Mumbai Rains: Essential helpline numbers, safe places to stay and other top developments

Torrential rain accompanied by strong winds pummelled Mumbai today, disrupting rail, road and air services, uprooting trees, swamping homes, and bringing the megapolis and satellite towns to their knees. People's woes were compounded by the high tide that prevented natural drainage of water into the sea. Meteorological department sources said Mumbai recorded copious rain of 65 mm in just three hours. 

Here is information that you will find useful if you are stuck in the rains in Mumbai: 

Helpline Numbers in Mumbai

Central Railway Control Room: 022-22620173

Western Railway Control Room: 022-23094064

BMC helpline: 1916

WhatsApp Number for traffic updates: 8454999999

In case you are stuck and need to stay somewhere, here are people in different areas offering their homes: Shelter in Mumbai rains

Or you can check this Twitter thread of #Rainhosts: 

 

#rainhosts Tweets

Here are some other numbers that could be of use:

Here are the top developments: 

Commuting becomes a pain

Thousands of vehicles were stranded on arterial roads in Lower Parel, Dadar, Kurla, Andheri, Khar West, Ghatkopar, Sion and Hindmata areas that were under knee to waist deep water for several hours, many having broken down.
Suburban rail services, the lifeline of the metropolis, were thrown out of gear.

Train services on all three suburban railway lines-- Central, Western and Harbour lines--have been paralysed.
Having waited for hours on end with water showing no signs of receding, fidgety passengers were seen jumping off stationary trains and walking along the tracks to their destinations.
Commuters were seen standing under knee deep water on the steps of buses in low lying areas like Parel. Traffic crawled at snail's pace on important roads, including the Eastern and Western Express Highway, Sion-Panvel highway and LBS Marg.

Schools and Colleges to remain closed

Schools and colleges here will remain closed tomorrow in view of the MeT department forecasting heavy rains in the metropolis.

The city received torrential rains the entire day today and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy showers tomorrow as well.

After taking stock of the situation, Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde instructed the colleges and schools to remain shut tomorrow.

"With today's heavy downpour and predictions for heavier rainfall; schools, college authorities instructed to remained closed tomorrow," Tawde tweeted late this evening.

According to a senior official, it is a precautionary measure taken by the state government and once the IMD issued its forecast, the government declared half day working for its employees today.

Helicopters, divers on standby after Mumbai rains: Navy

Naval helicopters have been kept on standby to meet any eventuality after heavy rains battered Mumbai and its adjoining areas, the Navy said today.

Flood rescue teams and divers are also ready for deployment, a Navy spokesperson said.

"Seaking 42 C ready for day/night Search and Rescue. Medical teams and Divers ready for immediate deployment," the spokesperson tweeted.

Five flood rescue teams and two diving teams are also ready to render assistance at different locations across Mumbai, the spokesperson said.

PM speaks to Maharashtra CM on Mumbai situation

Prime Narendra Modi today spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rains in Mumbai and adjoining areas and promised all possible support from the Centre.

Normal life has been paralysed in Mumbai and adjoining areas since last night, with road, rail and air services being badly affected due to heavy showers.

"Spoke to Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain in Mumbai & surrounding areas," Modi tweeted.

"Centre assures all possible support to the government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state," he added.

The prime minister urged the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe and take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rains.

CM Fadnavis takes stock

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today visited the State Disaster Management Control (SDMC) room here and took stock of the situation arising out of the heavy rainfall that has crippled transport services and thrown the normal life out of gear in the metropolis.

As Mumbai reeled under heavy showers and more downpour is predicted by the IMD, the Maharashtra government has allowed its employees in Mantralaya (secretariat) and other departments to leave early. It has also appealed to the private companies to do the same.

"I chaired a review meeting of officials in the disaster management unit to ascertain the situation that has arisen from the heavily rainfall in Mumbai," Fadnavis said.

"I have spoken to BMC officials. The civic body has received several complaints related to tree falling and some related to waterlogging," he said, adding the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is looking into these complaints.

The chief minister said he spoke to the Mumbai Police Commissioner and was informed that traffic has been diverted at 25 places due to waterlogging.

With inputs from PTI