Moderate rains lash Mumbai; vehicular traffic, flight operations affected

The heaviest rain in Mumbai suburbs was recorded in Chembur, Borivli, Malad and Goregaon ranging between 45mm and 60mm.

Under the influence of tropical cyclone Maha which weakened into a depression, Mumbai suburbs recorded light to moderate showers during the early hours on Friday leading to traffic jams in many parts of the city and curtailing of flight operations at the airport.

The Mumbai suburbs recorded 32.6mm between 5.30 am and 9.30am while south Mumbai recorded traces of rain during the same time. (Shashi S Kashyap/HT Photo)

The suburbs recorded 32.6mm between 5.30 am and 9.30am while south Mumbai recorded traces of rain during the same time.

The weather bureau has issued a forecast for light to moderate rain or thundershowers through the day on Friday and Saturday.

“Under the influence of remnants of cyclone Maha that brushed past Gujarat as a weather depression, several areas in north Konkan, including Mumbai, recorded rain between Thursday and Friday. As the weather system dies down, rain will continue in the north Konkan region,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general western region India Meteorological Department.

“A few intense spells also happened in some parts of the suburbs for a short while.”

The heaviest rain in the suburbs was recorded in Chembur, Borivli, Malad and Goregaon ranging between 45mm and 60mm. Other areas in north Konkan such as Dahanu recorded 56mm, Jalgoan 22mm, Palghar 42mm, and Dhule 16mm over the past 12 hours.

Several roads were reported waterlogged till 9am, leading to traffic congestion in the city.

A vehicle broke down opposite the Oberoi Mall in Goregaon because of which the Western Express Highway has been jammed for over two hours now with traffic continuing from Carnival Cinema in Borivali east to Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road junction, motorists and traffic police said.

According to traffic police, traffic is running slow with a delay of at least 45 minutes due to waterlogging, especially on the Western Express Highway and LBS Road. It’s difficult to commute on the SV Road from Malad to Jogeshwari as well, they added.

Commuters also complained of prolonged jams on southbound road from Goregaon Oberoi Mall on Western Express Highway till Vile Parle especially the four kilometer stretch from Andheri towards Santacruz.In addition to JVLR and other arterial roads leading to the highway, roads from Kalanagar towards Sion were also blocked.

At Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, flights will operate from the main runway, which is otherwise shut from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm (Mondays to Saturdays). The runway is shut since November 4 and will be closed till March 28, 2020 for major rehabilitation and re-carpeting work and operations are carried out from the secondary runway. Repair work has been suspended today due to rains.

(With inputs from Megha Sood and Neha LM Tripathi)