Heavy Rainfall in Mumbai Causes Severe Disruptions: Waterlogging, Train Delays, and Flight Cancellations
News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/8th July 2024
Mumbai experienced torrential rainfall early Monday, leading to significant waterlogging in various parts of the city and causing widespread disruption to transportation. The heavy rains not only affected local train services but also led to the rerouting of numerous buses by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) due to flooded streets.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported that over 300 mm of rainfall was recorded in multiple locations between 1 am and 7 am on Monday. This intense downpour resulted in severe waterlogging in low-lying areas and interrupted suburban train services, causing considerable inconvenience to daily commuters.
In response to the adverse weather conditions, the BMC declared a holiday for the first session for all BMC, government, and private schools and colleges in Mumbai. The decision regarding the second session will be made after a thorough assessment of the situation later in the day.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted that Mumbai would continue to experience moderate to heavy rainfall throughout Monday, with potential thunderstorms during the night. The weather department also predicted continued heavy rainfall in Maharashtra over the next three to four days, with particularly heavy rains expected in Madhya Maharashtra and the Marathwada region from July 8 to July 10.
Flight operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) were severely affected by the heavy rainfall and low visibility. According to the latest information, at least 50 flights scheduled to land in Mumbai were either canceled or diverted to other airports, including Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Indore. The airport authorities have prioritized arrivals and made consequential changes to accommodate diverted flights, leading to delayed departures.
In light of the situation, CSMIA issued an advisory for passengers, recommending them to check their flight status with their respective airlines and to leave for the airport earlier than usual to account for possible delays. Several airlines, including IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara, and Air India, issued specific advisories for passengers regarding flight delays and diversions.
IndiGo advised passengers to keep an eye on their flight status due to weather-related air traffic congestion. SpiceJet warned about potential traffic congestion and slow vehicle movement on the Mumbai Airport road due to heavy rains, advising passengers to plan their journey accordingly and noting that check-in counters would close 60 minutes prior to departure. Vistara also advised customers to allow more time for their journey to the airport due to expected heavy traffic congestion. Air India announced that heavy rains were affecting flight operations, leading to the cancellation of some flights. The airline offered full refunds or one-time complimentary rescheduling for bookings confirmed for travel on July 8 under certain conditions.
As Mumbai grapples with the impact of the heavy rains, authorities and airlines continue to monitor the situation closely, providing updates and advisories to ensure passenger safety and minimize inconvenience. The city remains on high alert, with efforts underway to manage the disruptions and restore normalcy as quickly as possible.
