Mumbai: Even four days after rain lashed the areas of Vasai, Virar and Nallasopara, marooning and crippling the movement of residents for nearly four days, the rainwater has yet to recede from their minds as well as the houses in the area. There are still several places which are waterlogged and without power.
People are busy clearing out the filthy water from their houses. But for all practical purposes, it appears like water off a duck’s back for the corporation, since no action has been taken until now. Residents have had to help themselves and each other, as there was hardly any assistance forthcoming from either the corporation or local politicians, even in the areas that were worst-affected. To pour on the miseries, they had to live without electric supply for almost three days. In some areas, the lights continue to be out.
A resident of Vasai (E) said she moved in with relatives in Borivli since rainwater had entered her house. “There was knee-deep water everywhere. We had shifted our luggage and other important things to the attic. I could not go to work for two days but how long will bosses allow you to stay away? We came to our relatives’ house in Borivli and we are still here, afraid of of getting trapped again,” said Sharon Gonsalves, 29, who lives in Evershine City on a rental basis.
Renters are beginning to have second thoughts on living here. Gonsalves says, “We are giving serious thought to continue living in this area because the situation will only worsen in the coming years due to rapid urbanisation.” She said her building’s meter box was on the ground floor as well.
The residents of these areas also said they had not witnessed such waterlogging in years. They attributed the problem to rampant illegal construction. Another Virar resident said he has been living in the area for more than 10 years and he has never seen such flooding. “We have been residents of Virar for more than a decade. Never did we endure what we did this year. There was a lot of open space which acted as a water outlet. But now, the water has nowhere to go,” said 30-year-old Jinal Vora.
They fear an action replay, or worse, were it to rain with such ferocity again in the area. People charged their mobile phones by unplugging CCTV cameras at railway stations. Prices of goods soared during the four days. A Nallasopara resident said he waited six hours to get a vehicle. Honey Panchigar, 25, said she wanted to go home without going to work from Vasai station but was unable to do so owing to rain. “Autorickshaws were charging thrice the actual fare. Even candles were being sold at Rs 60 per piece. There was much more to the rains than what has been shown,” she said.
A senior official from Virar-Vasai Municipal Corporation said fire brigade vehicles were always on the road to help those who were stuck. “Honestly, even we witnessed such a phenomenon for the first time in many years. But we will make sure such things don’t happen from next year,” said the official, adding, “There is nothing wrong in development. When there were no buildings, the area was considered like a ‘gaon’, and now that there are, they say there is rampant construction. I would describe it as fast-developing.”