Relief for Mumbai Residents Day After Rain Chaos; Schools and Colleges Remain Shut

Mumbai: A day after disrupting normal life, turning the air, rail and road traffic in the city upside down, the city woke up to cloudy skies as rains abated in Mumbai on Tuesday. Despite the Indian Meteorological Department's forecast of heavy rainfall, the rains unexpectedly halted, leading to temporary respite, however the educational institutions remained shut as a precautionary measure. 

Local trains, considered as the lifeline of the country's financial capital, were running with a minor delay of 5-10 minutes also came back on tracks as there was no waterlogging anywhere since early morning.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mumbai centre had issued a "red alert" for the city on Tuesday, predicting "heavy to very heavy rainfall a few places with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places".

Hence, the civic body declared a holiday for schools and colleges in Mumbai on Tuesday.

A civic official said there will be a high tide of 4.31 meters in the Arabian Sea at 2.33 pm.

In the 24-hour period ending at 8 am on Monday, the island city recorded an average 141.97 mm rainfall, while the eastern and western parts received 116.61 mm and 142.58 mm rains, respectively, an official said.

Between 8 am and 11 pm on Monday, the island city, eastern and western areas recorded an average rainfall of 116.07 mm, 84.77 mm and 109.55 mm, respectively.

Mumbai received an average of 141.97 mm rainfall on Monday, with some areas experiencing over 300 mm in just six hours. This led to severe waterlogging, disrupting train services and flights.

However, Unlike Monday Mumbai did not receive much rain overnight on Tuesday.

The Harbour Line track, on which services were suspended on Monday night between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Mankhurd due to waterlogging at Wadala, was operationalised at 4.30 am on Tuesday after the water receded, a Central Railway spokesperson said.

"On the Main Line, both fast and slow locals are running 2-3 min behind schedule and the Harbour Line locals are running almost on time now," the spokesperson said.

The Western Railway on its social media handle said the services have been resumed, with some delays.

The fast line services were delayed due to waterlogging at night in Dadar and Mahim stretch, it said.

An official of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking said no bus route, except one at Sangam Nagar in Wadala, was diverted or curtailed due to waterlogging.