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.

Mumbai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) delegation led by CEC Rajiv Kumar is in the city along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu ahead of the Maharshtra Assembly Elections 2024. Before concluding their two-day visit, the ECI will hold a press meet today (Saturday, September 28) in Nariman Point, Mumbai at 3.45 pm.

The people of Maharashtra have been eagerly waiting for declaration of the state elections schedule, however, the ECI today is not likely to announce polling dates. As per the circular issued by the state government, the ECI will address the media on the review the delegation undertook on the preparedness for the Maharashtra general elections.

The term of the current government ends on November 26, 2024 and the state assembly election will be held before that. It is expected that the polls will be held after the Diwali festival in November, however, there is no confirmation yet. As the state ministers have been hinting from last few days, the model code of conduct is likely to be implemented in first week of October.

About The Review Meetings

In a review meeting with the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP), and other senior government officials, the ECI emphasised the need to ensure all minimum assured facilities at polling stations, such as benches, fans, drinking water, and shelters. CEC Rajiv Kumar stated that ECI will take strict action on any complaints of voter inconvenience on election day.

ECI also expressed displeasure over the low volume of seizures during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and emphasised a zero-tolerance approach towards the distribution of inducements during the upcoming state elections.

CEC Kumar also met representatives of political parties to seek their suggestions, wherein the BJP suggested that voting be held on a working day, while the Congress objected to having polling stations in housing societies.

The temperature in Mumbai was recorded at 27.99 °C on Saturday, September 28. The forecast for the day shows a low of 25.99 °C and a high of 28.55 °C. The humidity level is at 80% and the wind is blowing at a speed of 80 km/h. The sun rose at 06:28 am and is scheduled to set at 06:29 pm.

The forecast for today predicts that it will rain from the sky. Please schedule your day based on the temperature and the expected weather conditions. Have fun in the sun and remember to bring sunscreen and sunglasses while you bask in the weather.

The weather forecast for Mumbai on Sunday, September 29, 2024, predicts temperatures ranging from 27.5 °C to 28.88 °C. The humidity levels tomorrow are expected to be at 78%.

In Mumbai today, the Air Quality Index (AQI) is 40.0, which shows that the air quality in the region is good. You have the option to participate in consistent exercise, spending time outside, and completing daily tasks. Knowing the AQI can assist in making informed choices about one’s health and planning daily agendas.