Mumbai rains: Unseasonal rain cripples the city in a watery mess

People and traffic caught in heavy rain on the WEH at Kandivli East last night. Pic/Satej Shinde

Unseasonal rain wreaked havoc across the city and suburbs, leading to waterlogging, shut subways and crawling trains. Sources said both the eastern and western express highways were majorly affected. Incomplete concreting work added to the problems. One lane on each side of the highway was rendered unusable owing to choked drains, forcing vehicles to squeeze through limited space and significantly slowing down traffic movement.

People caught in the heavy rain in Kandivli yesterday night. Pic/Satej Shinde

The situation worsened during the late-night hours, typically known for smoother travel. "It usually takes me around 35 minutes to travel from Bandra to Vikhroli after 9 pm. But last night, I was stuck in traffic for almost an hour," said Sushil Pawar, a resident of Vikhroli. Like Pawar, several other commuters faced long delays and inconvenience.

Andheri subway shut

Clouds and light showers earlier yesterday. Pics/Kirti Surve Parade

The arterial Andheri subway was closed to vehicular traffic after becoming fully waterlogged. "The heavy rain flooded the Andheri belt so the subway had to be closed and there has been waterlogging in many low lying areas here," Dhaval Shah, president, Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA) said.

IMD alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has now issued a yellow alert (heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm) for Mumbai for the next two days, warning of continued rainfall and urging citizens to take necessary precautions. Civic authorities are expected to address the issue of clogged drains promptly to prevent further disruptions. With monsoon showers approaching, this incident has once again highlighted the city's struggle with basic drainage and traffic management during heavy rain.

Railways hit

The flooded Andheri subway last night. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Unseasonal rain in parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday caused a landslide between Veravali and Vilavade stations on the Konkan Railway in Ratnagiri district, affecting train services in the region, officials said. The landslide occurred around 6.30 pm on Tuesday, following heavy rainfall in the area, they said, adding that train movement has been halted at several points along the route, causing delays and inconvenience to passengers.

Max rainfall details in mm from 7pm to 8pm

Western Suburbs
HBT Municipal School, Jogeshwari: 63mm, Malpa Dongri Municipal school: 57mm, K/E ward office: 40mm, Marol fire brigade: 29mm, K/West ward and Juhu Dispensary: 24mm, SWM Santacruz Workshop: 23mm, Vile Parle fire brigade: 21mm, Khar Danda: 19mm, Dindoshi Municipal school: 18mm.

Eastern Suburbs
MCMCR Powai: 38mm, S Ward: 29mm, Tembi Pada Municipal School: 27mm, Veer Savarkar School: 23mm, Bldg Proposal Vikroli, Mithagar Municipal School, Bhandup Complex:18mm.