MUMBAI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rains over next two days in Mumbai and Konkan region in Maharashtra where the state capital was battered by torrential showers since Sunday night.
All three modes of transport — rail, road and air — were affected in Mumbai by heavy rains on Monday. The suburban areas received around 20 mm rainfall in just three hours starting 8.30 am, an IMD official said, adding that it led to water logging in several areas that crippled the city.
“Intermittent rain with heavy to heavy falls is likely to occur in city and suburbs,” said the IMD’s 48 hours forecast for Mumbai on Monday.
According to the IMD warning, 200 mm of rainfall is expected in the city in the next two days.
“Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely to occur in the districts of Raigad, Thane, and Palghar.”
All flight operations at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were briefly halted following heavy rainfall in Mumbai on Monday morning. Services were resumed at 9.30 am with the airport’s public relations office confirming “delay” due to weather.
Several airlines, including SpiceJet, advised their passengers to keep track of flights. “Due to bad weather at Mumbai, all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights might get affected. The passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status,” SpiceJet tweeted.
Roads were equally chaotic as water-logging and heavy traffic snarls slowed down the pace of the city in morning rush hours. Early morning traffic jams were seen at Bandra, Santacruz and Vile Parle as water logging was reported from SV Road, Juhu SNDT College, Andheri to Goregaon SV Road, Behram Baug in Jogeshwari (West), Malad Crematorium among the several areas in Mumbai.
The situation worsened as India’s financial capital came to a complete halt in the evening. The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) diverted 37 bus routes at eight locations due to waterlogging.
Central Railway services were relatively better barring a delay of few minutes on some lines due to tracks going under water at a few places. A roof collapsed in Govandi, leaving eight injured.