Incessant rains disrupt normal life in city Potholes resurface on most roads, motorists affected

Transport services severely affected, local trains cancel many services

Incessant rains since Thursday in Navi Mumbai may not have been as bad as was the case in Mumbai, yet it threw life in the city out of gear. No major loss of property or life was reported. Airoli received the highest rainfall in the city, while Belapur the least.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation reported there was waterlogging at four places and 15 trees falls in the city.

Transport services were severely affected and the local trains came to a halt, with only skeletal service being run that too with delays.

The rains that began Friday, continued through Saturday. Incessant rains throughout the night seemed to have prepared most residents for the ordeal during the day. Several stayed put at home but those who did venture out had a tough time. Most offices had thin attendance.

The NMMT and BEST services were severely affected with their time schedules going haywire. A large crowd of passengers could be seen at the bus stops and depots.

The train services were worse. Commuters wanting to travel to Mumbai or Thane waited for hours at the railway stations. Since the local trains outside the city had come to a halt, there were no services. A few train services were run between Panvel and Vashi.

Rashmi Kothari, a Nerul resident, said: “I waited for hours to go to Thane, but there was no train. I then headed to the bus depot but since there was a huge rush and the bus seemed to be taking ages to come, I returned home.”

Water entered Meghdoot area at Sector 2 of Vashi and at the railway subways of Sanpada, Kopar Khairane and Airoli. Traffic came to a halt at the subways leading to traffic snarls in the area. There was waterlogging opposite Centre One mall road.

Turbhe MIDC police station made sure it stayed in the news this monsoon too. The policemen worked in flooded rooms.

A civic official said, “We ensued that water pumps were rushed to the areas where waterlogging was reported which were at four places.”

He added, “We received 15 complaints of tree falls. These complaints were forwarded to the fire and garden departments for swift action. Overall the situation was in control in the city. Life was not affected much.”

The city has been witnessing heavy showers for the last three days, bringing the much-needed relief from heat.

The rains have brought in a flood of problems — waterlogging and potholes like every year.

Residents alleged that despite the civic body assurances of a hassle-free monsoon, the municipal corporation fails in improving infrastructure every year.

Waterlogging was witnessed at several locations in Belapur, Nerul, Vashi, Turbhe, APMC, Airoli, Rabale and other areas.

“The monsoon is yet to set in properly but there have been waterlogging in various parts of the city. On Friday evening, I was stuck for half an hour while taking a turn from Vashi railway station to Sector 17 via the NMMC underpass subway that connects the sectors,” said Shailendra Singh, 27, resident of Vashi.

There was waterlogging at Nerul, Sion-Panvel highway near Juinagar and Turbhe while potholes were seen on the internal roads in Airoli, Kopar Khairne and Turbhe.

“There was severe waterlogging in the APMC market area towards both the Turbhe and Vashi side near the Mathadi Bhavan,” said Manisha Joshi, 32, resident of Sanpada.

The bus depot in Airoli, a low-lying node, was flooded had ankle-deep water despite the civic officials making drainage facilities. The Vashi and Belapur bus depots were flooded on Friday and Saturday.

Potholes have resurfaced in most roads, giving motorists a tough time.

It has been bumpy rides since Friday in most nodes of the city as roads at Vashi, Nerul, Kopar Khairane and Airoli nodes are dotted with potholes.

“My bike jumped into a pothole which was invisible due to knee-deep water near Airoli station. Somehow, I managed to rescue myself from major injuries,” said Sandeep Rao, 23, resident of Airoli.

Data from the NMMC disaster management cell records said that there was no waterlogging complaint registered.

They got calls related to short circuit and trees fall incidents.

“As per the data, we got nine calls for short-circuit, 14 calls for fire and 31 calls for tree falling, while 34 calls for potholes during the period,” said an official from the disaster management cell of NMMC.