The project will reduce travel time by half an hour; according to Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation officials, the road will bring relief to commuters from congestion at Khandala Ghat 

According to the IMD, Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Akola, Vidarbha, Wardha, and Ratnagiri are among the districts under a heat alert, where the heat and humidity will increase

Several political leaders and social activists have accused Ashok Kharat of having alleged connections with prominent politicians and bureaucrats in the State

Ashokkumar Kharat, who police say is a school dropout, allegedly manipulated women and men to build financial assets and political clout over two decades in Nashik. When the Maharashtra police arrested him on charges of rape and fraud, he had come to be known as Captain Kharat, claiming to have worked in the merchant navy in the past. Vinaya Deshpande Pandit speaks to victims, who tell tales of sexual exploitation, financial fraud, and so-called occult practices