Mumbai rain: Both houses of state legislature adjourned as ministers got stuck

A video of disaster management minister Anil Patil and NCP MLC Amol Mitkari went viral on social media as they walked on the waterlogged tracks on their way to the assembly

Mumbai: The state assembly and council were adjourned on Monday as over 10 legislators, including two ministers, were stuck on the way and other officials could not reach due to torrential rain in the city. Several opposition leaders slammed the government for lacking monsoon preparedness.

Mumbai rain: Both houses of state legislature adjourned as ministers got stuck

A video of disaster management minister Anil Patil and NCP MLC Amol Mitkari went viral on social media as they walked on the waterlogged tracks on their way to the assembly.

As soon as the Lower House assembled for the day at 11 am, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar highlighted the problems being faced by citizens of Mumbai in the rains. The Congress leader said pre-monsoon preparedness was lacking despite crores of rupees being spent.

Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar said Mumbai had recorded 300 mm rainfall (overnight) and many MLAs and ministers were yet to reach the legislature complex. “There is no quorum as well. I am adjourning the House till 1 pm,” he said. The high tide was at 1.27 pm, he informed. The state government also postponed an all-party meeting regarding OBC reservation to Tuesday.

Stuck for hours

Medical education minister Hasan Mushrif got stuck in Mahalaxmi Express which runs between Kolhapur to Mumbai as the train was stopped near Kalyan. After waiting for hours, Mushrif finally got down at Kalyan and then chose to travel by road to reach the city.

For hours, Anil Patil, Mitkari and Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad were stuck in Amaravati Express between Kurla and Dadar as trains halted due to waterlogging on tracks ahead. Patil along with Mitkari got down from the train and walked to a nearby exit where they called their vehicle and travelled by road. Patil later visited BMC’s disaster control room and reviewed the gravity of the situation in the city. “Train services were impacted as continuous rainfall led to waterlogging in several stations and tracks. As a safety precaution, people should not come out of their homes unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Patil said. Mitkari said that it was a different experience for him as they had no choice but to walk on the track as the train was not moving for hours.

Heavy traffic jam

Sanjay Gaikwad said he was thinking of getting down and taking the road but his assistant warned him of heavy traffic on the road. Both sports minister Sanjay Bansode and BJP MLC Niranjan Davkhare, who was re-elected to council and was to take the oath, were stuck in traffic jams between Thane and Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the state government also postponed the all-party meeting scheduled on Monday evening to Tuesday. “Due to the heavy rain we have postponed the all-party meeting for tomorrow (July 9) evening so that all invitees can attend the meeting,” said excise minister Shambhuraj Desai.

Opposition slam govt

Ambadas Danve, leader of the opposition in council from Shiv Sena (UBT) slammed the state government for poor preparation before monsoon because of which the citizens are paying a hefty price. “It’s because of poor preparation for monsoon that Mumbai faced waterlogging everywhere,” said Danve. Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticised the state government. “Mumbai submerged, thanks to the incompetence of the state government’s monsoon preparedness. The illegal government of Maharashtra should stop their photo ops and get accountable to the city,” said Chaturvedi.