Mumbai traffic back on track after heavy rains; schools closed after IMD alert
Mumbai (PTI): Vehicular and rail traffic in Mumbai resumed on Thursday, a day after heavy rains battered the city, inundating low-lying areas, halting local trains in their tracks and forcing the diversion of at least 14 incoming flights.
A 45-year-old woman drowned in a drain overflowing due to heavy rains in suburban Andheri on Wednesday, police said.
Rains stopped in most parts of the city on Thursday morning though skies were overcast.
Local trains, considered the lifeline of Mumbai, were running normally though some services were slightly delayed, as per officials.
Buses of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking also hit the roads since early morning.
The India Meteorological Department earlier issued a red alert for Mumbai and its adjoining districts Thane, Palghar, and Raigad for Thursday morning.
The civic body said the IMD has predicted "thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and heavy to very heavy rainfall with gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph" in its weather update issued at 8 am.
The extremely heavy rainfall in Mumbai on Wednesday prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to announce a holiday for all schools and colleges on Thursday.
Schools and colleges in Thane, Palghar, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad were also closed on Thursday after heavy rains.
The Mumbai civic body and police have advised people in the city and surrounding areas to stay indoors as much as possible.
“Mumbaikars, if not required, avoid stepping out of home,” the BMC posted on X.
After heavy rains on Wednesday, some roads, including in Sonapur area of Bhandup, virtually turned into rivers of fast-moving water as several areas received more than 100 mm of rain in five hours of evening.
The Ghatkopar-Andheri Road, Khairani Road, LBS Marg and a few other roads were flooded with chest-deep water at some locations.
Many people complained their belongings were damaged as water had entered their homes.
As local trains stopped on Wednesday between Kurla and Thane stations on the Central line, thousands of commuters were stranded at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in south Mumbai and other stations, while there were traffic jams at various places.
The Central Railway's suburban services were thrown out of gear at night for a few hours, when the railway tracks got submerged at a few locations between Sion and Thane stations on its main corridor and between Chunabhatti and Mankhurd stations on the Harbour corridor.
A Maharashtra Security Force personnel deputed at Kalachowki police station told PTI that he boarded a fast train from Thane station for Byculla (in Mumbai) at 8 pm on Wednesday and reached Chinchpokli station at 12.55 am (normally covered in 45 minutes).
The Mithi river along with other water bodies and drains had swelled after extremely heavy rains.
On Wednesday night, the Mithi river rose to its maximum level of 3.90 metres. On Thursday morning, it was flowing at 1.5 metres, the BMC said.
In the 24 hour-period ending at 8 am on Thursday, the island city, eastern suburbs and western suburbs recorded 117.18 mm, 170.58 mm and 108.75 mm rainfall, respectively.
Between 5 pm and 10 pm, the island city, eastern suburbs and western suburbs received 87.79 mm, 167.48 mm, and 95.57 mm downpour, respectively.
Mankhurd and Powai areas in eastern suburbs recorded more than 275 mm rains during the period, as per BMC data.
Mumbai municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani has asked all assistant commissioners to ensure that respective executive engineers stay put in ward control rooms.
Central Railway's chief public relations officer Swapnil Nila said, "All local trains are running normally. On the main line 3-4 minutes behind schedule because of rescheduled Mail, Express (train) movements and few cautions. Rest all normal."
Western Railway's suburban services, which were mostly unaffected as there was no waterlogging on tracks anywhere between Churchgate and Virar stations, were also running normally since morning, an official said.
A BEST spokesperson also said their operations were normal, though 28 buses, including seven hired from private contractors, broke down due to waterlogging at some roads in the city.
UP CM Yogi & BJP shockingly think they're above the Supreme Court.
— Saket Gokhale MP (@SaketGokhale) September 26, 2024
In a brazen disobedience of SC orders, UP CM Yogi again gave oral directions this week to the govt of UP to pass a rule requiring owners of restaurants and shops to display the names of owners & staff.
His… pic.twitter.com/t3NQYSIIue
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Priyanka Gandhi takes oath as LS MP after big win from Wayanad
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took oath as a Lok Sabha MP on Thursday following her thumping victory from Kerala's Wayanad in a bypoll.
The 52-year-old, who joins her mother Sonia and brother Rahul as an MP in what is a rare instance of three members of a family together in Parliament, took affirmation in Hindi while holding a copy of the Constitution soon after the House met.
Ravindra Chavan (Cong), who won the Nanded bypoll also took oath in Marathi in the name of God. The bypoll was necessitated following the demise of his father Vasantrao Chavan recently.
Priyanka Gandhi took the plunge into active politics in 2019 and was later appointed Congress general secretary. Five years after that, Priyanka Gandhi begins her journey as an elected representative of the people.
With a winning margin of more than 4.1 lakh votes, she surpassed the tally of her brother Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad in Kerala.
Priyanka Gandhi's entry into Parliament comes at a difficult time for the party, which has been jolted by electoral defeats in Haryana and Maharashtra. It would be interesting to see if she is able to give a much-needed fillip to the grand old party and help put it back on the electoral track.
Often drawing comparisons with her grandmother Indira Gandhi for their similarity in looks and way of speaking, Priyanka Gandhi has been the go-to campaigner for the party since her entry into active politics and even before that when she campaigned for her mother Sonia and brother Rahul.
Congress leaders from Wayanad handed over the election certificate of the Wayanad parliamentary by-election to Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday and conveyed their best wishes.
Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday won the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a thumping margin of over four lakh votes, defeating Sathyan Mokeri of the CPI(M)-led LDF.
VIDEO | Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) takes oath as Lok Sabha MP from Kerala's #Wayanad.#ParliamentWinterSession
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 28, 2024
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/4JbL0KaShE
further details are awaited.
