Mumbai: With heavy rains over the past few days causing flood-like situation in parts of Maharashtra, state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal has urged the Devendra Fadnavis-led government to declare a “wet drought” and provide urgent assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare to the affected farmers.

Incessant rains over the past few days in various parts of the state, including capital Mumbai and its metropolitan region, threw life out of gear. Hundreds of people had to be shifted to safety due to flooding, which also damaged crops on a large scale.

In a letter addressed to CM Fadnavis, Sapkal said due to the recent downpour, floodwaters have entered agricultural lands, severely damaging standing crops.

“It is estimated that more than 15 lakh acres of farmland across the state has suffered extensive damages,” he said.

Around 17 districts in Marathwada, Vidarbha and Western Maharashtra regions have been worst hit, while North Maharashtra and Konkan regions have also reported significant losses, he said.

Major crops, such as jowar, bajra, urad, maize, soybean, moong, cotton, tur, fruits and vegetables, have suffered extensive damages, while sugarcane cultivated on thousands of hectares of land has also been affected, he added.

In some areas, farmers have even lost livestock, and Nanded district has reported loss of human lives, the Congress leader said.

“The already distressed farmers are now facing yet another natural calamity,” Sapkal said.

While the government has issued orders to conduct crop damage assessments (panchnamas), he urged the state to set aside all rules, conditions, and procedures in this time of crisis and immediately extend financial assistance to farmers.

He also demanded that the families of those who lost their lives be provided with compassionate support and relief.

On Tuesday, CM Fadnavis told reporters that crops spread across 12 to 14 lakh acres of land have been damaged due to heavy rains lashing different parts of the state.

Mumbai: The Central Railway Mumbai DRM shared the latest update regarding local train services in the city on Wednesday. According to the update, train services on the Central Main Line, Harbour Line, and Trans Harbour Line are running slightly behind schedule.

The delay in services has been attributed to the intense rainfall the city has been experiencing since Monday. Due to the heavy downpour, several trains were delayed and many services were cancelled on Tuesday. Although train operations have resumed today, some trains are still running slightly behind their usual timings.

In an X post shared by the Mumbai Central Railway DRM, they mentioned, “Train Services Update (Main Line / Harbour Line & Tran Harbour) Train services on both the Central Main Line/Harbour Line and Trans Harbour line are running slightly behind schedule time.”

In another news story from Maharashtra, a significant step toward upgrading Mumbai’s suburban railway system, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday approved the acquisition of 268 fully air-conditioned local trains, marking the largest single procurement of modern train sets for the city’s busy rail network.

The announcement came following a Cabinet infrastructure committee meeting led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He assured that fares for the AC local trains will remain equal to those of the existing non-AC general trains.

Speaking on the development, Fadnavis described the initiative as a “turning point” for Mumbai’s transport lifeline. The new air-conditioned rakes will come equipped with closed doors, automatic features, and metro-style amenities, progressively replacing the older open-door trains currently running on the Western and Central lines.

“This is about commuter safety, comfort, and speed. Most importantly, ticket fares will not increase,” the Chief Minister added. Procurement will begin once the Centre gives its approval.

Thane: The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has announced a 24-hour water cut in several parts of Thane from noon on Thursday, August 21, to noon on Friday, August 22. This water supply shutdown is being carried out to facilitate essential maintenance and repair work at the Jambhul Water Purification Centre.

During this period, areas under the Thane Municipal Corporation, including parts of Mumbra (zones 26 and 31), as well as all areas under the Kalla Water Supply Committee, Rupadei Pada, Gakshinir No. 2, Nehrunagar, Manpada Prasadgamit, and Kolshet Khalcha Vad will experience a complete water cut.

Residents are advised that after the water supply resumes, there may be low pressure for the next 1 to 2 days. The Thane Municipal Corporation has appealed to all citizens to use water judiciously and cooperate with the authorities during this maintenance period.

In a separate news story from Thane, two consecutive days of relentless rainfall have severely impacted Thane, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Dombivli, and Ulhasnagar, leading to widespread waterlogging and flooding across multiple residential areas, especially in Bhiwandi and Mumbra. The intense downpour has disrupted daily life, caused major traffic snarls, and pushed local rivers dangerously close to breaching safe levels.

Kamwari River Nears Danger Mark

The Kamwari River is nearing the danger mark, with floodwaters already entering homes in low-lying areas near Nadi Naka. In Bhiwandi, several areas have been submerged, including the Teen Batti vegetable market, Anjurphata-Kasheli Road near Holy Mary School, Nadi Naka Road, Mithpada Road, Gafur Basti, and Kalyan Road.

Shrikant Pardeshi, PRO of the Bhiwandi City Nizampura Municipal Corporation, said, “We have announced to the residents from Handi Compound, Sangampada, MHADA Colony, Azmi Nagar, and Kakubai Chawl to relocate a municipal school if the water level increases. We’ve also arranged 3,000 meal kits for them.”