Mumbai: Normal life in Mumbai was thrown out of gear on Friday as torrential rains battered the city and its suburbs resulting in cancellation of local train services leaving thousands of commuters stranded. There seems to be no let up in the situation with the Meteorological Department predicting heavy to very heavy Monsoon rains in some areas. In the early hours today, thousands of commuters leaving for offices were caught unaware on reaching the suburban railway stations as trains were cancelled due to water-logging of tracks following heavy downpour since last night.
Maharashtra CM arrives at the BMC Disaster Management Control Room to take stock of the situation in the city.
Holiday declared in Bombay High Court due to heavy rains in Mumbai.
Our supervising staff are alert and as soon water level recedes, train services would be resumed,” says Central Railway PRO A K Singh.
Thane-Karjat/Kasara and Vasvhi-Panvel Shuttle services and trans-harbour services are running, says Central Railway PRO A K Singh.
The BMC control room says water-logging is reported in areas like Kurla, Chembur, Tilak Nagar, Andheri, Parel, Lower Parel, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Dombivili.
The average rainfall recorded in 24 hours ending 8 am today is City 188 mm, Eastern Suburbs 155 mm, Western Suburbs 172 mm while the high tide (4.47 metres) is expected at 2:29 PM, says BMC data.
As many as 120 suction pumps have been pressed into service to drain out water in low-lying areas, says BMC.
Very heavy rains are expected today. So I have issued advisory for school children to stay at home,” says BMC chief
BMC chief Ajoy Mehta appeals to citizens to not send their wards to school as heavy rains are predicted.
BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta takes stock of situation in flooded Hindmata and asked the relief and rescue teams to remain alert.
Mumbai Police chief Rakesh Maria also orders the deployment of additional forces (Rapid Action Force) to help distressed people in several areas in Mumbai.
Around 250 special buses have been deployed to ferry commuters who have been stranded in different parts of the city as the suburban train services have collapsed, says BMC.
The city’s BEST buses have also altered their routes in view of flooding and heavy waterlogging reported at several areas including Dadar, Parel, Byculla, Mahim, Santacruz, Juhu and Worli.
Mumbai Mayor Snehal Ambekar says over 100 pumps are being operated to flush out the excess waters flooding the city and advised people not to ventures to beaches or near seashores.
Mumbai city’s famed Dabbawalas have also suspended deliveries following incessant rains and waterlogging in several areas.
Flight operations at Mumbai airport have been partially affected as at least 18 domestic flights have been delayed as per reports.
In the wake of incessant rains, the Mumbai University has suspended examinations scheduled for today in affiliated colleges.
Flood waters have entered in houses in low-lying areas like Parel and Matunga in south Mumbai.
Heavy waterlogging and flooding have been reported at various locations around the city including Dadar, Parel, Byculla, Mazagaon, Mahim, Santacruz, Juhu, Vile Parle, Worli, Sion, Chunabhatti, Andheri, Kurla, Borivali, Dahisar, Jogeshwari and other areas preventing movement of road traffic.
Shuttle services are being run to help commuters. Train services will start only after rain water recedes, he says.
Narendra Patil, CPRO, Central Ralways, says around 30 long distance train have been affected due to the heavy downpour.
Suburban services are affected due to heavy rains and water-logging in several areas in Mumbai Central and Matunga. It is advised to all that commuters may travel only in case of emergency, Western Railway says in a press release.
The Western Railways issues an advisory asking commuters to travel only in case of an emergency.
The Western Railways line, meanwhile, is running staggered services.
With tracks completely waterlogged, operations have been suspended on the Harbour line while trains are plying only between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and the Kurla suburb on the busy Central line.
Several long distance trains on all sections have been severely hit. Many trains have halted at various stations on the Mumbai to Gujarat, New Delhi, Nagpur, Pune and Goa routes.
Heavy downpour last night led to suspension of train services between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and the Kurla suburb on the crucial Central Railway line.
In the wake of IMD’s weather forecast for today, the BMC has cautioned people of high tide of 4.47 metres at around 2.30 pm today, asking them not to venture outside unnecessarily.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai’s apex civic body, issues an alert asking residents to stay inside their houses and not to send their children to schools in the wake of heavy rain forecast today.
The IMD warns of heavy rainfall in Mumbai, coastal Konkan and other parts over the next two days accompanied by strong winds touching 60 knots and very rough seas.
The city may witness one or two spells of heavy rain today too, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Intermittent rains/shower would occur in the city and suburbs. Heavy to very heavy rains would occur in some areas, according to an IMD forecast at 0800 hours today.
Services on all three railway lines -Central, Western and Harbour – cancelled following heavy downpour, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded at various places.
Heavy rain lashes Mumbai on Thursday
The city received 60.34 mm rainfall, while the eastern and western suburbs received 57.48 mm and 64.92 mm rainfall, respectively between 8 am to 8 pm on Thursday.
The relative humidity was 93 percent at Colaba and Santacruz IMD stations.
The city has also seen high tides in the last four days, with the level going up to 4.5 metres on Thursday afternoon. At least 19 trees fell due to rains. Of these, 11 were in the island city, four each in the western and eastern suburbs.
Courtesy:zeenews.com
