BMC urges Mumbaikars to stay indoors as red alert grips city

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday urged residents to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary, as heavy monsoon rain battered Mumbai under a red alert and triggered widespread flooding, transport disruption and a surge in tree-fall complaints across the city.

In a public appeal issued after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of extremely heavy rainfall in the Mumbai metropolitan region along with strong winds, the civic body asked people to avoid stepping out of their homes unless essential and to stay away from potentially dangerous locations.

The BMC advised residents to keep a safe distance from trees, dilapidated buildings, hoardings, electric poles and other vulnerable structures, and to avoid parking vehicles under trees or venturing to the seafront and low-lying areas.

It also urged citizens not to rely on rumours and to follow only official alerts and advisories issued by the civic administration, police and disaster management authorities. In case of emergencies, the BMC asked residents to contact its helpline on 1916.

The civic body said around 15,000 officers and staff from the BMC and other agencies were deployed across the city and working on the ground, while senior officials were monitoring the situation and coordinating response measures.

Mumbai saw relentless overnight rain that led to severe waterlogging and flooding at several key locations, including the Andheri Milan Subway, Kurla, Chunabhatti, Ghatkopar and Sion’s Pratiksha Nagar area. In many places, commuters were forced to wade through deep water as road movement slowed and local transport services came under strain.

Train services on the Central, Western and Harbour lines were affected by heavy rain and waterlogging, adding to the disruption across the city. In view of the weather warning, authorities also declared a holiday for schools and colleges in Mumbai for the day.

The BMC said it had received more than 400 complaints related to fallen trees and large branches across the city as strong winds accompanied the rain.

The latest spell of rain has also sharpened criticism of the civic body’s handling of dangerous trees and branches after a series of fatal incidents in recent days. Tree-fall deaths have been reported in Chembur, Kurla and Aarey Colony, with residents and activists alleging that vulnerable trees and overhanging branches continue to pose a serious risk despite repeated warnings and safety concerns.

With the red alert in force and more rain forecast, civic authorities appealed to residents to remain vigilant and strictly follow official instructions as Mumbai continues to grapple with one of the season’s heaviest spells of rain.

With IANS inputs