The monsoon announced its arrival in the city on Saturday, and brought with it the chaos the maximum city is now known for. Heavy overnight showers led to large-scale waterlogging, throwing traffic out of gear. Suburban trains ran behind schedule and BEST buses had to be diverted on 70 routes. Two flights were diverted, but operations at the airport were not hampered otherwise.
Drushti Mungra, a 13-year-old girl, died after a tree fell on her at S.N. Dube Road, Dahisar (East) around 9.30 p.m. She was taken to a private hospital, but declared brought dead. Four passersby were injured after a portion of a slab of Munji House on Veer Savarkar Marg in Prabhadevi collapsed late on Friday. They were discharged after treatment.
Flooded for hours
Most parts of the city experienced thunder and heavy rain after midnight, while the island city and suburbs had consistent, moderate to heavy rainfall throughout Saturday.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city received 37 mm rainfall until 8.30 a.m. alone. Up to 8.30 p.m., the Colaba observatory recorded 157 mm rainfall and Santacruz recorded 64.4mm.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) automatic weather stations recorded 134 mm rainfall in the city, 54 mm in eastern suburbs and 87 mm in the western suburbs, up to 9 p.m. Among the areas that received the most rainfall up to 9 p.m. were Nariman Point (153 mm), Byculla (162 mm), Bhandup (101 mm), Bandra (134 mm), Andheri (137 mm) and Dindoshi (114 mm)
The IMD had downgraded its forecast for Saturday from ‘extremely heavy’ to ‘very heavy’. It has forecast similar heavy to very heavy rainfall on Sunday.
Most parts of the island city were inundated. Chronic spots like Hindmata, Parel TT, Sion’s road no. 24, King’s circle, Gandhi market, Dadar TT, Kalachowkie and Byculla were flooded for more than six hours, with water receding only in the evening. The suburbs saw limited waterlogging in Bandra and Kurla.
Traffic had to be diverted from King’s Circle to Bhaudani road; from Hindmata via its flyover; on Sion road no. 24; and from SV Road to Linking Road in Bandra.
“The intense rainfall led to flooding. All our pumps were operational and staff was on ground. We also ensured no manhole was left open,” said Keshav Ubale, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, F North ward.
An official from the Storm Water Drains Department said, “Most pumping stations had two to four pumps operational as per protocol. We also used trash booms at Irla nullah to ensure the floating garbage was prevented from going into the sluice gates.”
The BMC pressed 64 pumps into operation, and claimed that corrective measures at 120 spots prevented flooding at Andheri-Kurla road, Swagat hotel, Santacruz, Jaybharat Colony, Khar, Fitwala lane, Parel, and Vakola police station.
Delays and diversions
Water entered railway tracks at several locations on the Central and Harbour lines, most notably at Kurla, Matunga, Thane, Sandhurst Road, Chunabhatti and Wadala. Services were delayed by 20 to 30 minutes on the Central Line and by around 15 minutes on the Harbour Line. The Western Line did not face major delays.
Central Railway also imposed a power block between Matunga and Mulund stations from 10.35 a.m to 11.05 a.m. on the down slow line. The block was for the BMC to trim and cut trees that had been bent in the thunderstorm in the night. “While none of the trees were on Railway land, due to the high winds, their branches were bent and there was a risk of branches falling on the tracks,” said Sunil Udasi, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway. CR put all its pumps into use, including the two 1000 hp pumps at Kurla and Sion.
BEST buses on around 70 routes were diverted. Buses travelling via Bandra Talkies at SV Road were rerouted through Linking Road. At King Circle and Hindmata, buses took the flyover at the respective junctions. Buses were also be diverted at Pratiksha Nagar and Parel Tram Terminus junction.
More than six incidents of trees collapsing were also reported in the city.
Rail works affected
Commuters will have to wait a bit more for the new platform at Parel. Central Railway had planned an eight-hour block to complete the work on Sunday, but has shelved the plans due to the rain. Officials said realigning tracks on the down slow line would have been difficult in the rain.
Meanwhile, there will be no megablock on Central and Western lines on Sunday. There will be a megablock on the Harbour Line between 11.10 a.m. and 4.40 p.m. There will be no services between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Vashi, Panvel, Belapur, Bandra, Andheri and Goregaon. A special service will run between Kurla and Panvel.