THANE: In a remarkable display of endurance and determination, eight-year-old Eva Sanvi Dinesh Parte from Thakurli in Dombivli successfully completed a 17-km open sea swim from Atal Setu to Gateway of India in 2 hours and 52 minutes on Monday.A Class IV student of Omkar International School, Eva began the swim at around 3 am after offering prayers to the sea and completed the challenging stretch at 5.52 am under difficult sea conditions.According to her coaches and family members, the young swimmer faced several obstacles during the attempt, including darkness, strong winds, high waves, movement of boats and ships, and unstable sea currents. Floating waste such as plastic bottles, coconuts, flower garlands and tree branches in the polluted waters further added to the challenge.Despite water repeatedly entering her goggles and forcing brief stops during the swim, Eva continued with determination and successfully reached the Gateway of India, where she received a warm welcome from citizens, relatives and supporters.Eva had reportedly taken up swimming after her parents encouraged her to engage in outdoor activities and reduce screen time. She started training at Yash Gymkhana and quickly developed an interest in long-distance and sea swimming after watching senior swimmers during practice sessions.“She would often say that she wanted to swim in the sea like the other children,” a family member said.Over the past three months, Eva underwent rigorous training for nearly three hours daily under the guidance of coaches Vilas Mane and Ravi Navale. The swim was conducted under the supervision of Maharashtra State Amateur Swimming Association observer Sunil Mayekar.Her achievement has drawn praise from residents and swimming enthusiasts across the region, with many hailing her courage and discipline at such a young age.Encouraged by her latest success, Eva is now preparing for her next challenge — a 36-km open sea swim from Dharamtar to the Gateway of India.

KALYAN: Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) deputy mayor Rahul Damle has expressed strong displeasure over the delay in providing basic facilities to civic committee chairpersons, raising concerns over the functioning of the municipal administration.According to KDMC sources, the issue was raised during a meeting of the women and child welfare committee at the KDMC headquarters. During the meeting, Damle reportedly confronted municipal secretary Kishor Shelke and questioned the delay in providing security guards and official vehicles to committee chairpersons.The women and child welfare committee chairperson, despite holding an important position in the civic body, is yet to receive security and vehicle facilities even after a month, sources said.Expressing his anger, Damle allegedly told Shelke that deputy municipal commissioners are being provided with security and vehicle facilities, while elected representatives holding key posts are being denied the same. “Providing such facilities to officials while ignoring committee chairpersons even after a month is wrong,” he reportedly said.Damle also criticised the administration over what he termed as negligence and demanded that the pending facilities be provided immediately to ensure smooth functioning of the committees.

KALYAN: In a major step towards easing chronic traffic congestion outside Kalyan railway station, authorities have completed the launching of the final girder for the most crucial and longest of the three flyovers under the Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (SATIS).The 1,125-metre-long structure has been built using advanced Ultra-High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC), a Malaysian technology recently used in Mumbai-Pune Missing Link project.The flyover is part of the ‘Kalyan West Station Area Improvement’ project being executed by the Smart Kalyan Dombivli Development Corporation Ltd. Stretching from Subhash Chandra Bose Chowk to Bailbazar Chowk, the structure has a variable width ranging between 9 and 18 metres. Officials said the project is now in its final stage and is expected to significantly decongest the busy station area. The structural design and proof-checking for the project have been carried out with technical support from IIT Bombay, ensuring enhanced safety and durability.One of the key challenges during execution was the existing foot overbridge at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Chowk (Entry Gate No. 1), which caters to heavy pedestrian movement. Dismantling it was not feasible. Engineers, therefore, opted for UHPFRC technology, enabling safe girder launching without disrupting commuter flow.The operation was carried out late at night in the presence of mayor Harshali Choudhary, KDMC commissioner Abhinav Goel, city engineer Anita Pardeshi and executive engineer Rohini Lokare, along with project consultants and contractors.Goel said UHPFRC is significantly stronger and more durable than conventional concrete, offering compressive strength five to six times higher. Its dense composition makes it resistant to weathering and pollution, extending the lifespan of structures beyond 100 years.Construction on other two flyovers under SATIS project is also nearing completion. All three flyovers will be interconnected.

KALYAN: Stressing the urgent need for a robust disaster response system, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) commissioner Abhinav Goel urged the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Kalyan, to work closely with civic authorities to develop a standard operating procedure (SOP) for medical emergencies.Speaking as the chief guest at the IMA Kalyan installation ceremony, Goel said the existing disaster management mechanism needs improvement, as patients are often shifted between multiple hospitals during disaster crises. He suggested that IMA and KDMC doctors jointly conduct workshops to design a clear SOP for situations such as building collapses and floods, ensuring coordinated and efficient medical care.Goel was speaking at the event of the appointment of the new IMA Kalyan executive committee, with noted orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajesh Raghav Raju elected as the 46th president. Dr Himanshu Thakkar took charge as secretary and Dr Swati Shelar as treasurer.Mumbai Orthopaedic Society president Dr Gautam Zaveri, who was present at the event, spoke about the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare. He said that while AI can assist in treating diseases, it cannot replace doctors, who bring empathy and a human touch to patient care.Addressing the gathering, Dr Raju highlighted IMA Kalyan’s legacy of social service and announced plans to organise a mega health camp for residents with support from leading super-speciality hospitals.Former IMA president Dr Surekha Itkar, KDMC officials and several members of the medical fraternity and civic society attended the programme.

THANE: A 30-year-old man allegedly died by suicide after a quarrel with his family at his home in Thane’s Dombivli police said on Sunday. The incident took place around 12.30 am on Saturday at a chawl in Hetutne village.The man has been identified as Rajaram Ramdularam Bharti, had an argument with his family members. Following the dispute, he allegedly locked his wife and children inside a bedroom before hanging himself from the ceiling in the kitchen. Hearing the family’s cries, neighbours rushed in, broke open the locked room and rescued the woman and children. They then found the man hanging and immediately took him to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead by doctors. Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and sent the body for postmortem.

THANE: Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde said the newly inducted AC double-decker electric bus will make travel more comfortable and pleasant for Thane commuters and urged citizens to take care of it as if it were their own vehicle.Shinde was speaking after officially inducting the bus into the Thane Municipal transport fleet in the presence of Mayor Sharmila Pimpalolkar, municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao and district collector Dr. Shrikrishna Panchal, TMT Manager Bhalchandra Behre among others.Shinde completed a short round trip in the double-decker bus from the Municipal Corporation headquarters to Louiswadi and back.“These buses will be introduced into Thane Transport under the GCC model, and no financial burden will fall on the transport service. The double-decker bus can seat 65 passengers at a time, while 33 passengers can travel standing. Currently, this bus will operate from Teen Haath Naka to Gaimukh,” Shinde said.Transport Manager Bhalchandra Behre added nine more buses will soon be added to the fleet. “The bus will offer an environmentally friendly mode of transport for Thane residents and also provide them with an enjoyable travel experience akin to tourism,” he said.

THANE: Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde appealed to citizens to voluntarily participate in the self-enumeration process using the specially created QR code and cooperate with the administration. Shinde was speaking at the launch of the first phase of the Census 2027 “Self-Enumeration” process at the Thane Municipal Corporation headquarters on Friday morning, where a QR code was developed by the civic body for the exercise. Mayor Sharmila Pimpalolkar, Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao, District Collector Dr Shrikrishna Panchal and Deputy Mayor Krishna Patil, among others, were present at the event. The first phase of Census 2027, starting with the “Self-Enumeration” process, was launched on May 1, 2026, and will remain active until May 15, 2026, officials said. Shinde personally completed the self-enumeration using the QR code and encouraged those present to do the same, following which Deputy Director of the Census Directorate Ramesh Bhosale presented him with a memento. “The government is fully committed to the development and welfare of every individual in the state, and to achieve this, reliable and accurate data is the most effective tool,” he said. A selfie point created by the municipal corporation to raise awareness about the census was also inaugurated. To promote awareness, the Central Government has created mascots, “Vikas” (Development) and “Pragati” (Progress). Officials said a help desk has been set up at the Thane Municipal Corporation headquarters to assist citizens. “Citizens should cooperate with the enumerators who will be visiting households and provide accurate information. The data collected will be kept confidential,” said Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao.