Opposition Hits Out At Maharashtra Govt As Heavy Rains Lash Mumbai

Rain fury claimed 27 lives in Maharashtra, including 18 in a wall collapse in Mumbai, while the authorities declared a holiday in the city and adjoining regions, asking people to avoid stepping out of their houses.

Here are the live updates:

5.45 pm: Opposition hits out at Maharashtra govt

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan alleged that Bandra’s Kala Nagar, where Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray resides, faced water-logging and demanded the saffron party, which heads the BMC, apologise to citizens for “submerging” the city.

NCP leader Dhananjay Munde criticised the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP over water logging in Mumbai and demanded structural audits of roads, bridges and buildings in Mumbai following the wall collapse incidents, reported PTI.

3.29 pm: Over 14,000 million litres of water pumped out into sea, says BMC 

3.17 pm: High-level enquiry ordered into Malad wall collapse 

3.03 pm: Mumbai received 2nd highest rainfall in 45 years, says Fadnavis

2.25 pm: Warning down by one level, says IMD

“In the last 24 hours Colaba received 13 cm rain, Santa Cruz received 37 cm rain. From 11.30 pm-5.30 am, more than 200 mm was recorded. The situation is gradually improving, we have brought down the warning by one level. Isolated heavy rainfall is expected in Mumbai today,” IMD said.

2.01 pm: Trapped woman rescue from Malad wall collapse debris

The woman trapped under the debris of the wall collapse in Malad East has been rescued, NDTV reported. Teams led by the Mumbai Fire Brigade are attempting to rescue the 10-year-old child still trapped.

1.50 pm: IMD forecasts heavy rainfall in Mumbai

India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall expected in Mumbai and suburban parts in the next 48 hours. A similar situation is expected for Vidarbha and Marathwada. IMD advises tourists to not visit mountain areas since heavy rainfall is expected in parts of Maharashtra.

1.32 pm:  Heavy rains forecast till July 5

1.15 pm: Traffic update 

12.58 pm: Vistara flights cancelled

12.45 pm: Western Railway helpline numbers

12.27 pm: Moderate rain with strong gusty winds to continue over Mumbai during next 4-5 hours, Skymet forecasts

12.21 pm: Andheri subway flooded

12.13 pm: Fadnavis reviews situation

12.09 pm: Churchgate-Virar rains running as normal, says Wester Railway

12.01 pm:  May take up to 48 hours to operate main runway again, Mumbai airport says

“Our team is trying their best to bring the main runway back in operation and this may take up to 48 hours,” the Mumbai international airport tweeted .

Deluge in Mumbai 

Over 50 injured in a wall collapse in the northern suburb of Malad in Mumbai early Tuesday following heavy rains.

Authorities have declared Tuesday as a public holiday in Mumbai as the Indian Meteorological Department forecast heavy rains for the city.

“In the wake of the extreme heavy rainfall forecast by the IMD, the Government of Maharashtra has declared a public holiday on July 2 as a precautionary measure for Mumbai city and its citizens,” a civic official said. 

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday said that only emergency services will remain functional in Mumbai due to the incessant rains that has affected the road traffic and railways in the city.

Authorities have also advised people to avoid stepping out of their homes as the Indian Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rains. 

“The heavy rainfall has submerged the roads and rail tracks. Based on further inputs from other agencies, we have taken the decision to keep emergency services operational. We have appealed to the people not to venture out in this situation,” Brijesh Singh, the official spokesperson of the state government, said. 

Several parts of Mumbai received around 100 mm rainfall since Monday morning, affecting trains and the road traffic.

Trains affected

The Central Railway has also decided to run local trains in limited corridors due to water logging on the railway tracks.

“Trains will run in CSMT-Andheri - Goregaon section in harbour line. Vashi to Panvel in harbour line. Thane to Vashi and Panvel in trans harbour line. CSMT to Thane Karjat and Khopoli sections,” Sunil Udasi, the chief spokesperson of the Central Railway, said. 

He said the Central Railway with help of RPF jawans rescued thousands of passengers stranded in the midnight local trains and served them tea, biscuits and other edible items at stations. 

A senior official of the Western Railway said that its suburban services are running between Churchgate and Virar even if the frequency may be less. 

“Frequency may be less between Vasai Road & Virar due to receipt of outstation trains,” he said.

Flights cancelled, diverted

Altogether 54 flights were diverted and 52 cancelled at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport due to inclement weather.

A SpiceJet flight from Jaipur skid and overshot the main runway while landing at the Mumbai airport amid heavy rains on Monday, although none of the passengers were hurt in the incident, an airline spokesperson said.

Hindustan Times reported the plane has not been moved as authorities are waiting for an aircraft removal kit, which is only available with Air India and is yet to reach Mumbai from Mangalore.

18 dead in Malad wall collapse

A wall collapsed on shanties in the Malad area of Mumbai on Tuesday, killing at least 18 people as a second straight day of heavy rain disrupted rail and air traffic.

The incident happened around 2 am when the compound wall in Pimpripada of Malad east area collapsed and people living in shanties adjacent to wall got trapped under the debris.

NDRF officials said most of the deceased were people living in the slums. 

In Kalyan, at least three people were killed in a wall collapse incident on Tuesday.

(With PTI inputs)