Mumbai: has gained a new artistic niche thanks to the beautification and lighting project of the Kala Ghoda Art Avenue. The BMC has further enhanced the beauty of the Kala Ghoda area by creating an artistic zone in harmony with the existing historical architecture, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis lauded the project. The beautification and lighting project of the Art Avenue in the historically and culturally rich Kala Ghoda area of ​​South Mumbai was inaugurated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today (July 14, 2026). The inauguration ceremony was held at Kala Ghoda Plaza, B Bharucha Marg, Mumbai.

Deputy Chief Minister Sunitra Pawar was also present on the occasion. Legislative Assembly Speaker and local MLA Advocate Rahul Narvekar, Minister for Information Technology and Cultural Affairs and Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban District Advocate Ashish Shelar, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde, Leader of the House Ganesh Khanna; Leader of Opposition Kishori Pednekar; Shiv Sena Group Leader Ramay Ghole; Standing Committee Chairman Shri Prabhakar Shinde, Committee Chairperson Scindia Doshi Sakre; BEST Committee Chairperson Triushna Vishwasrao and local corporator Advocate Makrand Narvekar, Corporator Harshita Narvekar, Corporator Dr. Gaurav Shivalkar Narvekar, Corporator Kamlakar Dalvi, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Prajakta Vermalongare, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 1) Chanda Jadhav, and Assistant Commissioner (A-Ward) Gajanan Belle were present along with residents and business owners of Kala Ghoda area. Chief Minister Fadnavis said that the planning of Kala Ghoda area has included attractive pedestrian paths, public open spaces and designs in harmony with historical architecture. As a result, high quality and aesthetically pleasing public amenities are now available for the citizens. Local business owners have also contributed significantly to this initiative. He said that the area is set to become a major tourist attraction for Mumbai visitors. The Kala Ghoda area of ​​South Mumbai, which is rich in historical and cultural heritage, is considered to be a symbol of the city’s historical, cultural and artistic legacy. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken up the task of beautifying various roads in the area with a view to providing citizens and tourists, both domestic and international, with a safer, more enjoyable and world-class walking experience, and also adding a new dimension to the ‘Heritage Walk’. The historical heritage, ancient structures, art galleries, museums and cultural wealth of South Mumbai have given Kala Ghoda a unique identity. The annual ‘Kala Ghoda Arts Festival’ further enhances the global cultural stature of the area, making it a centre of attraction for tourists from the country and abroad.

Beauty of up to 500 metres
With an aim to provide Mumbaikars and tourists with a rich ‘Heritage Walk’ experience, five roads—Gandhi Marg (Forbes Street), Rutherford Street, and B. Bharucha Marg—have been developed. In the first phase, an area of ​​about 3,443 square metres has been transformed, measuring about 500 metres in length.

Attractive open-air seating with tables and chairs
Adorned with famous eateries, cafes, restaurants, jewellery galleries, stylish clothing showrooms, art galleries, and heritage sites, the area now offers an experience reminiscent of the open-air cultural streets of Europe. Like many European cities, attractive open-air seating arrangements including tables and chairs have been set up outside roadside cafes and eateries. This allows tourists to enjoy tea, coffee, snacks or various delicacies while soaking in the artistic atmosphere of the area. As a result, the Kala Ghoda area is poised to become a distinctive tourist destination not just for sightseeing, but for leisure and a truly immersive experience.

Pedestrian-friendly walkways
The project will see heavy vehicles barred from entering the area, and modern barricades will be installed on all sides. An attractive ‘Kala Ghoda Plaza’ has been developed at the junction of B Bharucha Marg. The plaza features a combination of grey and black granite with basalt paving. Aesthetically pleasing, winding and pedestrian-friendly pathways have been created throughout the area. This enables tourists to enjoy leisurely strolls, shopping, and culinary delights. The streets included in the Kala Ghoda area include Sai Baba Marg, Rope Walk Lane, Dr. V.B. Gandhi Marg (Forbes Street), Rutherford Street, and B. Five streets along Bharocha Marg will remain closed to vehicular traffic and will be open exclusively for pedestrians between midnight every Saturday and Sunday.

Mumbai: Police has claimed to have busted a cyber fraud gang that was duping people in the name of healthcare policies. The Mumbai Police has arrested 12 members of the gang. The complainant had lodged a complaint at Govind police station that he had received phone calls from the HDFC ego health policy office, in the name of policy and bonus claims, and had received more than Rs 3 lakh through credit cards and debit cards. The police registered a case in this matter on June 26 and started an investigation. During this, the police have exposed the base of cyber fraud, three fake call centers, which were operating in Govind and were duping people through health schemes. During a raid on this call center, the police arrested 12 people and seized 21 computers, 5 laptops, 15 mobiles, 3 routers, 15 SIM cards purchased online. 05 grams of gold was recovered. These accused have committed fraud in other states in the name of insurance as well. This operation was carried out by Additional Commissioner Dhananjay Kulkarni and DCP of Zone 1 Sameer Sheikh on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has intensified Operation Pakistani Don Shahzad Bhatti. The ATS has foiled the gangster’s plot to involve the youth in anti-national activities. So far, it has interrogated about 200 youths. These youths were associated with the Shahzad Bhatti gang or its social media channels. ATS has also interrogated 66 suspected youths who were associated with Shahzad Bhatti’s social media accounts. During a joint operation, Pune Pimpri-Chinchwad police station and ATS have interrogated 66 youths. Their social media accounts and other sources have also been taken into custody. Mobile phones have also been seized. ATS sources said that Shahzad Bhatti gang is misleading the youth by providing misleading information on social media. Along with this, it is also inviting these youths to join its gang by offering them money and other things. ATS has claimed that the coordinators of Shahzad Bhatti gang have been interrogated. The investigation is ongoing, and several youths have also been released after questioning. Today at 7 am, the ATS conducted an operation in which Shahzad Bhatti’s contacts were questioned. So far, the ATS has not arrested anyone in this case, while they are also being monitored. Currently, police and ATS teams are interrogating them. They were also involved in a conspiracy to lure these youths and use them in anti-national activities, so the ATS is investigating every aspect. Earlier, the ATS had interrogated 112 youths from across the state and before that, 57 youths were also interrogated, ATS sources confirmed.