Mumbai Monsoon: IMD Issues Orange Alert, School and Colleges Closed, Transport Hit

Mumbaikars woke up to cloudy skies and strong winds on Tuesday as relentless monsoon showers continued to lash Maharashtra, throwing normal life out of gear.

Heavy rain over the past three to four days has caused waterlogging, landslides, transport delays and several rain-related accidents, prompting authorities to stay on high alert after warnings from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

IMD Issues ‘Orange’ Alert

The India Meteorological Department has issued an Orange Alert for Mumbai, Kolhapur, Satara, Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts, warning of moderate spells of rain at isolated places.

Earlier, a Red Alert was issued for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Pune and the Nashik Ghats, with warnings of very heavy rain, strong winds and possible waterlogging.

The state government has announced work-from-home arrangements for all offices and deployed disaster relief teams as part of rescue and preparedness measures.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also urged citizens to remain cautious after the IMD warned of a possible cloudburst-like event in the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar region on Tuesday.

BMC On War Footing

In Mumbai, where strong winds touched speeds of 70 to 80 kmph, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has put its disaster response system on high alert.

The BMC’s Disaster Management Department is monitoring the situation round the clock. Special teams have been placed at vulnerable spots to respond to emergencies such as tree falls, short circuits and collapses of old or unsafe structures.

The civic body has also called a Special General Body Meeting on July 9, where rain-related incidents and the challenges faced by the city over the past few days are expected to be discussed.

Schools Closed

All government, municipal, aided and private schools and colleges will remain closed today in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane.

The Nashik district administration has also announced a holiday for schools and colleges after the IMD placed the region under a Red Alert for extremely heavy rainfall.

Lonavala Rain Triggers Landslides

A massive spell of rain in Lonavala triggered multiple landslides in the Karjat-Lonavala Ghat section on the Mumbai-Pune railway line, disrupting train services over the last two days, officials said, according to PTI.

Lonavala recorded 670 mm of rain in the 24 hours ending 7 am on Monday, official data showed. Pune district reported landslides at 22 locations over two days.

Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila said the ghat section had received around 300 mm of rainfall on Sunday.

“About 160 mm of rain fell in the first four hours on Sunday, leading to landslides at multiple vulnerable locations. The first landslide occurred near Thakurwadi, impacting all three lines in Bhor Ghat, followed by another between Monkey Hill and Khandala,” he pointed out.

A tree also fell on the down main line near Khandala station later in the day, he added.

“Tracks have suffered extensive damage at some locations but prompt restoration work has been undertaken despite incessant rain in the ghat section,” Nila said.

According to Nila, Central Railway had posted stationary watchmen at all vulnerable spots in the ghat section because of the heavy rain. Their timely alerts ensured that no train was hit by landslides and no passenger was injured.

Train Services Hit

At the time of the landslides, the Daund-Gwalior Express was stopped near Khandala, while the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Bengaluru Express was halted near Thakurwadi. Both trains were later safely brought back to Lonavala and Karjat stations around 6.15 am on Monday, the CPRO said.

Central Railway said 27 trains, including four suburban services between Palasdari and Lonavala, were cancelled till late Monday evening. Besides this, 57 trains were diverted, 19 short-terminated, 15 short-originated and four rescheduled.

Railway authorities deployed 200 labourers in the ghat section for restoration work and were mobilising another 200 workers to speed up repairs, officials said.

Train movement between Karjat and Khopoli in Raigad district partially resumed on Monday evening after being suspended for nearly 12 hours due to ballast washout caused by heavy rain between Lowjee and Dolavli stations, officials said.

The Karjat-Khopoli section is part of Mumbai’s suburban rail network and is used by thousands of daily commuters travelling to the city for work.

Expressway Link Road Reopened

Meanwhile, traffic on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway Connecting Link Road resumed after authorities completed safety work following a landslide triggered by overnight rain.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office said vehicular movement had restarted, while advising commuters to exercise caution.