Connect with us
Saturday,18-October-2025
Breaking News

Maharashtra

Prayers on lips, devotion in hearts, Maharashtra soaks in Ganeshotsav spirit!

Published

on

After two years of the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions, Ganeshotsav 2022 started with a big bang, gigantic idols, lavish colourful thematic decorations and piety all over Maharashtra, with celebs, corporates and commoners immersing in the spirit of the 10-day festival, here on Wednesday.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, various state and central cabinet ministers like Narayan Rane, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar, Bharatiya Janata Party city and state chiefs Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Ashish Shelar and other prominent leaders welcomed the elephant-headed Lord Ganesh for the fest amid music, dance, pomp and pageantry.

Several ex-CMs or union ministers like Nationalist Congress President Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Congress state President Nana Patole, city chief Bhai Jagtap, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray, ex-Mayor Kishori Pednekar, and other well-known leaders also installed big and small idols of Lord Ganesh for worship.

Other celebs like the Ambanis, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Urmila Matondkar, Nana Patekar, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh, Vidya Balan, Shilpa Shetty, Shreyas Talpade, Vivek Oberoi, Govinda, Sonali Bendre and many more are celebrating Ganeshotsav with idols at their homes.

Many other celebs like Sachin Tendulkar, Rani Mukherjee and others started their day with the customary visit to pray at one of the Ganesh Temples in their vicinity.

A festive atmosphere prevailed at the 8 top Ganpati Temples – Ashtavinayak – all ‘swayambhu’ (self-manifested) in Raigad, Pune and Ahmednagar districts, with thousands thronging for ‘darshan’ and ‘pujas’ since early morning.

After two years, idols of 2-feet (household) and 4-feet (public marquees), the familiar large and gigantic idols of Lord Ganesha returned to the celebrations, awing the masses.

The state’s tallest – 38-feet Lord Ganesha – in a Parashuram ‘avatar’ is installed at 11th Khetwadi Lane in south Mumbai, while the all-time favourite, Lalbaugcha Raja in Laulbaug has mesmerising form of over 18 feet enthralling devotees who throng here 24 hours daily for ‘darshan’, and the richest, GSB Seva Mandal Matunga’s Lord Ganesh idol of gold, silver and precious stones, with an insurance cover of a staggering Rs 316.50 crore this year.

As in the past, there are several regular or innovative themes, mostly around the 75th Independence Year, Lord Ganesha in various forms/avatars, in some marquees sitting with his parents Lord Shiv and Parvati, in different colours, moods and sitting, standing, aggressive or benign poses, wowing the beholders.

An estimated around 300 large or gigantic idols adorn the city landscape this year, besides other medium or small idols in mandals and households, companies, factories, or certain railway stations, all over, with official estimates of nearly a million idols to be worshipped this year in Maharashtra.

With so many choices, thousands of people, some celebs, domestic and foreign tourists have chalked out elaborate plans for ‘pandal-hopping’, trooping to various marquees, for ‘darshan’, joining ‘puja’ and partaking of ‘prasad and blessings’.

Several big and small Ganeshotsav organisers admit that with the massive inflation this year, all budgets have gone haywire with prices of all stuff for decoration, the costs of erecting the big and small pandals, security, prasad and other eatables shooting up between 25-40 per cent.

“Since we are coming in a big way after two years of subdued celebrations, there’s no way to cut corners, so we somehow trying to pull on hoping for some recovery through donations, offerings or sponsors,a said an office-bearer of the BrihanMumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanway Samiti, the apex body of all public celebrations in the city.

Another organiser said that they are counting on the turnout after the two-year hiatus to fill up their offering boxes which will help balance their budgets, though they would be barely left with anything for other welfare or charitable activities.

Elsewhere, Pune is also witnessing pompous celebrations, while the traditional celebrations are seen in the coastal Konkan belt where thousands of villages and homes have come alive in the Ganeshotsav fest, twinkling fairy lights beckoning the visitors from afar in the remote hilly or coastal or tribal villages.

Lakhs of people from Konkan, living or working in Mumbai, Thane, Pune and other major cities have gone to their native villages for full-fledged Ganeshotsav celebrations, braving delays, massive traffic snarls, bad roads, the sudden downpour, high ticket rates, etc.

“Barring these ‘vighnas’ (obstacles), the ordinary people are revelling in the festive atmosphere, and make the most of the Lord Ganesha’ blessings,” said a bank official Kishore Gowale who is celebrating in Mumbai while his wife Priyanka and their three tiny tots are enjoying the festival in Ratnagiri.

Maharashtra

“Mumbai Deepfake Fake Video Share Trading Fraud Interstate Gang Uncovered ; 4 arrested”

Published

on

Mumbai: The Cyber ​​Cell of Mumbai Crime Branch has claimed to have busted an inter-state gang that was trying to lure investors into investing in the share market by creating fake and deepfake videos of experts on a renowned business news channel. The complainant is a registered analyst with SEBI. On September 29, 2025, an attempt was made to lure investors into investing in the share market by using his fake deepfake video on social media. The complainant is a share trading expert and also works for various companies. An attempt was made to deceive him by creating a deepfake video on his Instagram. When the complainant got the information, he filed a complaint against him at the Cyber ​​Police Station. When the investigation was started, his trace was found in another state. The accused were working as an inter-state gang. The accused were arrested from Bengaluru, Karnataka. The accused have been identified as Jijel Sebastian, 44, of Bengaluru, Dipane Tapan Banerjee, 40, of Karnataka, Daniel Arudha is 25 years old from Bengaluru, and Chandrashekhar is 42 years old. This interstate gang has created deepfake accounts on social media including Facebook to lure big companies into share trading and has cheated ordinary citizens and companies on deepfake social media accounts to prepare companies for fraud and has violated the terms and conditions of the share market company. This gang has created fake accounts several times. The accused have created a Facebook ID in the name of Wellelip India Services Private Limited and received 30 million Indian currency in Dubai currency from a Chinese citizen in the name of investment. In India and Mumbai, fraud is being committed in the name of share trading under the guise of deepfake and fake videos. Therefore, creating such fake videos on social media and committing fraud is a serious crime and action will be taken against it. This action has been taken by the Cyber ​​Cell of Mumbai Crime Branch here on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti. DCP of Mumbai Cyber ​​Crime Parshottam Karad said that this action has been taken in the case of cyber fraud and this interstate gang has created fake accounts on social media. Fraud was committed by creating an account, so there is a need to be alert during share trading. Cases of creating deep fake accounts of famous companies have come to light. Attempts to commit fraud are being made by creating fake accounts of famous companies on Instagram and Facebook. Therefore, verification is mandatory before share trading. Before share trading, one should invest in the share market only after consulting an authentic and experienced SEBI officer and expert. Do not trust social media and avoid investing on the basis of calls and SSMs on social media. This poses a risk of fraud. So far, the police have registered more than 600 cases of share trading, in which fraud of Rs 400 crore has been committed and in many cases, money has been recovered and frozen from the bank account. These accused also used to create deep fake videos with the help of AI.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Mumbai: BEST Employees Receive ₹31,000 Diwali Bonus Credited Ahead Of Festival, Bringing Festive Cheer To 23,596 Staff

Published

on

Mumbai: Bringing festive cheer ahead of Diwali, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has announced an ‘ Bonus ‘of Rs 31,000 (Rupees Thirty-One Thousand Only) to each of its 23,596 officers and employees. The bonus amount was credited directly into their bank accounts on Friday, October 17, 2025 (Vasu Baras), much to the delight of the workforce.

This year’s ex-gratia amount marks an increase compared to last year, and has created a wave of happiness among the employees. The timely credit of the Diwali bonus ahead of the festival has given employees the financial boost to make festive purchases on the occasion of Dhanteras.

BEST Workers Union office-bearers met with the newly appointed General Manager of BEST, Dr. Sonia Sethi recently, at the BEST Bhavan in Colaba. During the meeting, discussions were held regarding long-standing demands of the employees, including the Diwali ex-gratia. Dr. Sethi assured the union representatives that BEST employees would receive a Diwali bonus on par with their counterparts in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Mumbai Metro Line-3 (Aqua Line) Fully Operational — A New Era of Urban Connectivity Begins

Published

on

Mumbai, October 2025:
Mumbai has taken a major leap in public transportation with the full launch of the Mumbai Metro Line-3 (Aqua Line) — the city’s first underground metro corridor. Connecting the northern suburbs to South Mumbai, the 33.5-kilometre line aims to transform the way Mumbaikars commute, offering a fast, clean, and comfortable alternative to road and rail congestion.

Route and Connectivity

The Aqua Line runs from Aarey / JVLR in the north to Cuffe Parade in the south, covering 27 underground stations. The line passes through key business and residential areas such as Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Dharavi, Siddhivinayak, Worli, Churchgate, CSMT, and Nariman Point.

One of its biggest highlights is direct connectivity to both terminals of Mumbai’s airport — the Domestic and International terminals — making airport travel smoother than ever before.

The entire north–south journey can now be completed in about 45 minutes, a major improvement over the two-hour average by road during peak traffic.

Station Highlights

Some of the prominent stations on the Aqua Line include:
Aarey / JVLR, Seepz, MIDC, Marol Naka, Airport Terminal 1, Airport Terminal 2, BKC, Dharavi, Siddhivinayak, Worli, Haji Ali, Churchgate, and Cuffe Parade.

Each station features modern facilities such as escalators, elevators, digital information screens, and air-conditioned platforms. Entry and exit points are designed for smooth passenger movement, including dedicated access for persons with disabilities.

Technology and Features

  • Fully underground corridor, ensuring minimal impact on road traffic.
  • 8-coach trains with advanced safety systems and automatic doors.
  • Platform screen doors at major stations for enhanced safety.
  • Real-time passenger information systems inside trains and stations.
  • CCTV surveillance, emergency communication systems, and modern fire safety equipment.
  • Energy-efficient operations, regenerative braking, and noise reduction design.
  • Seamless ticketing system* with QR code tickets, smart cards, and mobile app payments.

Fares and Timings

The fare structure has been designed to stay affordable and distance-based:

Distance (in km)Fare (₹)
0 – 3 km10
3 – 12 km20
12 – 18 km30
18 – 24 km40
24 – 30 km50
30 – 36 km60
36 – 42 km70
Beyond 42 km80

Metro services operate from 5:55 AM to 10:30 PM, with trains running every few minutes during peak hours to ensure minimal waiting time.

Benefits for the City

  • Time Saving: Travel from the northern suburbs to South Mumbai in less than an hour.
  • Reduced Traffic: Expected to ease road congestion and lessen dependence on private vehicles.
  • Environmental Impact: Cleaner, electric transit reduces carbon emissions.
  • Economic Growth: Improved access to commercial hubs like BKC, Fort, and Nariman Point will support business and real estate growth.
  • Passenger Comfort: Air-conditioned coaches, smooth rides, and high safety standards enhance the commuting experience.

A Step Toward a Smarter Mumbai

With Metro Line-3 now fully operational, Mumbai moves closer to a truly integrated transport network, connecting its suburban rail, metro, and bus systems. The Aqua Line is more than just a transport project — it’s a symbol of progress, promising faster, greener, and more efficient mobility for millions of daily commuters.

Continue Reading

Trending