Heavy rain lashes Mumbai, suburbs; transport in city affected

Heavy overnight rains were reported in the Mumbai metropolitan region affecting road and rail traffic on Wednesday morning.

However, there was no impact on arrivals and departures at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.

Intermittent rains are expected to continue in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) throughout Wednesday and Thursday.

In the last 24 hours ending 0830 hrs, Mumbai and its suburbs recorded 150 to 250 mm rainfall, according to information received from the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Regional Meteorological Centre of IMD.

People were seen wading through knee-deep and waist-deep waters in parts of Mumbai like Dadar, King’s Circle, Sion, Worli, Matunga, Nana Chowk, Grant Road, JJ Junction, Kala Chowkie, Hindmata, Bhendi Bazaar, Andheri subway, Goregaon and Dahisar.

The services of the Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) were badly affected. CR services from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Thane and Vashi stands suspended. WR services between Churchgate and Andheri stands suspended.

“Since last evening there have been heavy rains. The rains are likely to continue for the day. We are advising people to step out only if it is absolutely necessary,” BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said.

The people who were travelling in train and buses – particularly those in essential services were stranded because of waterlogging.

“There were very intense spells of rains throughout the night. Radar images indicates Mumbai Thane, Palghar, Raigad intense clouds, rainfall likely to continue in Mumbai and its suburban areas,” said IMD’s Deputy Director General of Meteorology KS Hosalikar.

Heavy water-logging was reported from areas like Sion, Matunga, Kurla, Chunabhatti, Byculla, Masjid Bunder, Goregaon and Dahisar.

Mumbai's civic transporter BEST has diverted several services.