Rs 70 cr spent, but Mumbai struggles in rains

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Sep 4, 2012: The Maximum City came to a halt on Monday evening as the torrential rains exposed the Brihan Mumbai Corporation’s claims and the Mayor’s challenge that the agencies were prepared for tackling Monsoon 2012.

 

 

The BMC had spent over Rs 50 crore this year alone on desilting of drains and over Rs 26 crore on fixing potholes. The BMC and the railways passed the buck to each other and did nothing to desilt the drain along the railway line.

Even though water has receded from most places in Mumbai, the Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rainfall on Tuesday as well. The rains on Monday left many areas in the city waterlogged, one dead and four injured in its wake. Parts of Dadar Hind Mata and many roads were waterlogged. Low-lying areas across the city were flooded. The municipal corporation had to press 110 water pumps into service to drain out excess water from the streets.

Meanwhile, incessant rains for the second day in row wreaked havoc in Thane district, cutting off several low lying areas, leaving thousands of people marooned.

According to district authorities, parts of many areas like Bhiwandi, Kopri, Naupada, Bhayander, Dahanu and Kalyan were completely inundated owing to continuous downpour during the last 48 hours.

About 10,000 people were marooned by flood waters in these areas and are being shifted to safer places, they said.

Also, non-stop rains have wrecked roads in the Thane district leading to heavy disruption in vehicular traffic on the Bombay-Ahmedabad road.

The Palghar police station in the western belt of Thane district was totally flooded, damaging various records. Other adjacent police stations including the one in Manor area was also cut off, making it difficult for policemen to operate.

In Tarapur area, a Primary Health Centre and quarters of the medical officer came under water following which affected health workers and patients were shifted to nearby, officials from the district disaster control room.

In Mira-Bhayander, a portion of an old building collapsed this morning after heavy showers. However, there was no loss of life, police said.

In Maswan, a MSRTC bus carrying passengers got stuck in the flood waters of Surya River on Monday evening leaving 30 passengers stranded for many hours, authorities said.

They were later rescued in the wee hours on Tuesday, police said.

Thousands of people staying on the banks of rivers Surya, Vaitarna and Daherja in Palghar taluka have been alerted and asked to shift to safer shelters, police said.

In Mumbai, heavy rains continued overnight throwing normal life out of gear, flooding streets and stalling traffic.

Waterlogging was reported in western suburbs of Malad, Kandivali and Jogeshwari.

Courtesy: CNN IBN