Maharashtra
Stakeholders Raise Concerns Over BMC’s Iconic Structures Policy, Call For Heritage Safeguards And Clear Guidelines
Mumbai: Around 15 stakeholders—including architects, urban planners, civic groups, developers, and citizens—voiced concerns over BMC’s proposed policy on developing ‘iconic structures’ to enhance Mumbai’s skyline and boost tourism. At a public meeting held on Thursday at the BMC headquarters, participants criticised the vague definition of ‘iconic,’ questioned the selection committee’s scope, and raised concerns about the potential impact of such projects on the character of surrounding neighbourhoods.
The BMC has proposed adding Regulation 33(27) to the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR), 2034 to govern ‘iconic’ structures, with objections and suggestions to be sent to the state urban development department.
Public Consultations, Heritage Assessments Urged for Mumbai’s Iconic Structures
Anish Gawande, spokesperson for the Nationalist Congress Party (SP), said, “Our existing iconic buildings need care, and this policy should include them too. It must also ensure that the character of heritage precincts is not distorted.” He submitted a letter signed by over 2,000 architects, designers, and urban planners, highlighting concerns about the policy’s impact on existing heritage precincts. Gawande also called for a stricter scrutiny committee, similar to the heritage conservation panel, to ensure only up to five truly deserving projects are approved annually. He urged cost controls to keep the 40% public-access requirement affordable.
Shirish Sukhatme, an architect and representative of the Practicing Engineers Architects and Town Planners Association (PEATA) called for a broader definition to include cultural and educational buildings. He recommended increasing minimum access width from 18 to 27 metres, selecting projects via a national design competition, removing the 1 million sq ft builder eligibility criterion, and demanding justification for the additional premium FSI granted to developers. His view was supported by Fort Heritage Conservation Association, Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI), and NGO NAGAR, who stressed that such structures should be defined by urban contribution, cultural context, sustainability, and public value—not just form or scale.
Public Consultation Needed for Mumbai’s Iconic Structures
Some participants at the meeting stressed the need for precise guidelines on built-to-unbuilt area ratios and green/open spaces, along with social and heritage impact assessments and mandatory public consultations. Sunil Rathod, chief engineer of the development plan department, clarified that iconic buildings will remain subject to heritage regulations and the existing 32-metre height restriction. Consequently, despite the additional FSI incentives offered by the policy, opportunities for development in these areas will be limited due to space and height constraints.
Maharashtra
Kasturba Marg Police recover 100 stolen mobile phones, return them to their original owners

Acting on complaints regarding stolen and lost mobile phones within the jurisdiction of the Kasturba Marg Police Station in Mumbai, police analyzed data from the CEIR portal and conducted technical investigations. By verifying device details, IMEI numbers, and user information, officers from the Kasturba Marg Police Station tracked down and recovered a total of 100 mobile phones from locations across Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra.
The total estimated value of the 100 recovered mobile phones is ₹2,270,658. Of these, 18 phones have already been returned to their respective owners/complainants, including: 1) Rajendra Puri, 2) Khush Saw, 3) Kripa Lodhiya, 4) Shreya Satam, 5) Atul Sathe, 6) Priyanka Mistri, 7) Banu Tarang, 8) Prem Gupta, 9) Adya Shaikh, 10) Shweta Shah, 11) Sandhya Pandit, 12) Deepak Sawdekar, 13) Saurabh Jhangar, 14) Ketan Shete, 15) Onkar Raut, 16) Jayalal Yadav, 17) Lakshmi Appa Kripagiri, and 18) Praveen Dubey. The process of returning the remaining phones to their owners is currently underway.
This operation was carried out under the supervision of the DCP (North, Zone 3), Mumbai, by the team at Kasturba Marg Police Station, led by Balasaheb Bunkar.
Crime
CBI books Mumbai firm, officials in Rs 93.44 crore loan fraud case

Mumbai, Oct 3: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches at multiple premises in Mumbai and registered a Rs 93.44 crore bank fraud case against officials of Hanjer Biotech Energies on the complaint of Punjab National Bank, an official said on Saturday.
The CBI conducted searches on Friday at multiple premises linked to the directors of Hanjer Biotech Energies in Mumbai, the CBI said in a statement.
The CBI registered the instant case on September 30, 2026, on the complaint of Punjab National Bank, SAM Branch, Mumbai, against Hanjer Biotech Energies, its directors and guarantors, unknown public servants and unknown private persons.
The accused were booked for offences of criminal conspiracy for cheating and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, resulting in alleged wrongful loss of approximately Rs 93.44 Crore to the bank.
It was alleged that the accused entered into a criminal conspiracy, obtained term loan of Rs 135 crore on the invoices of its related party and diverted/siphoned off the funds for other purposes for which it was not sanctioned, causing loss to the bank, the CBI said.
During the searches on Friday, incriminating bank documents and property documents relevant to the investigation were recovered and seized.
Investigation is continuing to ascertain the full extent of the conspiracy, identify the role of all involved persons, including public servants and private individuals, and trace the end-use of the loan funds, the CBI said.
In a separate case on Friday, the CBI arrested an Executive Engineer of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Mumbai, his relative and three officials of a Mumbai-based real estate group, in a Rs 50 lakh bribery case related to the issuance of a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for a land parcel.
Vikrant Verma, Executive Engineer, CPWD Mumbai; Saurav Gupta, Verma’s relative based in Pune; and Arvind Semwal, Vice President, Baya Company, were among those named in the FIR by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday, an official said.
The arrested accused were produced before the Special CBI Judge in Mumbai on Friday, the official said in a statement.
Maharashtra
Monsoon Withdraws Further from Maharashtra; Hot and Humid Weather Alert Issued for Konkan Region

MUMBAI PRESS — The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Saturday, October 3, 2026, that the Southwest Monsoon has withdrawn from parts of Maharashtra, as well as the remaining regions of North India, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.
The current withdrawal line of the Southwest Monsoon passes through Harnai, Baramati, Parbhani, and Brahmapuri in Maharashtra, extending northeastward through Raipur, Ranchi, and Supaul. Weather officials stated that conditions are favorable for further retreat from most parts of Marathwada, Vidarbha, and additional areas of Madhya Maharashtra over the next 2 to 3 days.
Hot and Humid Stretch for Coastal Maharashtra
Residents in the coastal belt should prepare for elevated discomfort over the weekend. The IMD has issued a hot and humid weather warning for Konkan & Goa prevailing from October 3 through October 5.
Following this dry and muggy stretch, mild weather activity is expected to return to the region. Isolated to scattered rainfall is forecast across Konkan & Goa and Madhya Maharashtra between October 6 and October 9.
Southern and Northeastern Forecast
While monsoon forces retreat from central and northern parts of India, southern states are bracing for heavy downpours. Isolated heavy rainfall is predicted over Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal from October 4 to October 6, with South Interior Karnataka expected to receive heavy spells on October 5 and 6.
In the northeast, isolated heavy rainfall is expected to continue over Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh through October 3.
Advisory for Fishermen
Due to lower-tropospheric cyclonic circulations over the Arabian Sea, the IMD has urged fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the Kerala coast, Lakshadweep, Maldives, and the Comorin area on October 3. Farmers in heavy rainfall zones have also been advised to ensure proper field drainage and move harvested crops to covered storage to prevent crop damage.
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