'Go Out Only If Necessary': Maharashtra CM Shinde After 300 mm Of Rainfall Disrupts Life In Mumbai

Mumbai Rain: CM Eknath Shinde reviewed Mumbai's heavy rainfall situation, which caused waterlogging and disrupted train services. An orange alert is in place for Vidarbha, while Konkan and Goa are under a red alert for extreme rainfall.

Mumbai Rains: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday conducted a thorough review of the heavy rainfall situation in Mumbai, following an emergency meeting at Mantralaya and a visit to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) control room. The city received over 300 mm of rainfall in a span of six hours, leading to severe inundation in various areas, disrupting local train services on Central Railway routes and causing significant delays in out-station trains.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by state ministers Anil Patil, Deepak Kesarkar, and Mangal Prabhat Lodha, alongside senior officials including Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik and Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. The officials apprised Shinde of the situation, highlighting the deployment of 461 municipal pumps and 200 railway pumps to alleviate the waterlogging.

According to news agency IANS, Shinde urged citizens to venture out only if necessary. “Citizens should go out only if necessary. I am also appealing to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Police Administration and Emergency Services to cooperate,” he said. “Life has been disrupted in Mumbai due to heavy rains everywhere. There is a traffic jam on the road and the traffic on the railway line has also been affected. I have directed all emergency agencies to be on high alert,” he remarked.

“It has rained a lot in less time, more than the carrying capacity. Therefore, there was waterlogging on railway tracks and roads. BMC, state disaster team, and NDRF are on alert. I have been in touch with all the departments since morning. Central and Harbour rail line services have started,” stated Chief Minister Shinde. He added, “There is an orange alert in coastal areas. Army, Navy, and Air Force have been asked to stay on alert.”

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar noted that the rainfall equalled 10 per cent of Mumbai's annual precipitation. “Like cities in India and around the world, Mumbai is suffering from climate change like cities in India and around the world. We should build infrastructure keeping future environmental problems in view. We should take appropriate steps to face drought, flood, and storms 365 days a year,” Pawar added, as quoted by IANS.

The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar adjourned the House till 1 p.m. due to a lack of adequate quorum, as several ministers and legislators were stuck in trains. Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar criticised the state government’s preparedness, referencing Shinde's recent visit to water-logged areas. He slammed Shinde's 'green carpet' visit to the water-logged areas in Mumbai recently as he criticised the state government for the flooding in Mumbai following the first heavy rains during the present monsoon season.

However, the Speaker postponed the discussion to ensure a full quorum, as per IANS.

Monsoon 2024: IMD Issues Orange Alert For Maharashtra's Vidarbha, Red Alert For Konkan & Goa

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Vidarbha and a red alert for Konkan and Goa, forecasting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in these regions in the coming days.

In the 24 hours leading up to 8 a.m. on Monday, Mumbai's island city recorded an average of 115.63 mm of rainfall, with the eastern and western suburbs receiving 168.68 mm and 165.93 mm, respectively, PTI reported an official as saying. The highest rainfall was recorded in Govandi at 315.6 mm in the eastern suburbs and Malpa Dongri at 292.2 mm in the western suburbs.