Lagatar24 Desk
Mumbai: Heavy rain pummeled Mumbai and its suburbs early Monday morning, resulting in widespread waterlogging on key roads and low-lying areas, causing major traffic jams and significantly disrupting daily life. Civic officials reported that various parts of the city recorded over 300 mm of rain within six hours, from 1 am to 7 am.
Significant water accumulation was reported in areas such as Andheri, Kurla, Bhandup, King’s Circle, Vile Parle, and Dadar. The incessant rain overwhelmed storm drains, causing vehicles to drift in the water and forcing people to wade through knee-deep waters in many parts of India’s financial capital.
“More than 300 millimeters of rain has been recorded at different places in the six-hour period from midnight yesterday to 7 am today. Heavy rains have caused waterlogging in some low-lying areas and suburban rail services have also been disrupted,” the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stated.
The BMC announced a half-day holiday for government and private schools and colleges under its jurisdiction, with a decision on afternoon classes pending.
Suburban train services and the BEST bus services faced significant disruptions. Several BEST buses were diverted from their regular routes. The Central Railway cancelled several trains, including the MMR-CSMT (12110), Pune-CSMT (11010), Pune-CSMT Deccan (12124), Pune-CSMT Deccan (11007), and CSMT-Pune Intercity Express (12127).
Local train services were briefly halted and resumed later as the water levels on the tracks receded. “Central Railway suburban services were affected due to heavy rains. Train services are affected at Sion and between Bhandup and Nahur stations. Rainwater was above the tracks, so trains were stopped for nearly one hour. Now water has receded a bit, so trains are restarting, but services are still affected,” a senior official said at 8 am.
In light of the weather conditions, Vistara airline advised commuters to allow extra time for their journey to Mumbai Airport due to expected heavy traffic congestion and slow vehicle movement.
Highways and key roads that were not submerged still saw heavy traffic during the Monday morning rush hour. Visuals from the Western Expressway showed long stretches of vehicles struggling to navigate.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued heavy rain for Mumbai in the coming hours, with a generally cloudy sky and moderate to heavy rain expected in the city and its suburbs.
The BMC advised residents to stay safe and only venture out if necessary. “The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in Mumbai today. In the wake of continuous rains, the entire machinery of the BMC is working on the field. Mumbaikars are requested not to believe in any rumors and to step out of the house only if it is necessary. In case of an emergency, call 1916 for immediate assistance,” the civic body advised.
Weather authorities also warned of a high tide of 4.2 meters expected around 2 pm due to the prevailing weather conditions.
