Amid continuous heavy rainfall, the city’s traffic was thrown out of gear on Monday morning, August 18, as waterlogging and flooding led to massive jams at several major junctions, halting Mumbai's normal routine. The downpour, which started on the evening of August 15th, has continued until now, with multiple locations recording triple-digit rainfall in the 24-hour period ending 8.30 am. According to The Times of India report, the IMD issued a red alert for Mumbai until 11.50 am. The Santacruz observatory recorded 85 mm of rainfall, while Colaba received 55 mm.
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Long queues of vehicles were reported across the Sion-Panvel Highway, with commuters from Kalamboli to Belapur facing hours-long delays for their work. The relentless downpour has forced the Mumbai Traffic Police and civic agencies to remain on high alert.
Visuals From Sion-Panvel Highway
Western Express Highway also reported bumper-to-bumper traffic, as several vehicles came to a near-standstill due to heavy downpours, which reduced visibility and caused waterlogging. Many vehicles were seen stranded near the Hub Mall in a long wait in Goregaon East. An Ambulance was left stranded near the Vile Parle Bridge.
Visuals From Western Express Highway
Conditions were similar at other major intersections. Hindmata Junction in Bhoiwada, a known flood-prone bottleneck, saw slow-moving traffic as water began to accumulate on the road once again. Meanwhile, at Juhu Galli Barfiwala Road near D.N. Nagar in Andheri, nearly a foot of water submerged the carriageway, reducing movement to a crawl.
Northbound lanes of the Vadala Freeway faced equally challenging conditions, with water pooling along bridge numbers 220 to 248, worsening congestion and further disrupting the morning commute.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has maintained an orange alert for Mumbai, predicting more intense showers throughout the day. The neighbouring districts of Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Pune are under a red alert, with authorities warning of extreme rainfall and urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel.