National News
PM Modi to visit Maharashtra on Oct 8-9, inaugurate Navi Mumbai airport, host UK PM
Mumbai, Oct 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Maharashtra for two days, from October 8 to 9. During this time, he will inaugurate Navi Mumbai International Airport, launch and dedicate various projects in Mumbai, and host UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The Prime Minister will reach Navi Mumbai on Wednesday, and at around 3 p.m., will undertake a walkthrough of the newly built Navi Mumbai International Airport. Thereafter, at around 3.30 p.m., he will inaugurate Navi Mumbai International Airport and also launch and dedicate various projects in Mumbai. He will also address the gathering on the occasion.
PM Modi, on October 9, will host the UK Prime Minister in Mumbai. At around 1.40 p.m., the Prime Ministers of both countries will attend the CEO Forum at Jio World Centre, Mumbai. Thereafter, at around 2.45 p.m., both of them will attend the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest. They will also deliver keynote addresses at the Fest.
Phase 1 of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), which will be inaugurated by PM Modi, has been built at a cost of around Rs 19,650 crore in line with his vision of transforming India into a global aviation hub.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is India’s largest Greenfield airport project, developed under a Public–Private Partnership (PPP). As the second international airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, NMIA will work in tandem with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to ease congestion and elevate Mumbai into the league of global multi-airport systems. The airport, designed to be among the most efficient in the world with 1160 Ha area, will eventually handle 90 million passengers annually (MPPA) and 3.25 million metric tonnes of cargo.
Among its unique offerings is an Automated People Mover (APM), a transit system planned to connect all four passenger terminals for smooth inter-terminal transfers, as well as a landside APM linking the city-side infrastructure. In line with sustainable practices, the airport will feature dedicated storage for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), solar power generation of approximately 47 MW, and EV bus services for public connectivity across the city. NMIA will also be the first airport in the country to be connected by Water Taxi.
PM Modi will inaugurate Phase 2B of the Mumbai Metro Line-3, stretching from Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade, constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs 12,200 crore. With this, he will dedicate the entire Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) — to the nation, built at a total cost of over Rs 37,270 crore, marking a major milestone in the city’s urban transport transformation. As Mumbai’s first and only fully underground metro line, this project is set to redefine commuting across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), offering a faster, more efficient, and modern transit solution for millions of residents. The Mumbai Metro Line–3, spanning 33.5 km from Cuffe Parade to Aarey JVLR with 27 stations, will cater to 13 lakh passengers daily.
The final Phase 2B of the project will provide seamless connectivity to South Mumbai’s heritage and cultural districts, such as Fort, Kala Ghoda, and Marine Drive, along with direct access to key administrative and financial hubs, including the Bombay High Court, Mantralaya, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), and Nariman Point. The Metro Line-3 has been designed to ensure efficient integration with other modes of transport, including railways, airports, other metro lines, and monorail services, thereby enhancing last-mile connectivity and reducing congestion across the metropolitan region.
PM Modi will also launch ‘Mumbai One’ – Integrated Common Mobility App for 11 Public transport Operators (PTO) across Metro, Monorail, Suburban railways and Bus PTOs. These include Mumbai Metro Line 2A & 7, Mumbai Metro Line 3, Mumbai Metro Line 1, Mumbai Monorail, Navi Mumbai Metro, Mumbai Suburban Railway, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), Thane Municipal Transport, Mira Bhayander Municipal Transport, Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Transport and Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport.
Mumbai One App offers commuters a range of benefits, including integrated mobile ticketing across multiple Public Transport Operators, elimination of queueing by promoting digital transactions, and seamless multimodal connectivity through a single dynamic ticket for trips involving multiple transport modes. It also provides real-time journey updates on delays, alternative routes, and estimated arrival times, along with map-based information on nearby stations, attractions, and points of interest, and an SOS feature to ensure commuter safety. Together, these features enhance convenience, efficiency, and security, transforming the public transportation experience across Mumbai.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Short-Term Employability Program (STEP), a pioneering initiative by the Department of Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation in Maharashtra. The programme will be rolled out across 400 Government ITIs and 150 Government Technical High Schools, marking a major step in aligning skill development with industry requirements to enhance employability. STEP will establish 2,500 new training batches, including 364 exclusive batches for women and 408 batches in emerging technology courses such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Electric Vehicles (EV), Solar, and Additive Manufacturing.
On October 9, PM Modi will host UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. This will be Starmer’s first official visit to India.
During the visit, the two Prime Ministers will take stock of progress in diverse aspects of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in line with ‘Vision 2035’, a focussed and time bound 10-year roadmap of programmes and initiatives in key pillars of trade and investment, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate and energy, health, education and people to people relations.
Both leaders will engage with businesses and industry leaders on opportunities presented by the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a central pillar of the future India-UK economic partnership. They will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance. The leaders will also engage with industry experts, policymakers and innovators.
Prime Minister Modi and UK PM Starmer will also participate in the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest at Jio World Centre, Mumbai and deliver keynote addresses on the occasion.
Global Fintech Fest 2025 will bring together innovators, policymakers, central bankers, regulators, investors, academicians, and industry leaders from around the world. The conference’s central theme, ‘Empowering Finance for a Better World’ – Powered by AI, Augmented Intelligence, Innovation, and Inclusion, highlights the convergence of technology and human insight in shaping an ethical and sustainable financial future.
This year’s edition is expected to attract a footfall of over 1,00,000 participants from more than 75 countries, making it one of the world’s largest fintech gatherings. The event will feature participation from around 7,500 companies, 800 speakers, 400 exhibitors, and 70 regulators representing both Indian and international jurisdictions.
Among the participating international institutions are renowned regulators such as the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Deutsche Bundesbank of Germany, Banque de France, and the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). Their participation underscores GFF’s growing stature as a global forum for financial policy dialogue and cooperation.
National News
‘I should have learnt Tamil in my childhood’: PM Modi in Coimbatore

Chennai, Nov 19: Striking an emotional chord with farmers present at the CODISSIA grounds in Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that he should have learnt Tamil in his childhood.
“Farmer leader P. R. Pandian’s speech was excellent because it was in Tamil. I could not understand it fully. I felt I should have learnt Tamil in my childhood,” the Prime Minister said, drawing applause from the farmers.
PM Modi added that he had requested Governor R. N. Ravi to provide a translation of the speech in English or Hindi.
Speaking at the inauguration of the three-day summit, PM Modi underlined the Centre’s commitment to supporting farmers and strengthening natural farming practices across the country.
He announced that the latest instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme had been released from the very platform of the event.
“Today, we have disbursed Rs 18,000 crore directly into the bank accounts of farmers across India. Under this scheme, more than Rs 4 lakh crore has already been transferred directly to farmers so far,” he said.
The Prime Minister also praised Coimbatore’s evolving identity.
“Coimbatore, long proud of its textile industry, has today become proud for another reason – its leadership in natural farming,” he said.
He acknowledged former MP and BJP national vice president C.P. Radhakrishnan for “guiding and inspiring the movement”, noting that the city was emerging as a vibrant centre for sustainable agricultural practices.
Earlier, PM Modi visited the organic farming pavilions set up at the venue. He interacted with farmers, reviewed a range of natural farming products, and explored stalls displaying innovations in the organic sector.
The Prime Minister said the diversity he saw at the summit, from engineers and ISRO scientists to start-up entrepreneurs and farmers, was a powerful reflection of India’s agricultural transformation.
“Had I not come here today, I would have missed a great deal,” he said.
The Prime Minister highlighted the rapid expansion of the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, noting that farmers had availed benefits worth Rs 10,000 crore this year alone.
Livestock rearers and fishermen, he said, had also made substantial gains after being included under the KCC framework.
The reduction of GST on organic fertilisers has delivered further benefits to cultivators.
Touching upon Tamil Nadu’s traditions, PM Modi said, “For Lord Murugan, Tamil Nadu prepares honey, thinai and special powders. Our government is working to ensure that the finest millet-based foods from Tamil Nadu reach global markets.”
The South India Organic Farmers’ Summit will continue for the next two days, featuring technical sessions, exhibitions, and interactions among farmers, scientists and agri-innovators.
National News
Maharashtra SEC Tells Bombay High Court That VVPAT Not Mandatory For Local Body Polls and Not Technically Feasible

Nagpur: The Maharashtra State Election Commission on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that the use of VVPAT machines was not mandatory for local body polls, and it was also not technically feasible.
The commission filed an affidavit opposing a petition filed by Congress leader Prafulla Gudadhe before the Nagpur bench of the high court, challenging its decision to not use VVPAT in the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra.
Gudadhe in his plea said the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system was essential for a transparent election process.
During the hearing on Wednesday, a bench headed by Justice Anil Kilor sought to know the reason for not using VVPAT machines especially when a Supreme Court judgment said the use of VVPAT was a must.
The commission’s lawyer told the court that the SC judgment applied only to the general elections, and not local body polls.
VVPAT machines were not used during the 2017 municipal polls too, he pointed out.
The commission in its affidavit said local body Acts which govern municipal elections do not mandate the use of VVPAT.
There are also issues of technical feasibility of designing and manufacturing a VVPAT machine which can be used for multi-member and multi-post EVMs, it said.
The Parliamentary and Assembly elections are single-member, single-post elections where only one candidate is chosen by a voter, and the EVMs used by the Election Commission are specifically designed for that purpose, the affidavit said.
Village Panchayats, Municipal Councils and Municipal Corporations are multi-member, multi-post constituencies, it added.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing on Thursday.
The first round of local body elections in Maharashtra will be held on December 2.
In his petition filed through advocates Pawan Dahat and Nihal Singh Rathod, Gudadhe said if the SEC was not going to use the VVPAT, the polls should be held using ballot papers. VVPAT is an independent system attached to an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), allowing voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended.
The petition urged the HC to direct the SEC to hold the upcoming local body polls through ballot papers or quash the commission’s decision to not use VVPAT machines.
He also sought the court to restrain the SEC from using EVMs without VVPAT machines in any election.
The right to vote is a fundamental right and every citizen has the right to know if his or her vote has been rightly cast, the plea said.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Massive Fire Breaks Out At Kurla’s LIG Colony Due To Gas Pipeline Burst

Mumbai: A massive fire broke out on November 19 in Kurla West near the Mubarak Complex at LIG Colony, reportedly triggered by a gas pipeline burst. Videos circulating on social media captured thick black smoke coming into the air as flames spread rapidly.
According to the visuals, the blaze was seen in the shop located on the ground floor of a residential building and firefighting officials were present at the spot trying to douse the fire. Several residential buildings are seen in the lane where the fire took place, bringing in security concern for residents.
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