Mumbai rain: Vasai industrial area hit

Operations at one of Maharashtra's biggest industrial area at Vasai, in the far western suburbs of Mumbai, has suffered due to the incessant rain that has lashed the region since the last four to five days.

It would take some time for the units to recover, particularly those situated at the ground level.

More than 12,000 industrial units are spread across Navghar, Gokhivare, Waliv, Sativali and Gauraipada, from the eastern side of the Vasai Road Suburban Station to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway.

Representatives of Gowalis Industrial Association (GIA), Vasai Industrial Association (VIA) and Vasai Industrial Manufacturers' Association (VIMA) said that the impact has been huge and it would take us some time to recover.

For nearly 37 to 40 hours, there was no electricity in Vasai area as there was water-logging at the sub-station of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co Ltd (MSEDCL).

"Its a big blow to us...it is difficult to quantify at this stage...the annual turnover is close to Rs 10,000 crore...for nearly four days, there has been no work, you can imagine and also add to it time to go full steam again...its enormous," said GIA president Ashok Grover.

The industrial holiday in this area is on Friday. This was followed by heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday, when attendance was low, as people could not travel from Mumbai and then the deluge of Monday and Tuesday.

"It was petty bad and it will take time for us to recover...," said VIMA president Ajay Modi.

"There is the smell of diesel and grease... We don't have so may pumps... we have to do it with buckets and tubs," Ajay Modi said, adding that he would have to replace machines and equipment to the tune of Rs 15 lakh.

"Commuting is still a problem for us because of water-logging in two small stretches," said GIA vice president Ashok Colaco, who took nearly one-and-a-half hour to commute from Vasai West to Vasai East.

VIA president Anil Amberder said that he has never seen faced such a situation in the last 30 years.

"In the Navghar area, most of the ground floors are flooded," he said, adding that his residence is near the Mithagar salt pans, which saw severe flooding.

"Earlier also we saw rain, there was water-logging, there has been flooding, but water never stayed back for two days...there is something wrong," Amberder said, adding that industry bodies would take up the issue with Palghar district administration and Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation.