The National Highways Authority of India has opened a 9-km stretch of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway linking the DND Flyway to Jaitpur for trial runs.

Nearly 8.5 km of the 9-km section is elevated, forming one of the final segments connecting central Delhi to the wider expressway network.

The newly opened stretch is expected to ease travel toward Faridabad and provide more direct, uninterrupted access toward Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is India’s longest expressway project, designed to significantly cut travel time between the two cities once fully operational.

Trial runs typically precede full public opening, allowing authorities to test traffic flow, signage and safety systems before regular commuter access begins.

The stretch’s opening adds to a series of phased rollouts of the expressway that have taken place over the past two years as different sections near completion.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, once fully complete, is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities from roughly 24 hours to around 12 hours.

Sections of the expressway connecting Delhi to Jaipur and other stretches further south have already been opened to the public in earlier phases, with the DND-Jaitpur link filling one of the remaining gaps closer to the capital.

The expressway is being built as a greenfield access-controlled corridor, meaning it largely follows a new alignment rather than widening existing roads, which has allowed for higher design speeds along most of its length.

Once the full DND-to-Jaitpur link is opened to the public, commuters heading toward Faridabad and further south are expected to see reduced congestion at some of the more heavily trafficked junctions in the area.

The expressway passes through six states along its full length, making it one of the largest single infrastructure undertakings by the NHAI in recent years.

During a trial-run phase, motorists are typically expected to follow posted speed limits and signage carefully, since final safety features can still be undergoing fine-tuning on newly opened stretches.

Photo by Biswarup Ganguly, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Two people died and five others were injured when a 22-foot-tall Ganesh idol collapsed during its arrival procession in Mumbai’s Bhuleshwar area on Saturday night.

The incident occurred at Jay Ambe Chowk on Balaram Merchant Road at around 9.50 pm, as the idol was being brought in ahead of this year’s Ganeshotsav festival.

The deceased have been identified as Sanket Nevshe, 33, and Brijesh Hemant Joshi, 30. Five people, including two children, were injured and are being treated at nearby hospitals, with their condition described as stable.

The idol was being transported from Byculla towards Bhuleshwar when it became unbalanced and toppled onto people gathered around the procession.

Preliminary information suggested that loose nuts and bolts in the supporting frame may have contributed to the collapse, with fire officials also pointing to possible faulty welding.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation mobilised fire brigade personnel, police, ambulance services and civic ward staff immediately after the incident, as authorities continue to look into the exact cause.

The incident occurred ahead of this year’s Ganeshotsav festival, one of Mumbai’s biggest annual celebrations, which is scheduled to begin on September 14.

Large, elaborately constructed idols like the one involved in the accident are a common feature of Ganeshotsav arrival processions across Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra.

The idol was being transported from Byculla towards Bhuleshwar as part of arrival preparations when it became unbalanced and toppled onto people gathered around the procession.

Preliminary information suggested that loose nuts and bolts in the idol’s supporting frame may have contributed to the collapse, with fire officials also pointing to possible faulty welding.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation mobilised fire brigade personnel, police, ambulance services and civic ward staff immediately after the incident.

The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, with their condition described as stable.

Photo by ninadism, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

A Panama-flagged cargo ship, MV Ocean Winner, has sunk in the Bay of Bengal roughly 240 nautical miles off the Odisha coast, prompting an active search and rescue operation.

The vessel was carrying iron ore bound for China and had 24 crew members on board, including 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar and one from Bangladesh.

Two crew members have been rescued so far, recovered from separate liferafts by the merchant vessel MT AISOPOS, which was nearby when the ship went down.

The Indian Coast Guard has sent multiple ships to the site, including ICGS Varad and ICGS Anmol, with ICGS Vijit sailing from Sri Vijaya Puram to reinforce the search.

The ship issued a distress alert on Saturday before losing contact, and the cause of the sinking has not yet been determined.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said all agencies are coordinating closely and actively continuing the search for the remaining 22 crew members.

The cause of the sinking has not yet been determined, with authorities focused on the search and rescue operation before any investigation into the incident begins.

MV Ocean Winner had departed from Paradip port in Odisha and was bound for China, roughly 240 nautical miles off the Odisha coast when it went down.

The ship issued a distress alert on Saturday before losing contact, prompting the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy to launch a joint search and rescue operation.

Coast Guard ships ICGS Varad and ICGS Anmol were deployed immediately to the site, while ICGS Vijit sailed from Sri Vijaya Puram to reinforce the search.

The two survivors were recovered from separate liferafts by the merchant vessel MT AISOPOS, which was in the vicinity and joined the rescue effort.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said all agencies are coordinating closely and actively continuing search and rescue efforts for the remaining crew.

Photo by Ting Chen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0