Mumbai rains: City crawls back to normalcy after witnessing heaviest rainfall in 12 years

Mumbai, which had come to a standstill on Tuesday due to incessant rainfall it had received since 8:30 am on Monday, is recovering at a slow pace.

Mumbai rains wreak havoc, situation may worsen: Here's all you need to know [PHOTOS+VIDEOS]

The Maximum City experienced the heaviest rainfall in 12 years over the past couple of days. A few parts saw to around 300 mm rainfall.

Three people, including two children, were killed when a house collapsed in Mumbai on Tuesday night due to the heavy rain and strong winds, reported PTI. Another Four people — all commuters — were killed and 12 others were injured in different accident on railway tracks.

According to a forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the western coast of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, may receive up to 250 mm of rainfall in the next 48 hours.

The monsoon clouds have moved further north. However, the IMD has sounded a "red alert" for heavy rain in the Konkan region, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and central Maharashtra.

As per latest reports, areas like Hindmata, Lalbaug, GTB Nagar, Sion, Mulund and low-lying areas in Parel, Worli and Dadar are moderately waterlogged. Parts of the Kurla slum are submerged in ankle-deep water. Residents have complained that the local administration has not sent any help.

Transport services

Though school and colleges remained closed on Wednesday, a few people went to office.

Predictably, roads have much less traffic, partially due to people staying home and partially due to waterlogging. 

Flights operations in at the Mumbai airport are back to normal.

The local train service also resumed late on Tuesday night. The Thane railway station is still flooded. Central Railway has resumed services from Kurla to Dombivali.

Rescue teams on standby

Five teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed to rescue people. Even the Indian Navy has divers and choppers on standby.

Early on Wednesday morning, Navy cadets distributed breakfast and tea to people at the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station and arranged for shelter for those stuck in areas like Colaba, Worli and Ghatkopar.

The iconic dabbawalas of Mumbai won't operate on Wednesday.

With many Mumbaikars still starnded in different parts of teh city, many private and public transport did their best to ferry commuters to their destinations. 

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses, proved to be the saviour for lakhs of Mumbaikars, braving the chaotic traffic situation on the roads to reach them home safely, reported Mumbai Mirror.

App based cabs like Ola dropped people home free of charge.

"Working with the Fire Department, yesterday, Shuttle services were deployed across key locations such as Powai, BKC, Goregaon, Domestic Airport, and Lower Parel," Ola said in its sttement to International Business Times, India.

Ankur Nyati, City General Manager of Ola in Mumbai said that they will be contunuing its free services on Wednesday as well.

"Shuttles will continue to ply in the city today along with free Share rides to ferry citizens safely to their destinations. We are working very closely with the authorities to ensure that rescue operations reach Mumbaikars at the earliest," Nyati told Mumbai IBTimes, India.