Maharashtra
The ₹3.25 Crore Mirage: Why BEST’s Future Lies In Ridership, Not Revenue
On August 6, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) reported daily revenue of ₹3.25 crore, one of its highest in months, following a May fare hike that doubled the minimum ticket price for both AC and non-AC buses. Officials hailed it as a step toward “sustainability,” citing not only higher collections but also “healthy” footfall.
Crowded Trains, Riskier Commutes After BEST Ridership Falls
Look past the balance sheet, however, and the picture shifts dramatically. Commuter rights groups estimate BEST’s daily ridership has fallen from roughly 3.5 million before the hike to about 2.5 million today, a loss of one million passengers in just three months. These commuters haven’t disappeared; they’ve been pushed onto already overcrowded local trains, where safety risks are mounting. A revenue spike that comes at the expense of passenger numbers is not sustainability, it’s a slow bleed of the very lifeblood that keeps a public transport system viable.
Mumbai once understood this. For decades, BEST operated as a cross-utility service, where surplus from electricity operations kept buses affordable, frequent, and extensive. The goal was mobility, not margin. Today, that ethos is slipping. Subcontracting to private operators has chipped away at service quality, while the fleet has shrunk under contractor mismanagement.
There is a proven, scalable way to do that: zero-fare bus travel for women. Far from being a “freebie,” such schemes, implemented in Delhi, Hyderabad, and Karnataka, have revived public transport, increased ridership, and strengthened economic participation.
Delhi’s Pink Ticket Programme Boosts Ridership and Inclusion
Delhi’s Pink Ticket programme, launched in 2019, has issued over 150 crore free rides. Women’s share of ridership has risen from 25% to over 33%, with daily beneficiaries reaching 11 lakh. Between 2019 and 2023, women’s ridership grew by 20%, easing crowding elsewhere, boosting workforce participation, and proving that zero fares can fortify rather than strain public finances. The cost is treated as a public investment.
Hyderabad’s Mahalakshmi Scheme Shows Rapid, Sustained Growth
Hyderabad’s Mahalakshmi scheme, rolled out in late 2023, shows even sharper gains: 200 crore free journeys in under two years, women’s ridership jumping from 35% to 60%, daily passenger numbers surging from 45 lakh to 60 lakh, and bus occupancy rates soaring from 53% to 97%. State reimbursements of ₹335 crore a month have turned potential deficits into fuller buses, healthier route economics, and measurable reductions in private vehicle use.
Karnataka’s Shakti Scheme Revives Urban and Rural Routes
Karnataka’s Shakti scheme tells a similar story. By mid-2025, it had delivered nearly 500 crore free rides, lifting Bengaluru’s BMTC ridership to its highest levels since 2015. In Mysuru, women now account for three-quarters of daily passengers. The state’s ₹11,994 crore investment has paid off in greater labour force participation, sustained rural and semi-urban routes.
Why Mumbai Should Adopt a Zero-Fare Policy for Women
For Mumbai, the lesson is clear. A zero-fare policy for women could stem BEST’s passenger losses, expand access to jobs and education, and stabilise routes through higher occupancy. As these states show, the broader social and environmental returns, cleaner air, less congestion, greater economic inclusion far outweigh the direct subsidy cost. The real dividend lies in productivity, climate resilience, and social cohesion.
Sustainability Lies in Moving People, Not Just Making Money
If BEST is to survive, its success must be measured not by how much revenue it collects, but by how many people it moves, safely, affordably, and inclusively. And the fastest way to achieve that is to start with the women who keep Mumbai moving.
Maharashtra
Milind’s gangsters are a symbol of the city’s destruction, action is being taken under MPDA

Mumbai: Milind Police have taken action against Tek Shankar Dhotre, who created terror here by intimidating shopkeepers, passers-by and rickshaw drivers and collected money by threatening them. The action has been taken on the instructions of Additional Commissioner Mahesh Patil. The accused is a terror in the area. A total of 6 cases of violence against him have been registered against him for collecting money. He intimidates traders and shopkeepers and collects money from him every month. No one used to speak out against him. In such a situation, the police took the complainant into confidence and took action against him. He is a terror in Milind. After taking action under the MPDA, the accused was taken into custody and deported from Mumbai to other cities. The Mumbai Police has now started action against such goons to restore the trust of the public towards the police so that the public’s trust in the police is established and the fear of the police remains in the hearts of the goons.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Weather Update: City Continues To See Smog-Filled Morning Amid Rising Pollution; Overall AQI Remains In Unhealthy Range At 281

WETHER
Mumbai: Mumbai began its Friday with a deceptively pleasant chill, as minimum temperatures dipped just below 22°C, offering residents a brief sense of relief. However, this early coolness quickly gave way to discomfort as people stepped outside to find the city blanketed in a dense, lingering smog. Commuters heading out during peak morning hours encountered reduced visibility along with eye irritation, throat discomfort and difficulty breathing, clear signs of an atmosphere overloaded with pollutants.
What initially felt like a refreshing morning soon became yet another stark indicator of Mumbai’s steadily worsening air-quality crisis. A thick haze settled over major roads, residential complexes, commercial hubs and transit routes. With only weak winds sweeping across the region, there was little natural movement to disperse the pollutants that have been steadily accumulating throughout November.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the city is expected to experience clear skies through the day, with temperatures likely climbing to around 33°C in the afternoon. While the mild morning chill is expected to persist over the next few days, experts noted that there is still no sign of when Mumbai’s air quality might improve. The stagnant atmospheric conditions continue to trap particulate matter close to the surface, aggravating the city’s pollution load.
On Friday, Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to a worrying 281, placing it firmly in the unhealthy category. This spike represents a major deterioration from earlier in the month, when several neighbourhoods reported moderate or merely poor readings. The decline is now citywide, affecting coastal stretches, industrial belts and densely populated residential areas alike.
Among the worst-affected locations, the Wadala Truck Terminal recorded an alarming AQI of 395, marking it as the most polluted spot of the day. Colaba followed with a reading of 317, while Chakala reported 310, both falling within the severe category.
Prominent business zones were not spared either: Worli and the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) each logged AQI levels of 310, showing how uniformly pollution has spread across Mumbai’s central, western and eastern sectors.
Some suburbs fared marginally better but still failed to reach healthy levels. Kandivali East recorded the day’s lowest AQI at 130, classified as poor. Powai stood at 200, Malad West at 210, Parel Bhoiwada at 220, and Mulund West at 237, placing all within the poor to unhealthy range.
For context, an AQI of 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 moderate, 101–150 poor, 151–200 unhealthy, and anything above 200 classified as severe or hazardous. With much of the city now above that threshold, Mumbai continues to grapple with an air-quality crisis that shows no signs of easing.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Massive Fire Breaks Out Inside Godown In Kurla’s Kismat Nagar;

Mumbai: A major fire erupted inside a godown in Kurla West’s Kismat Nagar area on Thursday night, triggering a swift response from the Mumbai Fire Department. Videos circulating on social media showed towering flames accompanied by dense black smoke rising high above the godown, visible from several hundred metres away.
According to officials, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Fire Brigade received an emergency call at 11:08 pm, following which multiple fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Initial assessments categorised the blaze as a Level-II fire, but as flames rapidly spread across adjoining structures, the situation escalated. By 11:44 pm, the Mumbai Fire Brigade declared it a Level-III (major) fire after the inferno engulfed nearly 10 to 12 chawl structures.
Firefighters battled the spreading flames through the night, working to prevent the blaze from reaching densely packed residential units in the vicinity. The godown where the fire originated was located within a chawl cluster, making containment especially challenging. Thick plumes of smoke blanketed surrounding localities as emergency teams attempted to bring the situation under control.
Several agencies were deployed as part of the coordinated response effort, including the BMC Fire Brigade, local police, ward officials, the Electricity Distribution Company and a 108 ambulance unit. Despite the scale of the fire and the proximity to residential structures, authorities reported no injuries so far. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident late Wednesday night, a car fire on the Bandra Worli Sea Link caused major disruption to traffic. The vehicle, identified as a Honda sedan, reportedly rammed into the side barrier at high speed before catching fire. Motorists on the busy sea link were left stranded as a long traffic snarl developed, with many unsure of the cause until videos began circulating online.
Footage showed the vehicle completely charred, with firefighters working quickly to extinguish the flames. Though the fire generated thick smoke and intense heat, no casualties have been confirmed. Fire officials later stated that the blaze was brought under control after brief yet intense firefighting efforts.
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