Gujarat: Heavy Rains In Vadodara Halt Airport Operations, Trains Cancelled

Operations at the Vadodara International Airport in Gujarat have been halted till 3 pm on Thursday following heavy rains in the region which has led to waterlogging and garbage accumulation on the runway.

The heavy rains and waterlogging also led to the Western Railway cancelling five trains. Two trains were short terminated between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

Train numbers 19036, 19035, 19016, 69106, 69102 have been cancelled while 12934 and 12932, which ply between Ahmedabad and Mumbai Central, will be short terminated at Borivali.

Train numbers 12931 and 12933 will originate from Borivali instead of Mumbai Central.

Meanwhile, as torrential rains lashed Vadodara and nearby areas creating a flood-like situation, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Wednesday held a high-level meeting to review the situation in the city and deputed two IAS officers to provide guidance to the local administration.

The Chief Minister also appealed to citizens to shift from low-lying areas to safer places, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office read. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed to shift people from low-lying areas to safer locations.

All schools and colleges have been ordered to remain shut on August 1. Vadodara railway station has been shut down.

Vadodara city had received a staggering 442 mm of rainfall in just 12 hours on Wednesday, forcing shut-down of airport,
cancellation of a few trains and leading to heavy waterlogging.

Rains also lashed other parts of the state including Ahmedabad city and central Gujarat.

The Vadodara airport on the outskirts of the city was temporarily shut down and two domestic flights were cancelled on Wednesday, airport authorities said.

Elsewhere, the city of Ahmedabad recorded 58 mm rainfall on Wednesday.

(With inputs from Agencies)