes.