Record 300 mm rain in Mumbai: CM Shinde asks emergency agencies to be on high alert

Mumbai, July 8 (IANS) After a record 300 mm rain was reported in Mumbai, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is personally supervising the situation, on Monday said that he has directed the emergency agencies to be on high alert. 

“Citizens should go out only if necessary. I am also appealing to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Police Administration and Emergency Services to cooperate,” he said.

“Life has been disrupted in Mumbai due to heavy rains everywhere. There is a traffic jam on the road and the traffic on the railway line has also been affected. The work of removing water from the track is going on by the railway administration and efforts are on to restore the traffic soon. I have directed all emergency agencies to be on high alert, said Shinde.

The CM added that he has been in constant touch with the state Disaster Management Cell and other agencies. He hoped that normalcy would be restored soon.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in his reaction after Mumbai received 300 mm of rain in six hours on Sunday night, said this is 10 per cent of Mumbai's annual rainfall.

“Like cities in India and around the world, Mumbai is also suffering from climate change. We should build infrastructure in Mumbai and Maharashtra keeping in view the future environmental problems due to climate change. We should take appropriate steps to face drought, flood, and storms 365 days a year. Along with that, we should also try to avoid such problems,’’ he added.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar adjourned the House till 1 p.m. due to lack of adequate quorum as many ministers and legislators were stuck in trains due to waterlogging on railway tracks. Narwekar made this announcement after the House assembled at 11 a.m. on Monday.

Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar tried to raise the issue. He took a swipe at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's green carpet visit to the water-logged areas in Mumbai recently. He blamed the state government for flooding in Mumbai in the first heavy rains during the present monsoon season.

However, Narwekar intervened and asked Wadettiwar whether he would like to make his argument in full quorum or not. Thereafter, the Speaker announced that the House would reassemble at 1 p.m. for want of adequate quorum citing that several ministers and legislators could not reach the House due to trains running late because of water logging on the railway tracks.

Earlier, a video of Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation Anil Patil and NCP legislator Amol Mitkari walking on the railway track went viral. Mitkari in the same video was explaining how they along with several legislators were stuck in the Mumbai-bound train due to waterlogging on the railway track. He hoped that the situation would soon become normal.

--IANS

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