17 August,2022 08:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
The flooded Andheri subway on Tuesday
Mumbaikars were on Tuesday morning caught unawares by the heavy rainfall, as the weather bureau had issued a green alert for the city, which means all is well. Office-goers crossing the subways in Malad and Andheri were stuck in traffic jams for hours, with rain flooding both the underpasses. There were traffic jams, caused mostly by poor roads, despite Tuesday being a bank holiday. Commuters wonder what lies ahead for them on Wednesday, when people return from their long weekend trips.
"Imagine the chaos on a bank holiday with so much traffic. What will happen tomorrow, a working day? There were no warnings of any kind either from the IMD or the civic body," a commuter said. The India Meteorological Department upgraded the alert from green to yellow by afternoon as heavy rain continued to lash Mumbai and its adjoining areas.
Also read: Recall 26 July 2005: 17 years since Mumbai witnessed dreadful monsoon
Vehicles pass through Malad subway as water clears, on Tuesday. Pic/Anurag Ahire
Many areas in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai recorded over 70 mm of rainfall between 11 am and 2 pm on Tuesday, the IMD confirmed. The intense spell led to inundated roads in many areas across the city.
The Andheri subway was closed for over two hours due to waterlogging in the morning. Sources said it was closed at 10 am and the traffic was diverted to S V Road via Gokhale bridge junction. While the traffic police said the subway had 0.5 feet water, locals tweeted that the waterlogging was 1.5-feet deep. The subway was opened for traffic around noon after the water was cleared. The Andheri subway was shut three other times this monsoon due to waterlogging--on July 12, 13 and August 9. The subway in Malad had to be closed briefly, too.
Karan Jothwani, who commutes from Oshiwara to Marol for work, said he spent nearly two hours to reach the office. "Usually, it takes me about 30-45 minutes to reach my office in Marol. But, today, I spent double that time on travel," he said. Another commuter Kiran Loke said the heavy rain spoiled most of the roads, which are now full of potholes. "It is because of the potholes and diversions that there were traffic jams. Why can't the authorities fix the roads once and for all," he said.
Central Mumbai's low-lying area, like Hindmata, had no water accumulation owing to the pumps installed by the BMC.
There was no major impact on the services on Central Railway and Western Railway. "Pune-Mumbai Deccan Queen developed a loco trouble at Thane station around 10.24 am. It was taken to Vidyavihar loop via the 6th line and it departed towards CSMT at 12.33 pm," a CR spokesperson said. BEST services, too, were operational with some diversions.
After heavy rain over the catchment areas, stock in all seven lakes that supply water to Mumbai and its suburbs increased to 95.5 per cent of its total capacity. The usable content of water in the lakes has reached 13,81,050 MLD as against its total capacity of 14,47,363 MLD.
K S Hosalikar, scientist and head of IMD, Pune, said, "Following a few rounds of heavy rainfall, few places in western suburbs, Thane, Kalyan already received rainfall between 70 mm and 100 mm. Mumbai and adjoining areas experienced moderate to intense spells of rain intermittently. This is likely to continue. This is the effect of the weather system over west Madhya Pradesh strengthening the westerlies at lower levels over the North Konkan side."
Over the next 48 hours, Mumbai and its suburbs would have a cloudy sky, said the IMD, adding that there is a possibility of moderate rain, with heavy rainfall at isolated places. As per the IMD, the Santacruz observatory recorded 1,955.1 mm of rain from June 1 to August 16, and Colaba 1,534.2 mm.
According to private weather forecasting agency Skymet, light to moderate rain with one or two heavy spells are possible over Konkan, Goa and Madhya Maharashtra. Scattered light to moderate rain may occur over the remaining parts of Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Konkan and Goa.
Kiran Loke, commuter caught in flooded subway
âIt is because of the potholes and diversions that there were traffic jams. Why can't the authorities fix the roads once and for all'
Karan Jothwani, Oshiwara resident who works at Marol
âUsually, it takes me about 30-45 minutes to reach my office in Marol. But, today, I spent double that time on travel'
