Local trains, flights hit; lakes supplying water to Mumbai overflow amid incessant rains

Mumbai, Aug 18 (PTI) Mumbaikars woke up to heavy rainfall on Monday, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘red’ alert, forecasting more rains, prompting the civic body to declare a holiday for schools and colleges, officials said.

Several parts of Mumbai received more than 100 mm rainfall in nine hours on Monday, with Vikhroli in the eastern suburbs topping the chart with a 135 mm downpour, an IMD official said.

Many flights were affected due to poor weather conditions, with some executing “go-arounds” and one flight diverted.

Roads in several areas of the city got inundated after the heavy downpour for the third consecutive day.

Amid incessant rainfall on Monday, schools and colleges in the city were closed after half-day classes. They will remain closed on Tuesday also amid IMD's forecast of extremely heavy rains, the civic body said.

A school bus got stuck in severe waterlogging on road near the Matunga police station. The bus carrying six children, two female staff members, and the driver was trapped for nearly an hour.

Six of the seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai have begun overflowing amid heavy rains, the civic body said. The combined water level in these lakes now stands at 91.18 per cent, it said.

According to the police, waterlogging was reported along the Vakola bridge, Hyatt Junction as well as Khar subway, leading to slow traffic movement.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis convened a review meeting at the Mantralaya control room to assess the worsening rain and flood situation across the state.

Employees at Mantralaya, the state secretariat in south Mumbai, were asked to leave early by 4 pm as a precautionary measure.

District collectors will decide on possible school closures for Tuesday, depending on how the situation unfolds, an official said.

With forecasts warning of heavy rainfall over the next three days, the state government has urged citizens to remain cautious.

A protection wall built by the MMRDA collapsed amid heavy rains in Chembur’s New Ashok Nagar on Sunday evening, damaging seven shanties. No injuries were reported.

Vehicles and pedestrians were seen navigating through waterlogged stretches of Veera Desai Road in Andheri, as relentless rains brought the busy street to a standstill on Monday.

The heavy downpour led to low visibility and increased congestion on access roads, causing inconvenience to both arriving and departing passengers, an airport official said.

A Mumbai airport spokesperson said nine flights conducted "go-arounds" before finally landing, while one flight was diverted to Surat till 12 noon due to the heavy rains.

Fadnavis said Mumbai received 177 mm rain in 6 to 8 hours on Monday and asked citizens to observe all precautions since more is expected along with high tides.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) appealed to residents to step out only if necessary, and the IMD asked fishermen not to venture into the Arabian Sea.

In Mumbai, some low-lying areas like the Andheri Subway and Lokhandwala Complex witnessed water accumulation at a few locations, affecting traffic movement.

Local trains, considered the lifeline of the metropolis, ran late by around 10 minutes. However, there was no suspension of services, according to officials.

The suburban services on the Central Railway route were affected as water accumulated on tracks in a few low-lying areas on the Harbour Line, and due to failure of track changing points between Kurla and Tilak Nagar stations, the officials said.

The blinding rain in some parts of the city affected visibility and slowed down vehicular movement, as per motorists.

In its latest bulletin, the IMD upgraded and issued a 'red' alert for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts for the next two days.

Waterlogging was reported along the Vakola bridge, Hyatt Junction as well as Khar subway, leading to slow traffic movement, police said.

In light of the incessant showers lashing Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared a holiday for all schools and colleges in the city operating in the second shift (post 12 pm).

Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti advised citizens to exercise caution as heavy rainfall continued to lash the city.

Airlines such as Akasa Air and IndiGo issued advisories for travellers, asking them to keep additional time in hand as some routes leading to the Mumbai airport witnessed traffic congestion.

In a post on X, Akasa Air wrote: “Due to heavy rainfall in certain parts of Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa, and Pune, we anticipate slow moving traffic and congestion on roads leading to the airport. To ensure a seamless travel experience, we request you to plan for additional travel time to reach the airport well in time for your flight.” IndiGo said its airport staff will help the travellers along the way.

“The rain continues to make its presence felt across Mumbai, and road travel has been affected in parts. Traffic is moving slowly on some routes to the airport due to persistent showers and pooling water.

“If you are catching a flight today, we recommend heading out early and keeping an eye on your flight updates via our app and website. Our airport teams are standing by and ready to help you along the way,” IndiGo posted on X. PTI KK ND MR DC IAS ARU BNM GK VT VT