Heavy downpour in Mumbai disrupts train services; NDRF on standby
Mumbai, Jul 22 (PTI) Several locations in Mumbai received over 200 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to 8 AM on Monday, with the intense rain in the morning briefly disrupting local train services during the rush hour between Kalyan and Thakurli stations, causing delays.
Some areas received up to 34 mm of rainfall in just one hour between 6 AM and 7 AM. The civic body claimed its Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) located across the city recorded more than 200 mm of rainfall at multiple locations in the last 24 hours ending at 8 AM.
Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Mumbai to tackle any situation amid the forecast of a high tide and moderate to heavy rains in the city and its suburbs, officials said.
In its latest forecast for the next 24 hours starting at 8 AM on Monday, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted "moderate to heavy rain in the city and suburbs", according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
A high tide of 4.59 meters is expected at 12.59 PM, the BMC stated.
Malabar and Mulund Hill recorded 34 mm of rainfall between 6 am and 7 am, followed by Bhandup with 29 mm, Wadala East with 24 mm, and Versova with 20 mm.
The city recorded significant rainfall in various locations, with the highest measurement of 241 mm reported at the AWS station in Trombay, Mankhurd. Other notable rainfall figures include 224 mm at Nutan Vidyamandir in Mankhurd, 223 mm at Nadkarni Park in Wadala, and 215 mm at the 'N' Ward Office in Bhandup, according to the BMC.
Additional rainfall measurements include 212 mm at Mankhurd Fire Station, 204 mm at Adarsh Nagar in Worli, 203 mm at Sewri Koliwada, and 202 mm at Ramabai Nagar in Ghatkopar.
Western Railway stated that local train services were running normally on Monday morning, however, commuters claimed trains were running late by 5 to 10 minutes.
Central Railway stated that local services on all four corridors were normal, but commuters complained of disruption between Kalyan and Thakurli stations due to signal failure in the morning rush hour.
"Many commuters had to walk on the tracks as trains were halted for a long time," a passenger said.
The CR's local train services were finally restored after an hour at around 7:40 AM, but many trains are running late by 20 to 25 minutes.
A civic official said buses of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) were not diverted.
A day earlier, heavy downpours pounded Mumbai and suburbs, inundating roads in many areas, diverting flights, and briefly affecting local train traffic between Dadar and Matunga stations.
The Mithi River, which originates in Sanjay Gandhi National Park and meets the Arabian Sea at Mahim, swelled due to continuous rainfall in Mumbai since Sunday. It was flowing at 1.5 meters on Monday morning, but its flood level reached 2.26 meters Sunday night.
In other parts of Maharashtra, Konkan and Vidarbha regions have been receiving heavy rainfall since the weekend, causing rivers to swell and low-lying areas to submerge. As a result, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in Mumbai and other parts of the state.
"We have deployed NDRF teams at Vasai (Palghar district), Thane, Ghatkopar and Powai (in Mumbai), Mahad (Raigad), Khed and Chiplun (Ratnagiri), Kudal (Sindhudurg), Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara due to the monsoon season as pre-positioning, apart from three teams in Mumbai and one team in Nagpur as regular deployment," an NDRF official said.
He said teams are on alert for any emergent response at their locations, conducting reconnaissance in low-lying and landslide-prone areas. PTI
