Heavy rainfall and high tide locks in patients, their relatives at Nair and Wockhardt hospitals
(Left) Waterlogged Nair Hospital on Wednesday. Pic/Shakhawat Ali Shaikh; Grant Road resident Shakhawat Ali Shaikh has been told to come on Thursday to get hospitalised
The heavy rain caused waterlogging in at least two south Mumbai hospitals — Nair and Wockhardt, which restricted the movement of patients who were to be admitted or discharged on Wednesday. Civic officials said due to high tide, water flowed back in from the sea and blockage in stormwater drains prevented the water from receding quickly.
At Nair Hospital, doctors said the compound was flooded from early morning on Wednesday and even after the rain stopped, the water didn't recede. "The doctors live on campus so we weren't affected. However, there was waterlogging near the entrance and no one could leave or enter. Patients faced a lot of problems and even if they were discharged, there were no vehicles from Saat Rasta till Maratha Mandir due to the flooding," said a doctor.
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Amid the scramble for hospital beds, Shazia Shaikh, 35, had a harrowing couple of days trying to get her 85-year old father-in-law admitted at Nair Hospital. A resident of Grant Road, her father-in-law, Shakhawat Ali Shaikh, was suffering from chest congestion and was admitted at the CCC facility at NSCI, Worli, on September 18. "His test report came on Tuesday and after he tested positive, the doctors at NSCI said that we should take him to hospital as he needs more oxygen," said Shazia.
As she couldn't afford a private hospital, her family decided to shift him to Nair Hospital as dialysis services are available there. But they couldn't shift him due to the heavy rain. "We were told that there is too much waterlogging at Nair. They told us to wait until Thursday and when they have a vacant bed, they'll let us know," she said.
Similarly, waterlogging caused problems at the Wockhardt Hospital at Mumbai Central as the rainwater entered the lift. "We didn't lose power as we have generators. We are working as usual but there is water-logging and that will recede gradually. We have discharged patients today but no one is leaving because of the flooding," said a doctor requesting anonymity.
Also Read: Mumbai Rains: 83 per cent of average September rain in 24 hours stumps city
When contacted, Makarand Dagadkhaire, assistant municipal commissioner of E ward said while officials from the Storm Water Drains (SWD) department are working at the water-logging spots, heavy rain coupled with high tide complicated the situation. "The stormwater drains are clogged and pumps at the Haji Ali and Lovegrove pumping stations could not be turned on due to water-logging. We opened six manholes and 10 drains but there is backflow from the sea," he said adding that 11 teams with 3-4 officials each are working to help the water recede.
Congress corporator Javed Juneja blamed the SWD department for the situation. "We suspect that the ongoing Metro work may have damaged the SWD drains and the BMC needs to fix this problem.
Unless the larger issue is resolved, flooding will happen again," he said.
When contacted, officials at Wockhardt Hospital refused to comment.
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