Amid heavy rains being reported in many parts of Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday spoke to officials at control rooms in Mumbai and collectors of Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Palghar districts to take stock of the situation.
Many parts of Mumbai were submerged earlier today after incessant rains lashed the city throwing normal life out of gear.
With waterlogging being reported in many parts of the city, Thackeray ordered officials to ensure that the accumulated rainwater is drained out at the earliest and transport resumed. He also directed disaster management authorities to make arrangements to tackle the unfolding situation.
The Met department on Wednesday declared the arrival of monsoon in the state and predicted medium to very heavy rains during the next three days.
"On Wednesday, the chief minister asked authorities to ensure that residents of the coastal belt are not inconvenienced and relief work be started wherever needed. The CM also told them to ensure that rains do not impact COVIID hospitals and also the patients being treated for other ailments. He directed authorities in Mumbai to keep the pumping stations functional to drain out rainwater expeditiously," the CMO said.
The first rain of this year's monsoon season in Mumbai has caused water-logging in various parts of the city, prompting the traffic police to shut four subways and forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles on roads.
The city police appealed to Mumbaikars not to step out of their homes unnecessarily and cautioned them against travelling to some of the inundated areas.
While there were fewer vehicles on the city roads amid the downpour, motorcyclists and other two-wheeler riders were unable to manoeuvre their vehicles at some of the flooded places.
The traffic police closed Milan, Khar, Andheri and Malad subways for motorists due to water-logging at these places.
Local train services from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji MaharajTerminus (CSMT) to neighbouring Thane and Vashi in Navi Mumbai were suspended due to water-logging on some railway tracks, officials said.
Routes of some BEST buses run the city civic body's transport wing were also diverted, they said.
(With PTI inputs)
