Massive jams were reported on Western Express Highway. (ANI)
After days of delay, Mumbai witnessed its first heavy showers of the season this morning, receiving moderate to heavy rain. The weather office has predicted moderate rainfall with a few spells of heavy showers in the financial capital in the next 24 hours.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC said in the last five hours, its weather station has recorded an average rainfall of 43.23 mm in the city, 64.14 mm in eastern suburbs and 78.21 mm in western suburbs. "The city has recorded moderate rainfall in the last few hours. So far, no untoward incident or major water-logging has been reported at the Disaster Management Cell," a senior civic official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
At present, the minimum and maximum temperatures of the city are hovering at 24 degree Celsius and 31 degree Celsius, respectively, with relative humidity around 88 per cent.
While the monsoon spell helped bring down the temperature, it exposed the financial capital's weakness with waterlogging reported in parts of the city. The city's civic transport operator, BEST, diverted buses that were plying through these areas. During high tide when the drainage gates are locked, low-lying areas are waterlogged as the water collects in these areas before being pumped out.
Local train and flight operations, however, continue to run smoothly. "There was only one diversion around 9 in the morning," Mumbai International Airport Limited spokesperson was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
#TravelUpdate : Due to heavy rains at Mumbai, traffic congestion on Mumbai airport road is expected. Customers travelling from Mumbai are advised to allow more time for their journey to the airport. Thank you.
- Vistara (@airvistara) June 28, 2019
Citizens across the city took to social media platforms to share images and videos of the Mumbai rains.
And the insane amount of rain starts in Mumbai from today morning! Brace yourself much much more to come! #MumbaiRains #mumbaimonsoon#Monsoon2019 #Thane pic.twitter.com/m7imeD3q8Q
- Nishad Kulkarni (@nishadkulkarni) June 28, 2019
Ah good old days. As usual #Juhu is drowning in #MumbaiRains. It seems @mybmc is just as prepared for the monsoon as #SouthAfrica was for the #CWC19 . pic.twitter.com/XcOHQacSwY
- Dhruv Bhatt (@DhruvRBhatt) June 28, 2019
2km patch and 30 mns waiting .. why ? 20 mtrs water logging due to blocked drains ... ???????? #MumbaiRains #BMC @mybmc pic.twitter.com/CISrKPaDIz
- Shruti (@shruti_tupkari) June 28, 2019
According to Skymet, Mumbai, Thane, Ratnagiri and adjoining areas will witness heavy to very heavy rains in the next 24 to 36 hours.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the country's richest municipal corporation, has increased its budget by more than 100% for upgrading the city's infrastructure this year. The municipal body, which got a total budget of over Rs. 25,000 crore for 2019-20, says it has increased allocation for roads and storm drains to Rs. 3,820 crore and Rs. 825 crore respectively.
However, there have been concerns on whether the city is prepared to handle heavy rainfall. "We have done work this time. There are pumping stations being placed. But there still is a fear that if it rains more than 300 mm a day, there could be waterlogging," Mumbai's mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar said.
Mumbai's Andheri and Santacruz areas received the first spell of monsoon showers on Wednesday, a day after onset of the south-west monsoon was announced in Maharashtra. The monsoon showers have brought heavy showers in Nashik district, where two persons, including a teenage girl, have died in rain-related incidents.
