MMR brought to a standstill as torrential rain floods roads, cripples transport

MUMBAI: Large parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) turned into a waterlogged maze on Saturday as torrential rain pounded Thane, Navi Mumbai and Vasai-Virar

MUMBAI: Large parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) turned into a waterlogged maze on Saturday as torrential rain pounded Thane, Navi Mumbai and Vasai-Virar. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red alert, incessant downpours over the past 24 hours left thousands stranded, submerged low-lying areas, paralysed traffic, disrupted train services, triggered tree and wall collapses, and turned pothole-ridden roads into a commuter’s nightmare.

Among the worst-hit stretches were the Mumbra-Panvel Road at Shilphata, Diva, Saket in Thane, and parts of Kalyan, Ambernath, Bhiwandi and Dombivli, where severe waterlogging slowed traffic to a crawl. Even the approach roads to the ancient Ambernath Shiv Temple went under water, inconveniencing residents and devotees alike.

Thane recorded 118 mm of rainfall between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, while Raigad received an average of 103.8 mm during the day. The Amba and Kundalika rivers were flowing above their warning levels, prompting the district administration to alert residents living in low-lying areas. Officials, however, said the overall flood situation remained under control, with no casualties, livestock losses or evacuations reported till Saturday evening.

Navi Mumbai bore the brunt of the deluge, with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) recording nearly 200 mm of rainfall in 24 hours by Saturday night — a level classified as extremely heavy rainfall. The downpour disrupted wholesale trade at the APMC market, crippled traffic across the city and forced schools, colleges and even several shops to remain shut.

The Sanpada railway underpass was submerged and closed to vehicular movement, while knee-deep water inundated the Thane-Belapur Road MIDC stretch, leaving several vehicles stranded. A car was partially submerged beneath the Pawne MIDC bridge, while the Mahape-Kalyan and Kalyan-Mahape roads remained under water, triggering massive traffic snarls. Long queues of vehicles were reported on Shilphata Road, with waterlogging also affecting Vashi, Belapur, Nerul, Juinagar, Airoli, Koparkhairane and the Parsik Janata Sahakari Bank junction in Airoli Sector 5.

Flooding was equally severe in Panvel, with Old Panvel, Kamothe, Kalamboli, Taloja and Kharghar witnessing inundated roads. The civic body pressed dewatering pumps into service to drain flooded areas. On the Sion-Panvel Highway, particularly near the Turbhe flyover, massive potholes worsened commuting conditions. Field measurements showed potholes measuring up to 7 ft 4 in in length and nearly 1.5 ft in depth.

In Vasai-Virar, relentless rain entered its fourth consecutive day, leaving nearly 90% of the region waterlogged. Water levels rose to nearly four feet in several areas, making commuting virtually impossible.

Rainwater entered homes and shops across several parts of the MMR, with the newly developed Madhuvan City township in Vasai East among the worst affected. Cars were seen submerged, while rescue teams helped residents cross flooded roads using ropes tied across strong water currents. The Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) also deployed tractors to ferry stranded residents through inundated stretches.