Mumbai: As the city of Mumbai and suburban areas continue to face intense weather, significant rainfall overnight has led airlines and the Mumbai Police to issue urgent travel alerts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has released red nowcast alerts for Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad districts, predicting heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds.

More than 100 mm of rainfall was noted at the Colaba observatory, resulting in water accumulation, road closures, and warnings for coastal and low-lying regions. An orange alert has been raised from yellow, indicating continuous rain.

Airlines, such as IndiGo, are informing travelers to anticipate delays and verify flight statuses, especially since roads leading to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport are impacted by waterlogged conditions.

The Mumbai Traffic Police have changed routes because of flooding; key subways and underpasses, such as the Andheri subway, are shut down, leading to significant traffic jams in affected regions.

Authorities have additionally urged residents to steer clear of coastal and low-lying regions, reminding them to contact emergency services if necessary. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has informed about the top 10 places in Mumbai with the record of highest rainfall from September 15 from midnight to 8 AM.

Pali Chimbai, Bandra saw 176 mm, recording maximum rain while Worli Fire Station recorded 170 mm, and Adarsh Nagar in Worli was at 168 mm. Ari Tank in Bandra recorded 158 mm of rainfall while Bandra Fire Station and Frosberry Reservoir recorded 167 mm.

Dadar Fire Station recorded 160 mm, Colaba Fire Station had 159 mm rain. The lowest rainfall in Mumbai was recorded in Khar Danda, Pali Hill and A Ward Office at 148 mm and 137 mm, respectively.

Apart from Mumbai, Pune is also facing challenging weather conditions, leading to delays in flights and problems with visibility. The IMD has issued an orange alert for Pune, predicting comparable thunderstorms and increasing rainfall, with certain regions of Maharashtra, such as Raigad and Satara, being monitored.

Travellers are advised to prepare in advance, stay updated on travel information, steer clear of identified danger zones, and stay inside until conditions get better.

Thane: A portion of the gallery at a chawl collapsed in Maharashtra’s Thane district, trapping 10 persons, officials said on Monday.

The incident took place around 10.30 pm on Sunday, they said, adding the trapped persons were later rescued and all 40 flats in the chawl (row tenement) were vacated as a precautionary measure.

A part of the gallery slab on the first floor of the Sanjay Mhatre Chawl collapsed in Diva area, Thane Municipal Corporation’s disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said.

Ten persons were trapped in three flats on the first floor and the fire brigade personnel later rescued them, he said.

The single-storey chawl, estimated to be 15 to 20 years old, is not listed as a dangerous building, he said.

Given the precarious condition of the structure, further safety measures were taken.

There are a total of 40 flats in the chawl and they were vacated as a precautionary measure. Around 35 to 40 residents have been advised to temporarily shift to their relatives’ house until further inspection and repairs, the official said.

Mumbai: The Borivali police have booked the heirs of a developer for allegedly submitting forged documents to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in an attempt to reclaim around 2.5 acres of land previously surrendered to the BMC for additional Floor Space Index (FSI).

The case, registered on August 4 following a BMC complaint, is under investigation by the crime branch. According to the FIR, BMC records from 1967 show that 67,932.75 sq. m of land in Kandivali West belonged to Nanubhai Bhat. Of this, 29,696.34 sq. m was reserved by the BMC for civic amenities like schools, hospitals, and parks. In 1973, Bhat formed M/s Indian Plabango with his five children.

On March 23, 1978, the company informed the BMC it would surrender the reserved land for additional FSI. On May 15, 1978, the land was transferred to the BMC, which issued a receipt granting 50% FSI on reservation plots and 100% FSI on the DP Road to Bhat’s company. Bhat’s company built 18 residential buildings on the unreserved five acres for G.B.J.J. Cooperative Housing Society.

The BMC mandated transferring ownership of the surrendered land and constructing a boundary wall, but the company failed to comply. In 2002, Bhat’s five children— Jagdish Bhat, Sureshchandar Bhat, Girish Bhat, Vatsla Joshi, and Malini Dave—allegedly added their names as heirs to the disputed land without BMC’s knowledge, despite its prior surrender.

The FIR alleges that on February 19, 2004, the heirs fraudulently executed the BMC-acquired land to third parties via a power of attorney given to M/s Shah and Sons partners Vadilal Shah and Vijay Seth. In October 2024, Vadilal Shah transferred this power of attorney to his wife, Bhavana Shah, who, with her son Rinkesh Shah, conducted sale and purchase transactions on the land, which was already in BMC’s possession for public amenities.

Sunil Shete, a 41-year-old Assistant Engineer from RCentral Ward, filed the complaint on behalf of BMC. The accused face charges under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), 318(4) (cheating), 336(3) (forgery), 338 (forgery of valuable security), and other relevant sections.