Mumbai News Roundup | From season's coldest day to Toll Free Mumbai Coastal Road & more

Saturday last week was Mumbai's chilliest day of the season. That's not all that's going on, because tolls are being lifted on the Mumbai Coastal Road. Keep yourself in the loop with the latest in the city with this Mumbai News Roundup, which covers these topics and then some.

The city awoke to a chilly morning on Saturday, with the IMD Santacruz observatory noting a drop in minimum temperatures from 18.5 degrees Celsius the previous day to 17.5 degrees. The IMD Colaba observatory recorded minimum temperatures of 20 degrees. This marked the coldest morning of the season, with temperatures reaching 17.5 degrees.

Starting from March 1, Air India is set to introduce a daily service connecting Mumbai and Bhuj, fulfilling a persistent request from local residents for a convenient link between the two cities. Operated by an A320 family single-aisle aircraft, Flight A1 601 will depart from Mumbai at 0705 hours, reaching Bhuj at 0820 hours. The airline aims to provide a comfortable and efficient travel option for passengers on this route.

For half of the previous year, the city surpassed the national limit for average monthly air quality, particularly concerning carcinogenic PM 2.5 levels. On a positive note, Climate Trends (CT) reports that it successfully adhered to the limit of 40 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) for six months, marking an improvement with two additional months compared to 2022.

In the past 24 hours, Maharashtra recorded 154 fresh cases of Covid-19, out of which 21 were reported in Mumbai. Notably, the state is currently grappling with 139 individuals infected with the JN.1 variant of the virus. This underscores the ongoing need for vigilance and public health measures to curb the spread of both the conventional and emerging variants of the virus in the region.

The Padgha-Kharghar transmission line, spanning 90 km, is set to enhance Mumbai Metropolitan Region's power supply by an additional 2,000 MW. Expected to be completed by March 2024, the ₹900 crore project, managed by Mumbai Urja Marg Transmission (MUMT), is in its final stages, with a few stretches awaiting line installation, according to officials from Sterlite Power.

On Sunday, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra announced that tolls will be waived for the Mumbai coastal road, connecting Marine Drive to the Bandra Worli Sea Link. The initial phase, encompassing the undersea tunnel between Worli and Marine Drive, is expected to open for motorists after January 31. The entire corridor is scheduled to be operational by May 31, with the completion of the remaining phase.