Netizens took to social media to express anger and disappointment after the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) headquarters witnessed no New Year’s Eve celebrations this year, breaking a long-standing annual tradition. The iconic NMMC HQ building is usually the attraction of the grand midnight festivities, featuring fireworks, decorative lighting, and large public gatherings to welcome the New Year.

Every year, thousands of residents flock to the headquarters building around midnight to witness the celebrations and ring in the New Year together. However, on the night of December 31, 2025, the venue remained dark and silent, leaving many visitors confused and disappointed.

Reportedly, the NMMC had officially cancelled the New Year’s Eve event due to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct ahead of the upcoming elections. Under these guidelines, government bodies are restricted from organising large-scale public celebrations or entertainment programmes funded by the state, to maintain neutrality during the electoral period.

To comply with these rules, the civic body decided to call off all official festivities at the headquarters this year. Despite the announcement, many residents claimed they were unaware of the cancellation. Large crowds reportedly gathered at the NMMC HQ, expecting the usual fireworks and light shows, only to be met with a complete absence of celebrations.

Clearer public messaging could have prevented confusion and unnecessary crowding. Some users also questioned why at least minimal decorative lighting was not arranged, even if large-scale celebrations were restricted. One user commented, “Bhai… Kya hogya, NMMC ko….they used to decorate so much on this day…inko kya hua. (What happened to NMMC, they used to decorate so much on this day.)”

While authorities announced earlier that the decision was taken strictly in adherence to electoral guidelines, the disappointment.

Mumbai: Indian Railways discontinued the local train monthly pass booking facility on the UTS (Unreserved Ticketing System) app. Passengers travelling through the Mumbai local have now been advised to use the new RailOne app for booking railway passes.

Passengers whose passes are still valid can continue to show their existing pass on the UTS app to ticket-checking staff. However, the option to book new passes on UTS has been permanently withdrawn. A message on the UTS app now directs users to switch to RailOne for all pass-related bookings. While the pass facility has been removed, booking of unreserved tickets will continue to remain available on the UTS app.

In a move to promote digital payments, the Ministry of Railways has announced a 3 per cent discount on the purchase of unreserved tickets through the RailOne app when payments are made using any digital payment mode. This offer will be valid for six months, from January 14, 2026 to July 14, 2026.

Earlier, users received a 3 per cent cashback only when payments were made through the R-wallet on the RailOne app. With the new decision, passengers will now get a direct discount on payments made via UPI, debit cards, credit cards and other digital payment methods. The Railway Ministry communicated this decision to the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) through a letter dated December 30, directing immediate implementation of the necessary software changes.

The RailOne app is available on both the Play Store and App Store. It offers multiple railway services on a single platform, including monthly pass booking, reserved and unreserved ticket booking, refunds, food ordering, train search and PNR status checks.

Passengers opening the UTS app will see a message prompting them to download the RailOne app.

Click on the provided link to download RailOne.

Enter the required details, including identity information.

Log in to the app and proceed to book the pass.

Alternatively, passengers can also book monthly passes at the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters located at railway stations.

Mumbai: Traffic movement was briefly disrupted on Mumbai’s Aarey Colony Road in the early hours of Thursday after a BEST bus collided with a truck near Aarey Unit No. 16 (Dindoshi), on the first day of 2026. The incident occurred during the morning hours, leading to slow-moving traffic in the area for nearly an hour. No casualties or injuries were reported.

Videos of the accident surfaced on social media by local news portal, showing the bus and truck blocking a portion of the road as commuters navigated through the congestion. Traffic personnel were deployed to regulate movement and ensure normal flow was restored at the earliest.

The Mumbai Traffic Police confirmed the incident through a public update. “Traffic to Aarey Unit No. 16 (Dindoshi) is moving slowly due to a truck and bus accident,” the police said in a message posted around 9 am. An hour later, authorities announced that the situation had been brought under control, stating, “Now traffic is clear.”

The incident has drawn attention as it comes just days after a fatal BEST bus accident near Bhandup railway station on the night of December 29, 2025. In that incident, a BEST bus rammed into a group of passengers standing in a queue on Bhandup Station Road, killing four people and injuring nine others. CCTV footage of the crash had captured the moments when the bus ploughed into the unsuspecting commuters around 10 pm, a peak hour for office-goers returning home.

The bus involved in the Bhandup tragedy was a 9-metre air-conditioned Olectra electric bus operating on a wet lease for BEST and was plying on Route 606, which connects Nagardas Nagar and Bhandup station. Following the crash, Bhandup police and senior officials rushed to the spot, shifted the injured to nearby hospitals and cordoned off the road to prevent further mishaps.

Confirming the casualties in the earlier incident, Deputy Police Commissioner Hemra Singh Rajput had said, “Four people have died and nine others have been injured in the incident. The bus driver has been taken into custody.”