Connect with us
Sunday,13-September-2026
Breaking News

Maharashtra

TATA Mumbai Marathon 2023: To spread awareness about mental health, 300 employees of Mpower hit the tracks

Published

on

Mumbai: To spread awareness about mental health and destigmatize conversations around mental health, over 300 employees of Mpower, an initiative of Aditya Birla Education Trust, a mental health social enterprise, and the Aditya Birla Group hit the tracks on Sunday.

The 300-strong squad led by Dr Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson of Aditya Birla Education Trust comprised counsellors, psychiatrists, mental health experts and employees from Mpower and all divisions of Aditya Birla Education Trust along with employees and top leaders from the Aditya Birla Group participated in the Open 10K and the 5.9 km Dream Run.

The funds raised through the marathon will be used to help people who do not have easy access to mental health support and will also provide on-ground mental health interventions to the economically weaker sections of society through projects that Mpower runs under Samvedna and Oorja.

Dr Neerja Birla, Mental Health Champion & Founder and Chairperson of Mpower said, “I am encouraged to see that mental well-being is slowly but surely becoming part of the mainstream conversation at personal, societal and media levels. We chose this cause at a marathon to create awareness that in addition to physical fitness, one’s mental health also has a huge impact on one’s productivity, relationships, social engagement and personal achievements.”

As per the WHO, one in eight people suffers from some form of mental health condition. 14 per cent of India’s population lives with mental health challenges (Lancet, 2019). As per the NHMS 2016 survey, the treatment gap in India for mental health disorders is between 72 per cent to 92 per cent. Mental health has been among the leading causes of health burden worldwide since the 1990s and the incidence of mental health illnesses has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a recent WHO report, in India over 80% of people do not seek psychiatric help as they face shame, workplace disadvantage, prejudice and embarrassment from society.

Mpower provides support and counselling to individuals and their families from all walks of life by creating awareness, fostering education and alleviating stigma vis-à-vis mental health. The organisation runs a 24×7, Toll-free helpline in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). 

Maharashtra

Heavy rainfall in Mumbai; waterlogging disrupts traffic, railway services

Published

on

Continuous heavy rainfall has disrupted normal life in Mumbai and its adjoining areas, as waterlogging at several locations is causing considerable inconvenience to commuters and motorists.

Heavy rains that have continued since Saturday night have resulted in severe waterlogging on the eastern side of Nalasopara Railway Station.

Despite the waterlogged conditions, passengers have been forced to wade through accumulated water to reach their destinations. Large crowds of passengers were also seen inside the station premises amid the ongoing rainfall.

Meanwhile, heavy rains have continued to lash Vasai-Virar city since Saturday night. Due to the persistent rainfall, several roads in Nalasopara, including areas around Centre Park and Tulinj Bridge, have become waterlogged, creating difficulties for motorists as well as pedestrians during the morning hours.

Heavy rainfall has also continued in Mumbai’s Dadar area, leading to inconvenience for commuters travelling through the locality. The railway tracks at Kurla station have also been flooded following the continuous downpour, affecting movement in and around the station.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar for Sunday, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, light to moderate rainfall and strong winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph at some places.

The weather department said, “The sky will generally remain cloudy with occasional moderate rain or thundershowers, accompanied by lightning and strong winds of 40-50 kmph. Isolated areas may also experience isolated heavy rain.”

Mumbai is likely to witness further rainfall on Monday as well.

The prevailing weather conditions are expected to keep rainfall activity over the city and neighbouring areas.

The IMD has forecast moderate rainfall in Mumbai for the day, which also marks the first day of the famous Ganesh festival.

The idol immersion processions are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, and according to the weather forecast, the city is also expected to receive light to moderate rainfall on that day.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Construction work on the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road targeted for completion by December 2028; Additional Municipal Commissioner inspects the site.

Published

on

To alleviate traffic congestion and ensure smooth, convenient travel within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched a major infrastructure project known as the ‘Mumbai Coastal Road (North).’ Spanning approximately 60 kilometers—including interchanges and link roads—this mega-project aims to connect the Versova and Bhayandar areas via a coastal route. The construction work has been divided into seven packages: Packages A, B, C, D, E, F, and the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road (DBLR). Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar visited and inspected the Bhayandar interchange site (part of the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road/Package 7), located within the limits of the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation, and issued necessary instructions during the visit.

The Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road is a crucial project for the Mumbai and Mira-Bhayandar regions, and construction is currently underway. It will establish a direct and rapid road connection between Dahisar West and Bhayandar West. The total length of this road project is approximately 5.135 kilometers. The project encompasses various engineering structures, including elevated roads, roads on stilts through mangrove areas, high-level structures over creeks, elevated corridors over salt pan lands, connecting roads and interchanges for traffic distribution, and flyovers. The main elevated road of the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road project—spanning approximately 3.83 km in length and 45 meters in width—will serve as the final leg of the Mumbai Coastal Road (North). Mr. Bangar visited the site and reviewed the preliminary works. Currently, the installation of gabion walls is underway; additionally, piling (deep foundation) and the construction of pile caps are progressing. Several components of the project have already been completed, including 60 piles, 5 pile caps, 4 bridge piers, pier caps, and the ninth section of the bridge. State-of-the-art machinery is deployed at the site, and a temporary bridge system is operational for access. Work related to the ‘launching girder’ is scheduled to commence in the second week of October; Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar reviewed detailed information regarding this. Bangar issued instructions to expedite the land acquisition process required for the project and to prepare a priority list in this regard. He emphasized the need to secure cooperation from the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation and other relevant authorities. He also directed that safety-related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) be strictly adhered to, adequate barricading be installed at the site during construction, and the work be completed to high standards within the stipulated timeframe. He instructed that planning and execution be carried out with the aim of completing the project by December 2028. Deputy Commissioner (Infrastructure) Shri Girish Nikam and Deputy Chief Engineer (Mumbai Coastal Road – North) Vaibhav Gandhi were present on the occasion, accompanied by the concerned engineers and consultants.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Gutkha and scented betel nut worth approximately ₹1.18 crore seized in Mumbai; 9 arrested.

Published

on

Mumbai: Authorities have claimed the seizure of banned gutkha worth ₹1.18 crore within the jurisdiction of the Bhandup Police Station. Acting on a tip-off regarding the transportation and sale of banned gutkha and scented betel nut, the Senior Police Inspector of Bhandup Police Station dispatched Assistant Police Inspector Vinod Lad and his team to verify the information and take action. Based on the intelligence received, the team laid a trap and conducted a raid on September 12 at approximately 4:25 AM at the Municipal Corporation parking area on Village Road, Nahur. During the operation, they seized five vehicles—comprising one container truck, two tempos, one Bolero, and one pickup truck—and arrested a total of nine individuals. The seized contraband included banned scented betel nut products (such as ‘Varanasi Aashiq’ scented betel nut and scented tobacco) valued at ₹20,21,100, along with five motor vehicles from various companies valued at ₹98 lakh; the total value of the seized property amounts to ₹1,18,21,100. The five vehicles, the nine accused, and the contraband have been taken into custody, and proceedings to register a formal case at the Bhandup Police Station are currently underway. This successful and noteworthy operation was carried out under the guidance of Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Police Manoj Kumar Sharma (Law and Order), Additional Commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni (East Region), Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhay Singh Deshmukh (Zone 3), and Assistant Commissioner of Police Ajay Joshi (Bhandup Division), by a team comprising Senior Police Inspector Sapna Khirsagar, Assistant Police Inspector Vinod Lad, Police Havaldars Hiralal Charande, Akesh Tirmare, and Ganesh Sonone, and Police Constables Vikas Shinde and Vijaykumar Pawar.

Continue Reading

Trending