Thursday rain: 2-year-old drowns in Chembur; chronic flooding spots in Mumbai water-logged

Experts had observed that areas of Dadar, Kings Circle, Wadala, Sion, and Kurla are likely to flood

A two-year-old boy drowned in a nullah at Chembur’s Cheetah Camp, following moderate rainfall in Mumbai, on Thursday morning.

Manhole at Ambedkar road, Near Five Garden Matunga was open for two hours even after complaining to BMC, locals closed it themselves when no one from BMC came (HT Photo)

Arihant Tamboli fell in a nullah at MJ Road around 1.30pm. He was rescued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) staff and rushed to Shatabdi Hospital in Govandi. However, he was declared dead on arrival.

Mumbai recorded between 20mm and 50mm of rainfall for over two hours on Thursday. It resulted in severe waterlogging at Hindamata in Dadar – a chronic flooding spot for every monsoon – washing away BMC’s claims that the city is prepared for the rains.

Areas of Sion, Wadala, and Kurla also experienced severe waterlogging, along with Goregaon, Malad, Kandivli, Jogeshwari, and Ghatkopar.

In the monsoon audit done by Hindustan Times on June 2, experts had observed that areas of Dadar, Kings Circle, Wadala, Sion, and Kurla are likely to flood, owing to floating garbage seen in the Dharavi and Rafiqnagar nullah.

Despite the Rs34 crore project presently underway, to augment the storm water drains system under Hindamata, Mumbaiites were seen wading through over one foot water at Hindamata Junction, Elphinstone, Parel, Sion, King’s Circle, and Kurla.

They remained flooded between 11am and 1.30pm.

Traffic was diverted from the Dadar TT flyover and Hindamata junction was closed after 12 noon, leading to traffic jams. In March, BMC declared 225 chronic flooding spots for this monsoon, in contrast to 66 chronic spots that were declared in 2017.

Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta had directed officials to fix 55 such spots on priority, which included Hindamata Junction, Elphinstone station, Parel, and Sion.

Kishore Desai, assistant municipal commissioner of the F South ward, under whose jurisdiction these areas fall, said, “It is expected that this monsoon too, Hindamata will flood. The project to widen a 800m long drain under Hindamata has not been completed. We have managed to fix only 200m of the drain. The remaining will be done after monsoon.”