Monsoon and Mumbai share a friend and foe relation. The financial capital of India receives favourable rainfall every year, but waterlogging in streets, busy roads and train tracks has again thrown life out of gear.
It rained incessantly in Mumbai since 1 am on Monday and several parts of the city are submerged in water. The scene would be no different throughout this week as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall across the city over three to four days.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported that over 300 mm of rainfall was recorded in multiple locations between 1 am and 7 am on June 8.
Highest single-day rainfall since 2019
The rainfall on Monday was the single-day highest since 2019.
Also, a 4.40 m high tide in the sea is expected at 1.57 pm on July 8.
Rain alert sounded in Mumbai
The Met Department has issued an “orange” alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in Mumbai for the next 24 hours.
51 flights cancelled, 27 diverted
As many as 27 Mumbai-bound flights were diverted to Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore. Heavy rainfall also led to low visibility in the airport area, leading to suspension of runway operations from 2:22 am to 3:40 am.
As per Mumbai airport officials, currently, priority is being given to arrival, delaying departures and also changes are being made to accommodate diverted flights.
A report by CNBC-TV18 quoted CSMIA as saying that 51 flights to and from Mumbai were cancelled till 11 am on Monday.
A total of 42 IndiGo flights were cancelled, which included 22 arrivals and 20 departures, 6 Air India flights (3 arrivals and 3 departures) were cancelled, 2 Air India Express flights were cancelled and 1 Qatar Airways departure was cancelled on Sunday night due to an FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) issue.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (CSMIA) has also asked passengers to check their flight status in advance. “In light of the inclement weather and forecast of heavy to very heavy rains, Mumbai Airport advises all the passengers to check their flight status with their respective airlines and leave for the airport a little earlier,” it said in a post on X.
IndiGo offers full refund to passengers
Due to disruption in flights at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, IndiGo and Vistara issued an advisory for passengers flying in or out of Mumbai.
IndiGo, in a post on X, said: “Flights to/from Mumbai are impacted due to heavy rains. To opt for an alternate flight or claim a full refund, https://bit.ly/3MxSLeE or feel free to reach out to our on-ground team for any immediate assistance. For flight status, https://bit.ly/3lpnChV.”
Meanwhile, Vistara in a post said: “Heavy traffic congestion and slow vehicle movement are expected en route to Mumbai Airport today due to weather conditions. Customers are advised to allow more time for their journey to the airport.”
Local trains – lifeline of Mumbai – comes to a halt
As per the Western Railway, Mumbai Suburban trains were running upto 10 minutes late due to water above track level between Matunga Rd and Dadar following heavy rains.
The Central Railway has terminated and rescheduled several trains for Monday (July 8).
Central Railway General Manager, Ram Karan Yadav, said some trains have been cancelled while others diverted due to waterlogging on railway tracks. “We are monitoring the situation and trying to keep the trains running,” Yadav was quoted as saying by ANI.
He also advised the public to stay at home and leave only if it is necessary.
The Western Railway has been using high capacity water pumps to drain out the water from tracks and that the suburban section is running normally.
Every day, more than 30 lakh commuters travel on the Central Railway’s suburban network.
BEST buses diverted
Due to waterlogged streets, following heavy rain, many BEST buses have been diverted from their regular route.
Schools declared holiday
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has declared a holiday for all BMC government and private schools, colleges in Mumbai for Monday due to the extreme weather conditions.
NDRF teams deployed in Mumbai
Anticipating severe waterlogging in several parts of Mumbai, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed its teams in most parts of the city.
NDRF teams have been deployed in Thane, Vasai ( Palghar), Mahad (Raigad), Chiplun (Ratnagiri), Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara Ghatkopar, Kurla and Sindhudurg. It has also deployed three regular teams at Andheri and one team at Nagpur.
Mumbai asked to stay indoors
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has urged people to stay indoors unless necessary. “There is heavy traffic on the roads and rail lines too have been affected,” he said in a post on X.
The BMC has also requested Mumbaikar to step out of the house only if it is necessary. “In case of an emergency, call 1916 for immediate assistance,” the civic authority said.
With inputs from agencies
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WATCH: Mumbai rain throws life out of gear, trains stranded, flights delayed; no respite this week
