Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader and MLA Manoj Jamsutkar, while commenting on the budget in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, termed it a contractors’ budget and said that the way major projects have been included in the budget raises doubts that this is a budget for contractors instead of the general public. Doubts also persist over the loan waiver for farmers. Although a loan waiver of Rs 2 lakh has been announced, its implementation is still in doubt. Will the schemes implemented by the state government for farmers benefit them or not? He said that minorities have been completely ignored in the budget. No new schemes have been introduced for them. There is no mention of the problems of farmers in Nandurbar in the budget. He said that a major budget has been approved in rapidly developing Maharashtra. No special attention has been paid to other public issues including health, therefore, special attention needs to be paid to it and Jamsutkar has also demanded that minorities be given a share in the budget.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said there is no shortage of LPG cylinders in the state and blamed the Congress for spreading panic that has led to long queues at distribution centres.

While addressing reporters in Chandrapur, the CM said, “The Opposition, especially the Congress, is creating panic among people, leading to unnecessary queues at LPG distribution centres. The Centre and gas companies have made it clear that there is no shortage of LPG. There is no need to fear or rush to outlets. People should make online bookings; the gas required by consumers is available.” “In our country, a sense of panic is being created by the Congress,” he added.

The CM’s statement came amid a time when visuals circulating on social media showed long queues of residents across Maharashtra, with people lining up as early as 3 am in the hope of securing LPG cylinders. The shortage has also led to the closure of many restaurants.

BMC canteen has come down to using more of electric stoves for cooking, while the IRCTC West Zone directed all catering licensees to immediately adopt alternative cooking methods, particularly electric-based operations such as microwaves and induction stoves across its network. The emergency measures specifically target static catering units, including Food Plazas, Refreshment Rooms, and Jan Ahaars.

In Navi Mumbai, residents in Sanpada queued up in crowds gathered outside a gas agency, carrying empty cylinders and forming long lines as they awaited deliveries amid fears of a shortage.

Earlier in the day, Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad also took to X (formerly Twitter), “There is a cylinder shortage. In the scorching heat, citizens are forced to queue for every single cylinder. Where are those who once thumped their 56-inch chests, claiming ‘Self-Reliant India’?” On the other hand, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut slammed the Central and Maharashtra government, accusing them of spreading “a false narrative” and “engrossing” themselves in the election campaign rather than addressing the issue. Raut claimed that 40 per cent of the hotel industry has shut down due to the shortage, and people are queuing up while the government remains “silent”.

Mumbai: Multiple railway blocks will be carried out across the Mumbai suburban network this weekend on Western Railway and Central Railway to facilitate operational and maintenance work, which will disrupt several suburban and long-distance train services.

Western Railway will undertake a jumbo block on the UP and DOWN fast lines between Borivali and Bhayandar and a major block on all lines at Prabhadevi station during the night of Sunday, March 15, 2026 to carry out operational work and de-launching of a girder of the Prabhadevi Road Over Bridge.

The block between Borivali and Bhayandar will be carried out from 12:15 am to 3:45 am, while the major block at Prabhadevi station will be undertaken from 1:30 am to 6:00 am.

During the Borivali–Bhayandar block, all fast line trains will run on the slow line between Virar/Vasai Road and Borivali.

Meanwhile, during the block at Prabhadevi station, some suburban services will be cancelled, short-terminated, or reversed from Dadar and Bandra.

In addition, no suburban train services will run between Churchgate and Prabhadevi, and trains will also remain unavailable at Matunga Road and Mahim stations during the block period.

Due to the block, several Mail and Express trains will be regulated or rescheduled between Surat and Virar.

Western Railway has clarified that no daytime block will be taken on the suburban section on Sunday, March 15.

Meanwhile, Central Railway has announced a mega block on the Transharbour line on Sunday between Thane and Vashi/Nerul for maintenance work of railway tracks and signals.

The block will remain in effect from 11:10 am to 4:10 pm, during which all up and down local train services between Thane and Vashi/Nerul and between Thane and Panvel will remain cancelled.