Authorities have declared Tuesday as a public holiday in Mumbai as the Indian Meteorological Department forecast heavy rains for the city.
“In the wake of the extreme heavy rainfall forecast by the IMD, the Government of Maharashtra has declared a public holiday on July 2 as a precautionary measure for Mumbai city and its citizens,” a civic official said.
The Maharashtra government on Tuesday said that only emergency services will remain functional in Mumbai due to the incessant rains that has affected the road traffic and railways in the city.
Authorities have also advised people to avoid stepping out of their homes as the Indian Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rains.
“The heavy rainfall has submerged the roads and rail tracks. Based on further inputs from other agencies, we have taken the decision to keep emergency services operational. We have appealed to the people not to venture out in this situation,” Brijesh Singh, the official spokesperson of the state government, said.
Several parts of Mumbai received around 100 mm rainfall since Monday morning, affecting trains and the road traffic.
The Central Railway has also decided to run local trains in limited corridors due to water logging on the railway tracks.
“Trains will run in CSMT-Andheri - Goregaon section in harbour line. Vashi to Panvel in harbour line. Thane to Vashi and Panvel in trans harbour line. CSMT to Thane Karjat and Khopoli sections,” Sunil Udasi, the chief spokesperson of the Central Railway, said.
He said the Central Railway with help of RPF jawans rescued thousands of passengers stranded in the midnight local trains and served them tea, biscuits and other edible items at stations.
A senior official of the Western Railway said that its suburban services are running between Churchgate and Virar even if the frequency may be less.
“Frequency may be less between Vasai Road & Virar due to receipt of out station trains,” he said.
Flights from Mumbai airport were also delayed after a SpiceJet flight overshot the runway while landing, an airport spokeswoman said.
Hindustan Times reported the plane has not been moved as authorities are waiting for an aircraft removal kit, which is only available with Air India and is yet to reach Mumbai from Mangalore.
13 dead in Malad wall collapse
A wall collapsed on shanties in the Malad area of Mumbai on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people as a second straight day of heavy rain disrupted rail and air traffic.
The incident happened around 2 am when the compound wall in Pimpripada of Malad east area collapsed and people living in shanties adjacent to wall got trapped under the debris.
NDRF officials said the12 deceased were the people living in the slums.
In Kalyan, at least three people were killed in a wall collapse incident on Tuesday.
(With PTI inputs)