Overnight heavy rains lashed Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), disrupting suburban and long-distance trains, as well as road and highway traffic. The downpour stranded thousands of commuters on their way to work on the first working day of the week and led to the closure of schools for the morning session.
According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), several areas recorded between 200 mm and 300 mm of rainfall within six hours, from 1 am to 7 am. The forecast indicates that heavy rain will continue for the next two days.
State Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation Anil Patil, along with several other MLAs, could not reach the legislature this morning. They had to walk to the legislature due to the flooding caused by just six hours of rain in Mumbai. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has come under heavy criticism for this situation, with opposition members and citizens blaming the municipal administration for not performing its duties properly. However, State Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar defended the BMC.
When asked if he was giving the municipal administration a clean chit despite the situation, Mungantiwar responded, "This is not about giving a clean chit to the BMC. Long-term measures are required to solve such problems. We have brought projects worth 17,000 crore rupees for Mumbai, which will address most of the city's issues. Over 90% of the problems will be resolved through these projects."
He continued, "However, when there is sudden and heavy rainfall, such issues arise. When there is light or moderate rain, these problems do not occur. It is the continuous heavy downpour that causes such difficulties."
"Therefore, I am not blaming the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. If we are to blame the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, then we must also talk about the waterlogging in other places. Even though the administration in Dubai and New York works efficiently, water still accumulates there," Mungantiwar added.
He further stated, "Just four days ago, eight feet of water accumulated in China. Instead of blaming, we should focus on positive actions. We are trying to implement necessary measures in our city. Tenders have been issued for the 17,000 crore rupees projects, which will solve Mumbai's problems soon."