Navi Mumbai faced waterlogging in several low-lying areas on Friday afternoon after continuous rainfall brought traffic movement to a standstill in parts of the city.

The Sanpada underpass was inundated, leading to long delays for vehicles, while stretches along Turbhe MIDC Road were also submerged. At the APMC vegetable market, one of the busiest trading hubs, traders and visitors had to wade through waterlogged passages, slowing down daily operations.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city will continue to experience a cloudy sky with moderate spells of rain over the next 24 hours.

Data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) shows that Mumbai’s island city recorded 20.36 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending 8 am Friday. The western suburbs logged 17.55 mm, while the eastern suburbs saw 14.68 mm in the same period.

Looking ahead, weather conditions between August 30 and September 1 are expected to remain generally cloudy with moderate rainfall. On August 30, showers are not expected to be severe, with no warnings issued. The trend is forecast to continue on August 31 and September 1 with intermittent moderate rain and cloud cover, but no alerts in place, indicating minimal disruptions despite wet weather.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday condemned the abusive remarks made against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his mother during an INDIA bloc event in Bihar.

Responding to the incident, Shah said, “I want to urge Rahul Gandhi that if he has even a little bit of shame left, he must apologise to Modi ji, to his late mother, and to the people of this country. May God give wisdom to everyone.”

Speaking at ‘NDA Panchayat Pratinidhi Sammelan’ in Assam’s Guwahati, he said, “Congress leaders have committed the most condemnable act by using derogatory words against PM Modi’s mother during their Ghuspaithiya Bachao Yatra. I condemn it. Every Congress leader has spoken derogatory words against PM Modi.”

Stepping up the attack against the Congress, Shah alleged the grand old party was spreading a “culture of hatred” in politics. “The more the Congress abuses, the more BJP wins,” he stated. Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, Shah said that he was misleading people in Bihar and called his ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ a ‘Ghuspaithiya Bachao Yatra’.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said, “Truth and non-violence prevail, untruth and violence cannot stand before them. Beat and break, as much as you want to beat and break, we will continue to protect the truth and the constitution. Satyameva Jayate.”

The controversy erupted after an expletive was used against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother by some Congress workers during Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra in the poll-bound state of Bihar. Angered by this, BJP filed an FIR in Patna and demanded an apology from the Congress MP.

A video, which has gone viral on social media, shows Congress workers using derogatory language against PM Modi from the dais, behind which a poster featuring Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Tejashwi Yadav can be seen.

According to reports, it was the same point in Darbhanga from where Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders left for Muzaffarpur on motorcycles.

The remarks were met with condemnation from ruling parties. Bihar Chief Minister, in a post on X, wrote:

“The use of indecent language against PM Narendra Modi Ji and his late mother from the Congress and RJD platforms during the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Darbhanga is extremely unbecoming, and I condemn it,” wrote the CM in a post on X on Friday.

Mumbai: Motorists and daily commuters in Mumbai faced major disruptions on Friday as a large crowd gathered around Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), while a protest at Azad Maidan led to widespread traffic congestion across South Mumbai.

The Central Railway’s Mumbai Division issued an advisory on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), urging passengers to avoid travelling to CSMT unless absolutely necessary. “In view of the heavy crowd gathering in and around the CSMT station, passengers are advised to travel to CSMT only if essential and unavoidable,” the advisory stated.

The warning sparked concern among office-goers who had already reached their workplaces earlier in the day, many of whom were unsure about how they would return home in the evening amidst the mounting chaos.

The Mumbai Traffic Police also released a traffic alert, cautioning motorists to avoid the Eastern Freeway due to the ongoing protest at Azad Maidan. “Due to agitation at Azad Maidan, avoid using Freeway. Please plan accordingly,” the department advised.

The protest, which drew significant crowds near one of the city’s busiest railway stations and arterial routes, led to long traffic jams, adding to the daily burden of Mumbai’s already overtaxed transport infrastructure.

Several users took to X to voice their frustration. “Why allow a protest which will cause daily commuters hardship?” one user questioned, tagging the Mumbai Traffic Police. Another, Darshil Desai, wrote, “Why allow any agitation on a working day? There is already traffic on Mumbai roads and now this. Why increase daily commuters’ hardship?”

Other users highlighted concerns about maintaining cleanliness and order around CSMT during such high-footfall situations, with one noting, “CSMT is our heritage! Please make sure to maintain cleanliness and hygiene across!”

“Friday’s disruptions highlight just how difficult it is for the authorities to strike a balance between allowing peaceful protest and keeping the city running smoothly,” said Mahesh Jain, 44, a daily commuter. “With more demonstrations expected before the elections, the authorities need to coordinate better among themselves before granting permission for such protests in the future.”