Passengers suffer as autos make merry with no radio cabs at airport

Incessant rainfall, the heaviest of the season, lashed Mumbai on Monday and threw normal life out of gear. But the torrential downpour most affected the thousands of fliers arriving in the city, who had a harrowing time.

People arriving in Mumbai at the airport were in for a rude shock with no radio cabs being available due to the heavy rains. There was no radio cab at the airport from around 4 pm in the afternoon.

The radio cab companies refused the fares citing the traffic and unavailability of vehicles.

Shristi Banerjee, who arrived in the city from Kolkata to attend a two-day seminar, tried to book a radio cab, but was refused at the "last moment".

People trudge through ankle-level water at Santacruz in Mumbai on Monday. Pic/Sayed Sameer Abedi

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The passengers were stranded at the Mumbai airport, with many having to wait for hours before they could manage any form of transportation.

Taking advantage of the situation, auto rickshaws are seen charging double the fare.

52-year-old Alok Deshpande, who returned after enjoying a vacation in Delhi with his family, had to wait for more than an hour to get any transportation. And when he did get an auto for Borivali, he had to pay double the fare.

With the metrological department predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall for the next 48 hours, it remains to be seen if the situation at the Mumbai airport worsens.