Mumbai: is a major tourist destination for both domestic and international tourists and visitors. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is laying special emphasis on providing high-quality and comprehensive amenities such as cleanliness, beautification, safety measures, signage, public toilets, drinking water facilities, and digital information systems at various tourist destinations across the city. Various initiatives are being taken to showcase Mumbai’s cultural, historical and heritage assets to tourists in a more effective manner. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that the BMC aims to enhance Mumbai’s tourism potential and ensure a high-quality, satisfying experience for both local residents and tourists from across the country and the world. He also assured that all necessary steps will be taken regarding the guidance and facilities of tourists. A joint meeting on ‘Mumbai Tourism’ was held today (July 31, 2026) at the BMC headquarters, which included the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and the Collector of Mumbai City. The meeting was attended by Mumbai City District Collector Aanchal Goyal, Additional Collector Bappa Saheb Thorat, BMC Deputy Commissioner (Commissioner’s Office) Shri Prashant Gaikwad, District Planning Officer Sanjay Kumar Shinde, MTDC General Manager Chandrashekhar Jaiswal, and Head of Business Development Department Mansi Kothare among others. Initially, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) General Manager Mr. Chandrashekhar Jaiswal presented information about Mumbai tourism through a digital presentation.

Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that providing basic amenities and services to the residents of Mumbai is the primary duty of the Municipal Corporation. Along with this, the Corporation is also undertaking tourism-related activities and promotional efforts. Mumbai has immense potential and strength in the tourism sector. The Municipal Corporation is taking various steps to attract tourists and promote tourism and these efforts will be further enhanced through collaboration and coordination with MTDC. Maximum efforts will be made to develop additional tourist destinations in the city. Ms. Bhide also suggested that MTDC should develop a dedicated website to provide reliable information to tourists and citizens.

MTDC General Manager Chandrashekhar Jaiswal said that the Maharashtra government is committed to promoting and developing tourism across the state. The primary objectives of MTDC include enhancing tourism infrastructure, formulating strategic plans, and implementing sustainable tourism initiatives. A bustling city like Mumbai has a rich heritage of tourist attractions. It is important for local self-government bodies, especially municipal corporations, to take the initiative in promoting eco-tourism and adventure tourism. Jaiswal stressed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should take the lead in this regard and extend its positive support.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has ordered a stay on departmental and inter-departmental inquiries and harassment against IRS officer Sameer Wankhede. Sameer Wankhede had challenged the NCB inquiry, on which the court expressed concern that multiple inquiries have been initiated against an officer on the basis of an anonymous letter, which will demoralize the officer. Along with this, the court has given relief to Wankhede and provided protection with a stay on the inquiry. In a significant development, Justices A.S. Gadkari and Kamal Khata of the Bombay High Court expressed serious concern that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has initiated multiple inquiries against its own former zonal director Sameer Dunyadev Wankhede on the basis of anonymous complaints. During the hearing, the bench subjected the NCB to extensive questions on the basis of the action initiated against Wankhede. The court questioned how an investigating officer can be prosecuted on the basis of mere allegations made by an accused person and anonymous complaints, especially when such actions have the effect of undermining the functioning of the law enforcement agencies and can also affect the institution. The writ petition challenges several preliminary investigation notices issued against Wankhede arising out of anonymous complaints. The bench also asked the NCB a pertinent question as to whether the accused had made these allegations at the time of his initial arrest or during the investigation. The court questioned why such allegations surfaced only later and sought an explanation as to why they were considered at the last minute. The court further observed that if the accused is allowed to make allegations against the investigating officers and such allegations are easily acted upon by the department, it will create chaos in the administration of criminal justice. The bench remarked that such a course would demoralize honest officers in the discharge of their official duties and would set a dangerous and wholly undesirable precedent by which the accused would be able to target investigating officers simply because they had performed their lawful duties. The bench also questioned the NCB’s repeated initiation of action against Wankhede despite the rules in place on anonymous complaints and the manner in which the agency could take action against one of its own officers. The court expressed regret over such allegations and dissatisfaction with the respondent agency’s conduct in taking action. During the hearing, the court observed that the repeated action initiated against Sameer Wankhede amounted to outright harassment of the petitioner and questioned the justification for continuously questioning him on the basis of such complaints. After hearing the parties at length, the Bombay High Court said that the writ petition is admitted for final hearing and interim relief and protection is granted to Wankhede till the final decision on the petition is taken.

Today’s action marks a significant step forward in protecting honest public servants from arbitrary and vexatious actions. The observations made by the court highlight the broader public importance of ensuring that investigating officers are able to perform their statutory duties without fear or favour, without the risk of delay or reprisals initiated on the basis of anonymous allegations. Sameer Wankhede has consistently maintained that the action initiated against him is arbitrary, malpractice, legally unsustainable and an abuse of administrative process. The petition seeks quashing of the preliminary inquiry notice issued against him on the basis of anonymous complaints.

New Delhi, July 31: President Droupadi Murmu and Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Friday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the building collapse in Maharashtra Bhiwandi and expressed their condolences to the bereaved families.

President Murmu took to her official social media platform X and said, “The news of the loss of lives in the building collapse in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi is deeply saddening. I express my condolences to the bereaved families. I wish a speedy recovery to those injured in this accident.”

Vice-President Radhakrishnan also expressed grief over the tragedy and said, “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the collapse of a building in Thane area of Bhiwandi in Maharashtra. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of those injured.”

Meanwhile, the death toll in the Bhiwandi building collapse in Maharashtra’s Thane has risen to nine, with rescue teams recovering the bodies from the debris, according to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Rescue operations are still underway as authorities fear that more people may be trapped beneath the rubble.

The tragic incident occurred late on Thursday night when a portion of the four-storey Kohinoor Building in the Balaji Nagar area of Bhiwandi collapsed while repair work was reportedly in progress.

Officials said the collapse took place at around 11:30 p.m. The building, which housed 48 rooms, 12 on each floor had previously been declared dangerous by the local civic body.

According to municipal authorities, residents heard loud cracking sounds coming from the structure at around 9 p.m. on Thursday. Alarmed by the warning signs, local residents immediately began helping families evacuate the building.

However, while some occupants were still attempting to leave the premises, the building’s ‘B’ wing suddenly collapsed. Several people were trapped under the debris, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving the NDRF and other emergency response agencies.

Deepak Kumar Yadav, a survivor of the incident, told media, “Repair work was being carried out on the pillars of a nearby building. After dinner, we went to sleep when we suddenly heard a loud sound of the collapsing building. When we rushed out, there was chaos everywhere. I jumped from the first floor to save my life.”

Neha Singh, a local resident searching for her husband after the collapse, said, “He (My husband) had gone downstairs saying he needed to check something. The building collapsed barely 10 minutes after he went down. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. Some work was going on there. I was not feeling well, which is why I had stayed upstairs. My husband, Ranjeet Singh, has been missing since the collapse. His phone is ringing, but he is not answering.”

Another survivor in the building collapse tragedy, Sangeeta Prajapati, said, “I was standing in the parking area when I heard the sound of the building cracking. I tried to run, but the structure collapsed while I was fleeing. I sustained injuries in the incident.”

Abhay Kumar Yadav recounted saying, “We were in our room after dinner when we heard a loud noise. We immediately tried to run outside, but there was no clear exit route, so I jumped from the first floor. I suffered a leg fracture. Later, some local residents brought a ladder, and others were able to climb down safely. There were around 25 to 30 people inside the building at the time. The building has nearly 45 rooms.”

After receiving information about the incident, teams from the NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot.

Debris removal operations, assisted by JCB machines and other heavy equipment, continued throughout the night.

Officials said darkness and the massive debris have hampered rescue efforts, but teams remain engaged in the operation.