Mumbai woke up to chaos on Monday as heavy rains, thunderstorms, and lightning battered the city, severely disrupting daily life. Commuters struggled to navigate flooded streets, while suburban trains ran at a snail’s pace and flight operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport faced significant delays.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported intense rainfall since late Sunday night, with the island city bearing the brunt. “The highest rainfall was recorded at the Nariman Point fire station with 104 mm, followed by the A Ward Office (86 mm), Colaba pumping station (83 mm), and the Municipal Head Office (80 mm),” a BMC official stated.
Several low-lying areas including King's Circle, Mantralaya, Dadar TT East, Parel TT, Kalachowki, Chinchpokli, and Dadar station were submerged, bringing traffic to a crawl during peak hours. Poor visibility and waterlogging resulted in long tailbacks and frustrated commuters.
Train services on the Central Railway line were severely impacted. Stations like Masjid, Byculla, Dadar, Matunga, and Badlapur saw waterlogged tracks, causing major slowdowns during the morning rush. “The movement of suburban locals is on, but with reduced speed at few locations,” said Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway. Commuters heading toward Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus reported significant delays.
However, the Western Railway offered some relief, stating that its corridor was functioning normally. “There is no waterlogging on our tracks, and services are operating as per schedule,” Western Railway said in a statement. Despite this, several passengers reported minor delays.
Air travel was also hit by the storm. Air India issued an advisory asking passengers to confirm their flight schedules before proceeding to the airport. “Rain and thunderstorms are impacting flight operations in Mumbai. To ensure a smooth travel experience, we encourage our passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport,” the airline said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more rain in the coming hours. “Generally cloudy sky with possibility of thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds 30-40 kmph and light to moderate rain at isolated places in city and suburbs,” the weather bulletin read.
