Mid-Day Top News at this hour: Every road, lane in Borivli's Chikuwadi is dug up; markets surge in early trade on buying in blue-chip bank stocks and more

Only one lane is operational on the Link Road (northbound). Pic/Nimesh Dave

Welcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today.

Markets surge in early trade on buying in blue-chip bank stocks

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty surged in early trade on Thursday amid a rally in Asian markets and buying in blue-chip bank stocks. The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex jumped 425.5 points to 78,898.37 in early trade. The NSE Nifty surged 123.85 points to 23,851.50.

Borivli: Every road, lane in Chikuwadi is dug up, trapping a hospital and a school in between

Multiple roads being dug up simultaneously in the Chikuwadi area of Borivli have created a practical maze for residents, motorists, and pedestrians. The situation has become so dire that locals prefer travelling 5 to 6 extra kilometres through Gorai to reach Chikuwadi instead of directly entering via Link Road, just to avoid the mess caused by blocked roads and dug-up lanes. The Shimpoli Telephone Exchange signal has become the epicentre of the traffic chaos resulting from the roadwork. Read more.

Distracting digital hoardings: Motorists complain about bling billboards on Western and Eastern Express Highways

Following the issue of the glaring vertical digital banners on the median of the road, mid-day visited a few other locations on the Western Express Highway (WEH) and Eastern Express Highway (EEH). Motorists using both highways regularly alleged that these digital advertisements distracted their attention while driving and riding. They say traffic police need to intervene to control these dangerous distractors. Read more.

Hat-trick in sight for India

The wait has seemed interminable, the build-up artificially fractious. The long gap between the third and fourth Tests has allowed players to regroup physically and mentally, to revisit strategies, to steal the early march in what has now effectively become a two-Test series. Read more.

Hrithik Roshan to begin shoot for Krrish 4 in summer of 2025

If there is one question that Hrithik Roshan has been asked often in the last few years, it is this: When will Krrish 4 be made? After all, it has been over a decade since Krrish 3 (2013) released. The good news is that the wait is almost over. mid-day has learnt that the superstar, along with producer-father Rakesh Roshan and director Karan Malhotra, is planning to roll the film in summer 2025. Read more.