Heavy and incessant rain in Mumbai , which began in the early hours of Tuesday and continued unabated throughout the day, brought the city to a virtual standstill, with lakhs of people stranded across the city as transport systems collapsed.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the city had recorded 297 mm of rain. The BMC, the Mumbai Police and the Chief Minister's Office issued advisories urging citizens to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in some places in Mumbai over the next 24 to 48 hours.
Vehicles broke down
Thousands of vehicles were stranded on arterial roads in Lower Parel, Dadar, Kurla, Andheri, Khar West, Ghatkopar, Sion and Hindmata areas that were under knee-to-waist deep water for several hours, many having broken down. The situation was compounded by the high tide that prevented natural drainage into the sea.
Pouring woes: Vehicles stuck at an intersection in Thane on Tuesday, while, right, commuters walk on submerged rail tracks in Matunga.
Schools and colleges have been ordered shut for Wednesday following forecast of more heavy rainfall, Education Minister Vinod Tawde said.
Leave cancelled
A senior civic official said leave of all BMC employees was cancelled. Pumping stations are working round the clock while BMC workers have been deployed to make sure there is no loss of life in the flooded areas.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police have deployed personnel across the city. “All personnel from Deputy Commissioners of Police downwards are patrolling the city and the city wide CCTV network of 5000 cameras is being monitored round the clock. Efforts are being undertaken with constant coordination with the BMC and the Mumbai Fire Brigade,” said Mumbai Police spokesperson DCP Rashmi Karandikar.
Mumbai Chief Fire Officer P.S. Rahangdale added, “A total of 120 personnel have formed flood response teams at seven stations and are on standby. Our personnel have attended to a variety of calls since Monday night, including short circuit and tree collapses.”
Many stranded
Lakhs of Mumbaikars left home in the morning, braving the rain, unaware of the impending deluge. While those who left early managed to reach their workplaces, several thousands were stuck on the way as water accumulated on the tracks and roads, bringing both rail and road transport to a halt.
Suburban train services on all three lines — Central, Western and Harbour — were suspended between various stations after water level on the tracks reached as high as 200 mm in some places.
The services remained suspended till Tuesday night and would be resumed in phases, railway officials said.
Meanwhile, all the arterial roads, including the Eastern and Western Express Highway and the Eastern Freeway were waterlogged, and vehicular movment on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link suspended for several hours after heavy waterlogging in Worli.
