Mumbai had the rainiest day on June 19th, 2015 since 2005 which has brought the city to halt on Friday, with the suburban train network, getting crippled, roads getting waterlogged, most office-goers stuck in their homes and the few who came out got fleeced by taxi and rickshaw-wallahs.
Santacruz recorded a total of 283.4mm rainfall in the 24 hour period from 8.30 AM on Thursday to 8.30 AM on Friday.
Two persons, a 60-year-old man and his five-year-old grandson were electrocuted in Sardar Nagar in Wadala in the early hours on Friday morning.
The Cleveland pumping station, which was built at a cost of Rs 116 crore and inaugurated by Shiv Sena, president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday, has developed a problem after a boulder got stuck in one of its gates. The pumping station is supposed to handle waterlogging at Worli, Koliwada, Dadar and Senapati Bapat Marg.
The local train network has been the worst affected since the 26/7 deluge in 2005. The flooding prevented CR from running services on the CST-Thane and CST-Vashi stretch and even WR services were suspended between Churchgate and Andheri because of waterlogging at Matunga Road and Elphinstone Road.
Motorists reported snarls on the Bandra-Worli sea link, Worli Naka, Malad Link Road and Andheri Link Road. Trees have collapsed on the road at minimum five locations in the morning.
It was a merry time for cabs and autos. They fleeced and refused to charge exemplary. Most cabbies overcharged passengers, demanded Rs 500 to travel just a 10 km distance, which would have cost not more than Rs 150.
BMC's disaster control room was full of activity, with more than 1,000 calls received till as early as 10am. There was a stream of politicians coming in, from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to Shiv Sena's Aditya Thackeray. CM Fadnavis assured that he will take appropriate steps to solve Mumbai's water-logging issues in a six month period.
Madhav Chitale, noted hydrologist who had submitted recommendations to ensure a flood-free city after the 2005 floods, was scathing in his criticism for the BMC.
By Premji
