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

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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.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Congress Alleges Discrepancies In EVM Numbers In Mira Bhayandar

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Questioning the sanctity of the election process and accuracy of election results which are to be declared on counting day scheduled on Saturday (23, November), the Congress party has alleged discrepancies in the number of votes polled at various booths in the Mira Bhayandar (145) assembly constituency.

In his letter to the returning officer, Congress leader-Anil Sawant who was the election representative of MVA candidate- Muzaffar Hussain pointed out mismatch of 386 additional votes between the data in form 17-C and figures generated by the electronic voting machines (EVM), even as clarity eludes actual figures at some of the other booths.

Seeking an official explanation from the returning officer, Sawant has also alleged that the mock drill votes were also included in the polling figures. According to the figures released by the returning officer, the constituency recorded a voter turnout of 51.75 percent as 2,64,534 out of the 5,10,862 voters exercised their franchise.

However, form 17C shows a count of 51.67 percent which translates into a difference of 0.08 percent (386 votes) on the higher side. Moreover, the complainant has also raised a serious question mark on the delay in publication of the figures of the postal ballots.

While form 17A is used to record the details of every voter who comes into a polling booth and casts his/her vote, form 17C is an account of all the votes recorded. Under Rule 49S(2) of the Conduct of Elections Rules-1961, a presiding officer is mandated to furnish a copy of the entries made in form 17C to the polling agents of the candidates at the close of polling.

7C is crucial as the voter turnout data in this form can be used to legally challenge an election result. The Congress party is expected to take an aggressive stand if the anomalies are not rectified before the counting process.

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Ex-NCB Officer Sameer Wankhede Moves Bombay HC Seeking CBI Probe Against NCP Leader Nawab Malik

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Ex-NCB Officer Sameer Wankhede Moves Bombay HC Seeking CBI Probe Against NCP Leader Nawab Malik

Mumbai: IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has moved the Bombay High Court, seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or court-monitored probe into an FIR he filed in 2022 against former state minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Wankhede, an Additional Commissioner in the Directorate General of Taxpayer Services (DGTS) and a member of the Mahar Scheduled Caste, alleges that the police’s inaction in the matter has caused him and his family significant mental distress and humiliation.

On August 14, 2022, Wankhede filed an FIR with the Goregaon police station against Malik. Malik has neither been arrested in the case, nor has the chargesheet been filed in the case till date. 

Former NCB zonal officer, who shot to fame after arresting actor Shah Rukh Khan son, Aryan Khan, in the 2021 Cordelia Cruise drug bust case, had also arrested Malik’s son-in-law Sameer Khan. 

Wankhede has alleged that after Sameer Khan’s arrest, Malik launched a sustained campaign to defame and humiliate him and his family on social media and television, targeting their caste and questioning the authenticity of Wankhede’s caste certificate. 

The officer had earlier filed a complaint with the Scheduled Caste Commission in October 2021, seeking action against Malik. 

Despite a restraining order issued by the High Court in a separate defamation suit prohibiting Malik from making defamatory remarks, Wankhede claims Malik continued to violate the order, including questioning the validity of his caste certificate as recently as on October 27, 2024. 

A caste scrutiny committee has since upheld the authenticity of Wankhede’s certificate in a detailed 91-page report.

Malik Influenced State Police To Delay Probe: Sameer Wankhede

Wankhede alleges that Malik has influenced the state police to delay the investigation. He points out that critical provisions under the SC/ST Act have yet to be added to the FIR despite multiple reminders to the Goregaon police. “Respondent No. 2 (Malik), with his muscle power, influence and money power is controlling the state police machinery and continues to commit further offence, this can be overtly witnessed as how the Accused (Malik) is openly giving interviews to various media platforms and us wandering freely and yet no arrest is affected despite being no protective order,” the petition, filed through advocate Sana Khan,  read.

Wankhede seeks the court’s direction to transfer the investigation to an independent agency or the CBI, ensure the addition of necessary provisions under the SC/ST Act, and order the submission of a detailed report on the investigation’s progress.

Wankhede has also highlighted a similar FIR filed by his cousin, Sanjay Wankhede, which has faced the same lack of action. He contends Malik’s actions are politically motivated, aimed at influencing voters before elections.

The petition is likely to come up for hearing on November 28. 

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Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Mumbai Sees Marginal Rise In Voter Turnout, Suburbs Lead At 56.39%, City At 52.65%

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The voter turnout figures released on Thursday by the BMC indicated a low turnout in the city during the November 20 assembly election. In Mumbai city district, voter participation stood at 52.65%, while the suburban district saw a slightly higher turnout of 56.39%; both figures are marginally higher than 2019.

In Mumbai city, which covers 10 constituencies, there are a total of 25,43,610 registered voters. Of these, 13,39,299 cast their ballots. The male voter turnout was 52%, with 7,10,174 out of 13,65,904 male voters participating. Female voters turnout was lower at 53%, with 6,29,049 women out of 11,77,462 voting. Additionally, 76 voters from the “other” category cast their ballots out of 244 eligible voters.

The lowest voter turnout in Mumbai city was recorded in Colaba, with just 44.44%. Other areas with low turnout included Mumbadevi (48.76%), Dharavi (50.03%), Malabar Hill (52.53%), and Byculla (53.02%). In contrast, Mahim saw the highest voter participation at 59.01%, followed by Wadala (57.67%), Shivadi (55.52%), Sion Koliwada (53.56%), and Worli (53.53%).

In Mumbai suburban, which encompasses 26 constituencies, the voter turnout reached 56.39%. There are 76,86,098 registered voters in this district, with 43,34,513 casting their votes. Among male voters, 57% participated 23,58,589 out of 41,01,457, while 57% of female voters also voted 20,33,654 out of 35,83,803. Additionally, 270 people from the ‘other’ category voted out of 838 eligible individuals.

The lowest voter turnout in the suburban district was seen in constituencies such as Vandre West (51.36%), Versova (51.44%), Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar (52.14%), Kalina (52.68%), and Chandivali (52.97%). On the other hand, the highest turnout was recorded in constituencies like Bhandup West (62.88%), Borivali (62.32%), Mulund (61.42%), Ghatkopar West (59.99%), and Ghatkopar East (59.58%).

Several constituencies in Mumbai witnessed a significant rise in voter participation compared to the 2019 assembly elections. In Andheri West, the voting percentage jumped from 43.52% in 2019 to 53.67% in 2024; a rise of over 10%. Versova’s turnout rose from 42.38% in 2019 to 51.44% this year, while Mulund saw an increase from 53.81% to 61.42%. Vandre West’s turnout also grew substantially from 44% to 51.36%, with a similar trend in Goregaon (from 46.44% in 2019 to 55.61% this year) and Shivadi’s 49.33% in 2019 to 55% in 2024.

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