Mumbai witnessed severe disruption on Monday morning as heavy rains lashed the city, forcing Central Railway to suspend suburban train services between Vadala Road and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus on the Harbour line from 10:25 am. Several low-lying areas experienced intense waterlogging, paralysing vehicular movement and leaving thousands of commuters stranded during rush hour.
According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Nariman Point Fire Station recorded the highest rainfall at 104 mm between 9 and 10 am, followed by A Ward Office (86 mm), Colaba pumping station (83 mm), and the Municipal Head Office (80 mm). Suburban regions reported relatively less precipitation.
Train services on the Harbour line were suspended due to waterlogged tracks at Masjid station, while some technical issues such as signal and track point failures hit the fast corridor of the main line. Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway, Swapnil Nila, said that operations in the CSMT yard were severely disrupted due to flooding, impacting train movements on multiple platforms.
Several Central Railway stations including Masjid, Byculla, Dadar, Matunga, and Badlapur saw inundated tracks, leading to delays and commuter frustration. Though Western Railway reported normal operations, passengers complained of minor delays.
Major roads in Mumbai turned into water canals, with King’s Circle, Mantralaya, Dadar TT East, Kalachowki, Wadala, Hindmata, Kemps Corner, Churchgate, and Chinchpokli among the worst-affected. The civic-run KEM Hospital in Parel was also hit by waterlogging. The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) diverted buses on over a dozen routes due to flooding in several areas.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier issued a warning predicting thunderstorms with lightning, intense rainfall, and gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph. The downpour’s intensity decreased after 10 am but the skies remained cloud-covered throughout the day.
Civic officials noted a high tide of 4.75 metres was expected at 11:24 am, with another at 4.17 metres due around 11:09 am. Low tides of 1.63 metres and 0.04 metres were forecast for the evening and early Tuesday, respectively. The IMD has predicted light to moderate rain in Mumbai for the next 24 hours, keeping the city on alert for further disruption.
