Mumbai Paralysed Again, BMC and Fadnavis Govt Draw Flak

For Mumbai, it’s the same story yet again, just like every year. First two days of rain this season, and the city is already on its knees. Many had to return home after failing to reach their workplaces. Trains, flights have been cancelled, roads have turned into rivers and Mumbaikars continue to suffer. This has brought the failure of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and state government to the fore again.

In Malad (East), Mumbai’s Western suburb, 18 people lost their lives on Tuesday after a compound wall collapsed. The rescue operation is on to save the others who could still be stuck under the debris. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of the deceased.

In Kalyan, a city near Mumbai, three people were killed in a similar accident on the same day. In Pune as well, a wall collapse in Ambegaon has claimed six lives.

The heavy downpour that started from Monday night has been incessant.  Many Mumbaikars working in late shifts on Monday remained stuck, as roads were flooded in parts of Central and Western Mumbai. Parts of Sion, Dadar, Parel, Andheri, Powai, Bhandup, Malad, Goregaon, Kandivali and Juhu were waterlogged. Many social media users took to Twitter and Facebook to mock the administration for its utter failure and unpreparedness to handle the monsoon rains.

Till 2 pm on Tuesday, over 200 local trains were halted along with 56 mail trains. The Mumbai airport too has taken a hit, as a few domestic flights had to be cancelled. The bus services were disrupted in various parts including in suburban areas.

BMC and state government are blaming the heavy rain for collapse of the city. BMC Twitter account is continuously appealing to people to not step out unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Dindoshi from Western suburban area received 449 mm rain between Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon. This figure was about 200 to 300 mm in other parts like Andheri, Kurla and Sion. This is the highest recorded rainfall within 24 hours in the last decade.

The state government has postponed entrance exams as well as certificate verification for medical exams.

Opposition parties have slammed Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party-led BMC. NCP leader Ajit Pawar demanded that the body be suspended and an administrator be appointed to get the city back on track. CM Fadnavis visited the disaster management’s control room at BMC to take the stock of the situation.

Rainfall is expected to intensify after Tuesday evening.