Mumbai local train services were affected Tuesday as the city struggled with floods and waterlogging after heavy rainfall. Some delays were reported for local train services – the city’s lifeline because over 75 lakh travel daily – on Central and Western Railway routes.
At 10.30 am Central Railways’ chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said some trains on the Main and Harbour lines were running late. All trains, however, were still running, he said.
At 11 am Western Railways tweeted that all trains on the Mumbai suburban (Churchgate to Daharu Road) and Harbour Line (Mahin to Goregaon) were running normally.
Some road traffic woes were also reported from parts of the city. A video tweeted by news agency ANI showed vehicles navigating flooded roads at Sion Circle.
Meanwhile, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport (BEST) has announced route diversions: “Amid incessant rain in Mumbai and waterlogging… eight route diversions have been done at Sion Road No 24 and Shell Colony, Chembur, in Mumbai.”
Heavy rains also triggered a landslide in Panchsheel Nagar, ANI said. Fire vehicles are at the spot and no casualties have been reported so far, the fire brigade said.
People at Khandeshwar Railway Station in Navi Mumbai were seen wading through water.
Mumbai recorded 95.81 mm of rain in the last 12 hours.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde – facing a potential crisis just days after being sworn in – has called for a meeting in the morning to take stock of the situation amid heavy rain in parts of the state too. He directed officials to keep disaster response squads ready.
Administration officials of six districts have been told to prepare to evacuate people from flood-prone areas if needed, the chief minister’s office said. Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Kolhapur districts are on alert.
Mumbai and its adjoining areas witnessed heavy rain on Tuesday morning, with the weather department predicting moderate to heavy rain in Mumbai and its suburbs over the next 24 hours, with a possibility of very heavy showers at isolated places, civic officials said.
