Mumbai braces for traffic jams as heavy rain, waterlogging is expected on Monday

Brace yourself for traffic snarls and waterlogging as heavy rains are expected to greet you on Monday morning.

After heavy rainfall over the weekend, weather forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mumbai department suggests heavy rainfall in some parts of the city and the suburbs.

The traffic police have taken precautions and issued a notification to the department to be prepared for Monday jams in case of heavy rainfall. To ensure smooth traffic, especially during peak hours, the traffic police have made elaborate arrangements.

With more than 2,000 traffic constables and 750 wardens to be out on the roads on Monday, the traffic police have been instructed to be prepared for waterlogging owing to mega projects such as Metro construction.

The traffic police have kept heavy bandobast on the Western Express Highway, SV Road and Link Road in the Western Suburbs because of this.

Diversions will also be in place in case the water reaches a level such that vehicles cannot travel. “Commuters are suggested to keep a check on Twitter and radio channels as we will be communicating about the diversions,” said Amitesh Kumar, joint commissioner of police (traffic).

Waterlogging is expected in several areas including Malabar Hill, Hindmata, Dharavi, Byculla, Dadar TT, Kabutarkhana at Dadar, King Circle, Nagpada, Santacruz (East) and Marol Maroshi, Andheri subway, among others.

Officers said they will keep towing vehicles and keep electric water pumps on standby so that they can be deployed at the earliest in areas witnessing waterlogging.

Along with this, the police will be broadcasting messages on high tides on radio channels and electronic boards.

Don’t step out without your umbrella

Rain-bearing clouds enveloped the city for the second consecutive day and brought downpour across the city on Sunday.

As against Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded more rain in the suburbs as compared to south Mumbai on Sunday. Between 8.30am and 8.30pm on Sunday, the Santacruz weather station recorded 94.7mm rain, while the rain gauge at Colaba recorded 16.6mm. Rainfall across Mumbai recorded between Saturday 8.30am and Sunday 8.30am ranged from very heavy in south Mumbai (151.2mm) to moderate in suburbs (31.7mm).

Saturday’s weather conditions continued to prevail on Sunday as well. “The offshore trough at mean sea level from south Gujarat coast to Kerala coast continues to persist. Cyclonic circulation continues to lie over north Konkan (includes Mumbai) and adjoining south Gujarat, and over south Konkan and its neighbourhood,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region, IMD.

IMD has forecast intermittent rain or showers to occur in city and suburbs with heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places on Monday. Sunday’s showers brought down temperatures even though humidity levels continued to stay high. From June 1 to June 24, Colaba station has received 595.3mm and Santacruz station, which is representative of Mumbai, has recorded 455.5mm. IMD has set 523.1mm as the average rainfall that Mumbai usually records in June.