Mumbai: Samajwadi Party MLA from Bhiwandi East Raees Sheikh has welcomed the interim stay granted by the Supreme Court on Monday on some provisions of the Waqf Board (Amendment) Act, 2025 and expressed satisfaction.

On the court’s decision, Raees Sheikh said that the committee of the Waqf Board can have a maximum of four non-Muslim members. That is, a majority of the 11 should be with Muslims. The court has directed that wherever possible, the Chief Executive Officer of the board should be a Muslim.

The condition for becoming a member of the Waqf Board was to practice Islam for five years. The provision was suspended saying that this provision will not be implemented until the government makes clear laws. Raees Sheikh said that the court’s clarification that the Waqf Board cannot be deprived of its property until the ownership of the Waqf property is decided by the Waqf Tribunal and the High Court is a slap in the face of the central government.

This decision is temporary. No decision can be made until the rules of this law are formulated. But this interim decision is satisfactory and increases confidence in the court.

Navi Mumbai and large parts of Mumbai were inundated on Monday following heavy overnight and early-morning rains that led to serious waterlogging, road closures, and traffic chaos.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red nowcast warning for Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad districts early in the morning, forecasting intense to very intense showers, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds for the next few hours.

Many areas like Turbhe, Vashi, Kharghar and Sanpada have waterlogging at knees length making difficulty for commuters and even the shops to stay open. Videos of the areas are massively circulating on social media platforms

Andheri, Khar (Vakola), Panbai School North Bound Slip Road, King’s Circle, Lalbaug, Worli, Dadar, Parel, Kurla, significant water accumulation, up to 1 to 1.5 feet in some subways, has brought vehicular movement to a crawl. Suburban train services experienced delays of 10-15 minutes at stations like Bandra, Kurla, and Dadar, largely due to waterlogging on tracks.

Between Sunday night and the Monday morning, Mumbai’s Colaba observatory recorded over 100 mm of rainfall, with Santacruz, Bandra, Byculla, Juhu and eastern/western suburbs also seeing heavy downpours. The Island City averaged 111 mm. Localities prone to flooding saw potholes, submerged roads, and critical infrastructure under strain.

The IMD has upgraded alerts for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad are under red/nowcast warnings; Palghar, Pune & other adjoining regions have seen yellow or orange alerts depending on intensity.

The forecast for the coming 24-48 hours remains grim, heavy to very heavy rain expected at isolated places, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) are likely. Some relief may come after this period, but low-lying and coastal areas remain at high risk.

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.