Mumbai: Mumbai woke up to light rains on Tuesday, as the pre-monsoon showers hit the city once again. However, with the rainfall longing for a few minutes, areas like Saki Naka, Saki Vihar Road, Kherani Road witnessed water logging.
The citizens took social media, criticising BMC's monsoon preparations. "I should buy a boat first," commented a Mumbaikar, sharing video of autorickshaw finding it's way through waterlogged road in Saki Naka in the morning.
Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder of Chandivali citizens welfare association said, "One shower for 15 minutes, Kherani road and Sakinaka are flooded. This exposes Mumbai's monsoon preparedness. Despite BMC's circular to clear the removed silt from the drains within 48-60 hours, the silt, garbage is seen allover. This is the condition of the financial capital of India, with its civic body's annual budget of Rs 74,000 crores. The Municipal Commissioner should take action against the officers responsible for this waterlogging."
BMC's monsoon preparedness was exposed last week itself when Mumbai got its first pre-monsoon showers. On May 8, Saki Naka area was a mess with silt lying all over, road works on-going and waterlogging which resulted after light rains. "We can only imagine what the situation will be when it rains heavily in monsoon," Makkar said.
Trustee of Watchdog Foundation, Godfrey Pimenta said that desilting of drains is not progressing as expected. "A good portion of a nullah ( underground Church road to Andheri Kurla road) which originates from SEEPZ and further connects to Mithi river is never cleaned. This is repeated every year, thereby causing waterlogging."
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a Yellow Alert for Mumbai and it's metropolitan regions on Tuesday. Several areas like Chembur , Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Powai, Kandivali, Saki Naka among others witnessed light to moderate showers in the morning. The day continued to be cloudy.
On Tuesday, Mumbai's Santacruz observatory recorded maximum and minimum temperatures at 34.3°C and 26°C, respectively. While Colaba recorded, 34.1°C and 27°C, respectively.
As per IMD report, for the next 48 hours, Mumbai city and suburbs will continue to have partly cloudy skies with probability of rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds. The maximum and minimum temperature will remain at 35°C and 24°C.
As per IMD's district weather report for the next five days released on May 13, Mumbai is expected to receive light to moderate rains. While, Yellow Alert is issued for districts of Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri. Several districts in the interiors of Maharashtra have been issued Orange Alert for rainfall with thunderstorms for the coming days.
As per IMD data, this year so far, Colaba observatory has recorded a total of 61.3 mm rainfall and Santacruz has recorded 38.4 mm. The pre-monsoon rains has also increased humidity in Mumbai, which is expected to continue till monsoon starts.
