Suspect allegedly kept watch while accomplices broke through wall and entered jewellery shop.

The Case

The police have made another arrest in connection with the burglary at a jewellery shop in Kopri village, Vashi, where thieves escaped with silver ornaments worth around Rs 6 lakh.

The incident took place at Meghana Jewellers in Sector 26A during the early hours of Friday. According to the police, the accused had rented the shop next to the jewellery store, allegedly posing as fruit sellers. They then made a hole through the common wall to gain entry into the jewellery shop.

The burglars reportedly stole around 2.5 kg of silver articles kept on display. They also attempted to open the shop’s safe, which contained gold jewellery. However, the alarm went off, forcing them to abandon the attempt and flee.

Police said the thieves may have taken advantage of the loud music and drums during a Ganpati immersion procession, which helped mask the sound of drilling and breaking the wall. CCTV footage helped investigators trace the suspects. One accused was arrested from Mankhurd and police suspect that he was keeping watch outside while the others entered the shop.

Investigators have identified three more suspects, including the person who had rented the neighbouring premises. Police said all four suspects are from Jharkhand. A search is underway for the remaining accused, while efforts are also being made to recover the stolen jewellery. The investigation is being conducted by the APMC police, who are examining CCTV footage and other evidence to establish the full sequence of events.

Home sales fell 6% in the July–September quarter, while Navi Mumbai recorded a 12% rise in demand.

The Dip

The housing market across India’s major cities saw a slowdown in the July–September quarter, but Navi Mumbai stood out with a rise in home sales.

According to a PropEquity report, housing sales across nine major cities fell by 6% year-on-year, with around 1.03 lakh homes sold during the quarter. Several major markets recorded a decline, including Pune, Chennai, Thane, Mumbai and Delhi-NCR.

Navi Mumbai, however, moved in the opposite direction. The city recorded a 12% increase in housing sales, with around 9,810 units sold, compared with 8,730 units during the same period last year. Hyderabad also reported an increase, while Bengaluru remained almost stable. The growth in Navi Mumbai comes despite the broader slowdown in the housing market.

New housing launches also declined during the quarter, indicating that developers are becoming more cautious about adding fresh inventory. Across the nine cities, about 98,165 new housing units were launched, lower than the previous year. Industry experts said the July–September period is generally affected by the monsoon, which can temporarily slow homebuying activity. The festive season from October onwards is expected to bring renewed interest from buyers, with developers likely to introduce new projects and promotional offers.

For Navi Mumbai, the rise in sales highlights continued demand for housing in the region, even as buyers in several other major cities remained more cautious.

Heavy vehicles and ongoing infrastructure work slow traffic at one of Navi Mumbai’s busiest junctions.

The Jam

Traffic congestion at Kalamboli Junction has become a growing concern for motorists, with long queues and slow-moving traffic affecting commuters travelling through the area.

Kalamboli is an important connecting point for vehicles heading towards Mumbai, Pune, Panvel, JNPT and Uran. The junction handles a heavy mix of cars, buses and container trucks throughout the day. The increasing traffic volume has frequently resulted in delays, particularly during peak hours.

Ongoing infrastructure work around the junction has added to commuters’ difficulties. Diversions and changes in traffic movement have narrowed available routes in some stretches, making the daily journey more time-consuming.

For many commuters, a trip that normally takes a short time can now stretch considerably longer. Truck movement and vehicles merging from different directions further add to the pressure at the junction. Authorities are working on a major improvement project aimed at easing the situation. The plan includes flyovers, an underpass and a multi-level interchange that is expected to improve traffic movement and reduce dependence on signals once completed.

In the meantime, commuters are hoping for better traffic management and clearer diversions to reduce the daily inconvenience. With Kalamboli continuing to handle increasing traffic from several major highways, the junction remains a key focus for efforts to improve connectivity and ease congestion in Navi Mumbai.