Mumbai flooded in first rain spell,  sparks another political slugfest

MUMBAI:  After Mumbaikars repeatedly complained of water logging and traffic snarls, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said that people should stop cribbing and welcome the rain.

The first episode of monsoon rain on Sunday saw most parts of Mumbai waterlogged with most roads being gridlocked. Politics too overflowed with Opposition alleging that the government that runs the civic body BMC, too, has been exposed. In a house collapse, two people died in a western suburb on Sunday.

Shinde since morning visited many critical spots such as the Milan subway in western suburbs and inspected the ongoing maintenance work.

Shinde said the BMC has installed pumps to drain out the excess rainwater so that low-lying areas of Mumbai are not flooded. He said the Milan subway had 70 mm of rainfall in an hour. “The BMC has put in place a system to bring the situation under control,” he said.

“We have also activated the system that will help during high tide as well. The BMC is monitoring the situation,” Shinde said. When asked about people’s complaints about water logging in the first rain of the season, Shinde said the rain should be welcomed.

“Why complain about water logging? There is enough time to malign us over the water logging issue. Wherever water logging is reported, BMC employees are on the ground to address it,” Shinde said.

Sharply reacting to the CM’s statement, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray it was the “height of shamelessness.”

“It shows how insensitive our illegal chief minister is. So, as per the CM, people should not raise their voices and complain about the wrongdoings and faulty work of the BMC. Corruption in drain-cleaning and road constructions have been reported,” said Aaditya.

“The Shiv Sena (UBT)-ruled BMC for several years, but never asked people not to complain,” he added.

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