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Maharashtra

Mumbai Rains: Waterlogging, Severe Traffic Jams Trigger Outrage Among Activists And Citizens Over Authorities’ Failures Despite Crore-Worth Investments

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2 months ago

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Mumbai: Nearly two decades ago, Mumbaikars endured a nightmare that still lingers in their memories. Despite investing several crores of rupees, the city remains plagued by persistent waterlogging and severe traffic disruptions.

Last Wednesday, this ongoing issue came to a head, prompting backlash from activists, citizens’ associations, and former corporators who condemned the civic body for its repeated failures.

This Friday was no exception, as heavy rainfall continued from Thursday night, leading to widespread waterlogging and significant traffic disruptions across major routes. Multiple vehicle breakdowns exacerbated the traffic jams, particularly in the central and western suburbs.

As per data received from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) the city has received more than its monthly average rainfall in just five days of rainfall that began on September 23. During this period, the city recorded 393 mm of rain from September 23 to 27, exceeding the monthly average of 359.6 mm.

This significant rainfall also pushed the total seasonal precipitation past 3,000 mm, with the Santacruz observatory recording 3,016 mm as of the morning of September 27.

On Friday, One of the major disruptions occurred at the Andheri subway, which was closed after it became heavily waterlogged. This forced traffic authorities to divert vehicles to the Gokhale Bridge. Several vehicles broke down in the area, exacerbating the already dire traffic situation.

The day began with a major traffic jam at the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) connector caused by a BEST bus breakdown, worsening congestion amid peak-hour traffic and the closure of the Sion Road Over Bridge (ROB).

As rainfall intensified in the western suburbs, waterlogging in areas like Andheri led to the subway’s closure. The Eastern Freeway experienced water accumulation and low visibility, significantly slowing traffic and impacting movements in the eastern suburbs and South Mumbai, including P. D’Mello Road.

Mumbai Traffic Police reported additional disruptions across the city, including delays at Aarey Bridge due to a tempo breakdown, Marine Plaza in South Mumbai from a bus breakdown, and Airoli Bridge from a car breakdown.

Other blockages were reported at Sion Hospital Road from a fallen tree, Dindoshi on Altamount Road due to a vehicle breakdown, and the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road, where another vehicle broke down. 

Meanwhile, recent rainfall has led to the identification of several new flooding hotspots, including Mankhurd, Govandi, Godrej Jetty in Vikhroli East, Bhandup and Powai.

Civic data reveals that Mankhurd recorded an astonishing 276.20 mm of rain between 6 pm and 10 pm on Wednesday, while Bhandup received 198.39 mm. The average rainfall in the eastern suburbs during this period was 167.48 mm.

Overflowing drains also caused waterlogging on the railway tracks severely affecting Central and Harbour Railway services. Reflecting on the past, activists noted that on July 26, 2005, the city was overwhelmed by 944 mm of rainfall in just 24 hours.

Today, even a mere 200 mm can result in flooding. The rampant concretisation has destroyed natural drainage systems, leaving no place for rainwater to go. Additionally, construction debris and garbage dumped in nullahs continue to choke stormwater drains, worsening the situation, activists expressed.

The civic body claimed that around 300 dewatering pumps were activated on Wednesday. However, sources noted that many of these pumps were unable to handle the water pressure and failed to recede rainwater quickly.

Former Opposition leader Ravi Raja expressed his frustration, stating, “Shame on the BMC for their failure to properly cover nullahs or fix manholes. They have squandered hundreds of crores yet still fail to fulfill their responsibilities. The annual spending on desilting work is merely eyewash—public money goes down the drain.”

The Andheri subway has been shut down multiple times this monsoon. Dhaval Shah, founder of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association, added, “The narrowing of the nullah has obstructed water flow. The BMC doesn’t need to implement fancy solutions; they simply need to remove encroachments near Mogra nullah.”

Activist Godfrey Pimenta expressed concern, stating, “Despite substantial taxpayer investments in infrastructure, the situation is deteriorating. We’re witnessing the alarming collapse of bridges, flooding in subways, crumbling buildings, and frequent fire incidents. It’s clear that the BMC has failed to fulfill its mandate for effective civic management.”

Environmental activist Zoru Bhathena added, “In 2005, the city experienced exceptional rainfall of 944 mm, but now even 200 mm leads to waterlogging in several areas. It’s shameful that the situation hasn’t improved. Rainwater should be absorbed by the ground, with excess flowing into the drains. The BMC spends crores annually on drains and concrete, but where will the water go?”.

Meanwhile, a senior civic official, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted, “The IMD issued a red alert at 5:40 PM on Wednesday, but heavy rain had already started, and commuters were heading home. When we pump out water, it should go into the stormwater drains; however, the nallahs and drains were overflowing, leaving us unable to dispose of the excess water. In recent years, we’ve seen changing rainfall patterns, resulting in record levels of rain in specific areas.”

The official added that coastal cities like Mumbai are increasingly vulnerable due to extensive concretisation, which limits natural drainage and reduces water absorption capacity. “The stormwater drains in the suburbs can handle around 50 mm of rain per hour, while the island city has underground drains. We are currently identifying new flooding spots alongside the existing ones, and our officials will inspect each site to determine remedial measures,” he added.

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Maharashtra

Byculla, Maharashtra Assembly Elections Results 2024: Can Yamini Jadhav Defend Her Turf In Sena vs Sena Battle Against Manoj Jamsutkar?

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5 mins ago

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November 23, 2024

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Mumbai: As the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Elections Results 2024 are set to be revealed on Saturday, November 23, all eyes are on key constituencies like Byculla, a key seat in Mumbai. The constituency is part of the Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency and has been a focal point of intense political competition.

Byculla is one of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and is designated as constituency number 184. The seat falls under the general category and is located in Mumbai City District. Currently, Byculla is represented by Yamini Jadhav of Shiv Sena (Shinde faction).

In the 2024 elections, Yamini Jadhav will face a tough fight from the Shiv Sena UBT candidate Manoj Jamsutkar, making it a key battle to watch. Jadhav secured her victory in 2019 by defeating AIMIM’s Waris Pathan with a sizeable margin of over 20,023 votes, but this time, the political dynamics have shifted.

Byculla has a total of 2,58,856 registered voters, as per the Election Commission’s latest figures. With a diverse demographic composition, the seat often witnesses polarized voting patterns.

Current Political Scenario in Maharashtra

The ruling coalition, Mahayuti, led by Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena-Shinde), Devendra Fadnavis (BJP), and Ajit Pawar (NCP-Ajit Pawar), currently holds 202 seats in the assembly. Of these, BJP accounts for 102 seats, NCP (Ajit) has 40, Shiv Sena (Shinde) has 38, and smaller parties hold the remaining 22 seats.

On the other hand, the opposition alliance, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), led by Sharad Pawar (NCP-Sharad Pawar), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT) and Nana Patole (Congress) holds 69 seats. Congress leads the MVA with 37 seats, followed by Shiv Sena (UBT) with 16 and NCP (Sharad Pawar) with 12.

Byculla is considered crucial for both alliances. For the ruling Mahayuti, retaining the seat will showcase its strength in Mumbai, while a win for MVA could indicate a shift in urban voting preferences.

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Maharashtra

Worli, Maharashtra Assembly Election Results 2024: Aaditya Thackeray Looks To Defend Turf Against Milind Deora

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14 mins ago

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November 23, 2024

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Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Election Results 2024 are set to be declared on Saturday, November 23. All eyes are on the big fight between the ruling Mahayuti, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena – Shinde) alongwith Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis (BJP), Ajit Pawar (NCP), and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) led by Sharad Pawar (NCP-Sharad Pawar) and Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT). Worli Assembly constituency is one of the key constituencies everyone has their eyes on. Worli assembly constituency falls in Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency.

Worli constituency is one of the 288 seats from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly up for grabs. The constituency, designated by number 182, falls in Mumbai City District. Worli, the general category constituency, is currently represented in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly by Aaditya Thackeray from Shiv Sena (UBT).

Past polls

In Maharashtra Legislative Assembly 2019 elections, Aaditya Thackeray defeated Nationalist Congress Party’s Suresh Mane by 67427 votes. Thackeray got 89248 votes while Mane got 21821 votes.

Before Aaditya Thackeray, the constituency was represented in Maharashtra assembly by Sunil Shinde (Shiv Sena).

Worli Legislative Assembly Constituency:

As per 2011 census, there are 271,277 voters in Worli constituency.

Worli is broadly considered to be a bastion of Shiv Sena with a large Maharashtrian population but in past, other parties like the NCP have been able to snatch the seat.

The constituency is in focus this time due to clash between various factions of Shiv Sena and NCP. It is likely that fight for Worli would become a prestige issue for both, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Shiv Sena (Shinde) factions.

Issues In Worli Assembly Constituency:

Two of the prominent issues in Worli are demands of the fisherfolk with respect to the coastal road and redevelopment of the BDD chawls.

Current situation In Maharashtra Assembly:

Currently, that is in the run up to assembly elections 2024, the ruling disposition in Maharashtra has 202 MLAs with it. Out of these, BJP has 102 seats, NCP (Ajit Pawar) has 40, Shiv Sena (Shinde) has 38 and other parties have 24.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has 69 seats in its kitty. Out of these, Congress has 37, Shiv Sena (UBT) has 16, NCP (Sharad Pawar) has 12 while other parties have six seats. Fifteen seats are vacant.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Assembly Election Results 2024, Baramati Constituency: Know About Candidates, Parties, Vote Share & More

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31 mins ago

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November 23, 2024

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Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Election Results 2024 are set to be declared on Saturday, November 23. Baramati City, located in the western section of the state, falls under the Pune Division. The constituency is part of the 288 Vidhan Sabha (state legislative assembly). This is constituency number 201 in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. The Baramati Assembly constituency is a part of the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency.

The Lok Sabha constituency encompasses Daund, Purandar, Bhor, Indapur, and Khadakwasla as well. As per the 2011 census, the city recorded a population of around Baramati taluka with a population of 429,600 and a literacy rate of 82.27%. 

The Nationalist Congress Party secured victory in the 2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections. Baramati is located in the Pune district of the Maharashtra State. 

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Nationalist Congress Party –Sharadchandra Pawar candidate Supriya Sule won the Baramati Lok Sabha (MP) Seat with a margin of 158333 votes by defeating Sunetra Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party.

History of Baramati Assembly constituency 

Since 1978, NCP has achieved victory 5 times, while BJP has secured it 2 times. In 1978, the Independent’s Satpute Bhaguji Niwarte secured the seat and garnered a total of 19,010 votes. In 1980, Gangadhar Nilkanth Swami from the Indian National Congress (U) secured the position, beating Veena Bansilal Khare of INC (I).

In 1985, Bhaguji Nivartti Satpute from the Indian Congress (Socialist) secured the position by overcoming INC’s Anant Shankarrao Jagatkar. In 1990, BJP candidate Vimal Nandkishor Mundada secured the seat by garnering 35,957 votes, defeating INC’s Bhaguji Niwarti Satpute. In 1995, BJP’s Dr Vimaltai Nandkishore Mundada triumphed over INC’s Satpute Bhagoji Nivrutti Rao.

In 1999, Dr. Mundada Vimaltai Nandkishor from the Nationalist Congress Party secured the seat with a margin of 45,835 votes over BJP’s Shete Devendra Purshottam. Dr. Vimaltai Nandkishor Mundada of the NCP secured the seat by defeating BJP candidate Wadmare Chandrashekhar Vishnupant in the 2004 assembly election. NCP has secured the seat in the elections of 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. In the 2024 Assembly election, Ajit Pawar from NCP will be fighting against NCP’s (SP) Rahul Kalate. 

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