Waterlogging, property damage, traffic chaos: How Mumbai has come to a halt after ‘unprecedented’ rains

Before this, the highest 24-hour spell was registered in 2019 when 375.2 mm rain was recorded on July 2.

Meanwhile, Colaba station recorded 83.8 mm of rainfall over this period, according to the weather office. The IMD has also sounded an orange alert for some parts of the city, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall. The rains also led to a high tide during the afternoon.

Road, air, rail transport crippled

The rains severely affected transportation as local train services were hit due to water surfacing on tracks. Train services on the fast line of the Central Railway’s (CR) main corridor between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in south Mumbai and neighbouring Thane were suspended for a few hours due to waterlogging at various places and later resumed, news agency PTI reported. The CR officials also asked people to avoid travelling unless unavoidable.

People wait at a local train station even as tracks are submerged under water on Monday. Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar

Besides, a spokesperson of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking in the morning said at least 40 bus routes in the city and suburbs were either diverted or curtailed due to waterlogging. The road traffic also came to a halt as snarls were witnessed on major roads, including the Sion-Panvel Highway near Mankhurd (Mumbai’s gateway to Navi Mumbai).

A BEST bus stuck on a waterlogged road on Monday. Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar

Meanwhile, as many as 51 flights to and from Mumbai were cancelled till 11am on Monday. Besides, heavy rains and low visibility led to the suspension of runway operations at the Mumbai airport. The runway was closed from 2:22am to 3:40 am due to low visibility issues, according to officials. Twenty seven flights were diverted to Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore. Officials said that currently, priority was being given to arrivals, besides delaying departures, and consequential changes that were made to accommodate diverted flights.

Aircrafts queue up to enter the runway at Mumbai Airport. Express photo

Central Railways’ Harbour Line services were also disrupted due to heavy rains, with trains operating only between Panvel and Mankhurd. Pune – Mumbai Deccan Queen, Nashik- Mumbai Panchvati Express were also cancelled.

Heavy rains caused chaos at Mankhurd Harbour station on Monday morning. A large crowd of office commuters gathered outside as local train services were disrupted.
Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty

‘Unprecedented’: CM Eknath Shinde takes stock of situation

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took stock of the heavy rain situation by chairing a meeting at the Mantralaya and visiting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) control room. He said that the unprecedented 267 mm rainfall in short duration led to flooding of roads, subways in Mumbai and suburbs.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reviews the rainfall and waterlogging situation in Mumbai and the entire state, at the Disaster Management Unit on Monday. Express photo

“Due to heavy rains across Mumbai, daily life has been disrupted. Traffic congestion has occurred on the roads, and rail traffic has also been affected. The railway administration is working to remove water from the tracks, and efforts are underway to restore normalcy soon. I have instructed all emergency services to remain on high alert.”

Citizens are advised to leave their homes only if necessary and to cooperate with the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, police administration, and emergency services,” Shinde said in a post on X.

Meanwhile, both Houses of the Maharashtra legislature were adjourned as many members and officials could not reach the Vidhan Bhavan due to the downpour.

The government also postponed its all-party meeting on the issue of reservation to July 9.

Maharashtra Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Anil Patil and NCP MLC Amol Mitkari alighted from the Howrah-Mumbai train and inspected the tracks.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said, “Mumbai witnessed 300 mm rainfall in six hours. It was almost ten per cent of the total rain city receives in a year.”

The government has pressed NDRF teams in 18 regions across the state to mitigate the crisis. In Mumbai, the teams were deployed in Kurla and Ghatkopar areas, according to news agency PTI.

Part of concrete caves in in Vile Parle, trees uprooted

A portion of land caved in at a residential building on Nehru road in Vile Parle east, officials said.

The cave-in at the building in Vile Parle East. Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee

Owing to the heavy downpour, 39 incidents of tree and branch collapse incidents were also reported, of which 19 were in western suburbs, 12 in island city and eight in eastern suburbs. No injuries have been reported so far in the incidents, according to officials.

Educational institutions shut

In view of the rains, the BMC, as a “precautionary” measure and to avoid inconvenience to students, announced closure of all municipal schools, government schools, and private medium schools and colleges in the city.