Thaindian News

Mumbai, July 8 (IANS) Heavy rains since early Friday brought cheer to Mumbai but also disrupted road and rail traffic and forced a brief suspension of flights, officials said.

The rains, which revived Thursday night after a lull of nearly two weeks, lashed Mumbai, its suburbs and the adjoining districts of Thane and Raigad.

Due to sudden drop in visibility to 300 metres at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, all incoming and outgoing flight operations were suspended for 17 minutes from 10 a.m. Friday. Five flights were disrupted during the period.

Heavy traffic jams plagued the two main thoroughfares - Eastern Express Highway and Western Express Highway - as traffic slowed down owing to water-logging in some low-lying areas.

Similarly, Mumbai’s lifeline - Central Railway, Harbour Line, and Western Railway suburban sections - also reported delays due to heavy rains and trains were running late by 30-40 minutes.

Railway tracks were waterlogged in Mankhurd and Govandi suburbs, which led to further delays in train operations.

Water logging was reported in parts of Kurla, Ghatkopar, Sion, Bhandup and Parel in the eastern suburbs and Kandivli, Malad, Jogeshwari, Andheri, Santacruz and Mahim on the western wide.

Road subways at Dahisar, Malad, Andheri and Santacruz had to be closed as they were flooded, and traffic was diverted on alternate routes.

Similarly, heavy rains lashed the towns of Navi Mumbai, Vasai, Virar, Nalla-Sopara, Dombivli, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar and other places in Thane district.

Mumbai city recorded around 160 mm of rain since Thursday night and Mumbai’s suburbs notched around 60 mm rainfall, with the weather bureau forecast promising a wet weekend with heavy rains.