A massive demolition drive has begun in Garib Nagar near Bandra Terminus after the Bombay High Court allowed Western Railway to clear unauthorised structures from railway land. The operation, expected to continue for five days, has seen bulldozers move into the densely populated area under heavy security deployment. Nearly 400 personnel, including Mumbai Police, RPF and GRP teams, have been deployed amid fears of protests and crowd mobilisation. Authorities say the cleared land will be used for expansion of Bandra Terminus, better suburban connectivity and the addition of nearly 50 new originating train services from Mumbai. The High Court also directed officials to protect the rights of slum dwellers found eligible for rehabilitation under the 2021 surveys.

VD Satheesan took oath as the new Chief Minister of Kerala as the Congress-led UDF returned to power after a decade, ending the CPI(M)-led Left government in the state. The grand swearing-in ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram witnessed the presence of top Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mallikarjun Kharge. Thousands of UDF workers gathered to celebrate the alliance’s massive comeback.