Mumbai: After a long gap, heavy rains battered Mumbai on Wednesday, inundating low-lying areas, halting local trains in their tracks and forcing the diversion of at least 14 incoming flights.
Some roads virtually turned into rivers of fast-moving water as several areas received more than 100 mm of rain in five hours of evening.
As local trains stopped between Kurla and Thane stations on the Central line, thousands of commuters were stranded as CSMT and other stations, while there were traffic jams in various places.
The India Meteorological Department upgraded its orange alert for Mumbai city and its neighbouring districts to a red alert, valid till 8.30 am on Thursday.
Schools and colleges will remain closed on Thursday, civic officials ordered.
As per BMC data, the island city, eastern suburbs and western suburbs received 87.79 mm, 167.48 mm, and 95.57 mm rainfall between 5 pm and 10 pm.
Mankhurd area in eastern suburbs received the highest 276 mm rainfall followed by 275 mm in Bhandup and 274 mm in Powai area. Sewri Koliwada and Wadala area in island city witnessed the highest rainfall of more than 145 mm rainfall while the highest rainfall recorded in Western suburbs was 190 mm.
The Central Railway’s chief spokesperson said there was waterlogging between Vidyavihar and Mulund on UP and DOWN slow lines, and on DOWN lines between Bhandup and Nahur.
“Between Kanjurmarg and Vikhroli stations, a caution order of 30 kmph (speed) has been imposed,” he said.
Western Railway claimed that despite heavy rainfall, local trains on its suburban network were running normally.
A commuter said the slow train on which he was traveling took one hour to reach Ghatkopar from Kurla, and it was jam-packed with almost no space to breathe, while another passenger said that his train was stuck at Kurla for two hours.
Ghatkopar railway station, where Mumbai Metro service too originates, also witnessed massive crowds.
“Ghatkopar Metro station right now. There’s a chance of stampede as there’s too much crowd. Avoid taking any mode of public transport right now….” X user @Prasadrajguru1 wrote.
Central Railway appealed to the stranded passengers to remain inside the trains and avoid stepping onto the tracks.
Traffic jams were seen on Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg in Kurla and Ghatkopar, particularly near Sahara Hotel, Kurla Depot and Phoenix Mall Road, Kalpana cinema and Kalina Air India road.
Some vehicles, especially two-wheelers, broke down.
As IMD issued a red alert for Mumbai, civic commissioner Bhushan Gagrani asked all assistant commissioners to ensure that respective executive engineers stay put in ward control rooms. He also directed chief engineers of the Stormwater Drains (SWD) department to ensure SWD staff is on the field and de-watering pumps are operational.
Mumbai police appealed people not to step out of home as far as possible.
IMD scientist Sushma Nair said a trough runs from north Konkan to south Bangladesh across a cyclonic circulation over south Chhattisgarh and its neighbourhood extending to the middle tropospheric level tilting southwards with height.
“This will lead to fairly widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall over Konkan and Goa during the week,” she said.
