Mumbai rains: Heavy rainfall batter city as Vihar lake overflows

People struggle to navigate a waterlogged road in Everard Nagar, Sion, on Monday. PIC/SHADAB KHAN

Heavy rain lashed Mumbai on Monday, submerging low-lying roads and slowing traffic, with authorities on alert as the IMD issued a red alert for Tuesday as well, warning of more heavy rainfall. While public transport was affected, it remained operational. Schools and offices shut early, and a municipal school in Chembur was converted into a shelter home after a wall collapsed nearby. At King's Circle, police rescued schoolchildren stranded in a submerged bus. Amid the chaos, there was one silver lining - Vihar lake, a crucial water source for the city, began overflowing.

Waterlogging seen at Worli Naka on Monday. Pic/Ashish Raje

Chronic waterlogging hotspots such as Hindmata and Gandhi Market were inundated with 1.5 feet of water. At Hindmata, traffic police were forced to close BA Road, diverting commuters to the flyover. The Andheri Subway was submerged under five feet of water and closed to traffic from 9.40 am until 5 pm. During this time, the Andheri area recorded 195.1 mm of rainfall, according to the Disaster Management Control Room of the K West ward. In Andheri West, Veera Desai Road was flooded, forcing motorists to take alternative routes. Waterlogging was also reported near Lokhandwala Circle and outside Mithibai College, causing further inconvenience.

Across the city, traffic crawled on arterial routes including the Western Express Highway, SV Road, and the New Link Road. "Torrential rain has once again crippled Mumbai," said motorist Mahesh Yadav. "In areas like Chunabhatti and Chembur, nallahs are overflowing, causing severe waterlogging on service roads and spilling onto the Eastern Express Highway. It's the same helpless picture every year - people wading through waist-deep water just to get by. While the police are vigilant, the authorities responsible seem asleep as the city drowns, year after year."

Top 5 waterLogged areas in city on Monday

1 Andheri Subway - up to 5 feet of water
2 Gandhi Market - 1.5 feet of water
3 Hindmata - 1.5 feet of water
4 Western Express Highway at Andheri
5 Sewri, Sion

Average annual rainfall

Colaba
2085 mm

Santacruz
2319 mm

Total rainfall so far this year

Colaba
1295.4 mm

Santacruz
1863.6 mm

Last year's rainfall on same day

Colaba
85.87%

Santacruz
86.59%

Total rainfall figures: Monday 8 am to 6 pm

Colaba
41.8 mm

Santacruz
86.1mm

Forecast for Tuesday
IMD has issued a red alert for MMR for Tuesday, indicating very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in parts of Mumbai

NDRF on alert
Three NDRF teams have been positioned in Mumbai