Mumbai rains: Shinde blames mess on early arrival, heavy rains; Aaditya slams govt

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Monday attributed the early arrival of the southwest monsoon and heavy rainfall in a short span of time for the inundation of low-lying areas in Mumbai, which disrupted road and railway traffic.

Addressing reporters, he said parts of the city received over 200 mm of rainfall in 12 hours. Shinde said areas in south Mumbai like Nariman Point received 252 mm of rainfall in 12 hours, the BMC headquarters received 216 mm, and Colaba pumping station 207 mm. "This was like a cloudburst owing to the intensity of the rain. Rainfall of 50-55 mm is expected in these places," Shinde said.

The southwest monsoon reached the city 15 days before (its usual onset), Shinde said as the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) came under intense criticism.

"We expected (the pre-monsoon) work to be completed by 10 June and planned work accordingly. It is a fact that the rains have arrived early and this has caused chaos," he said.

The normal onset date for the southwest monsoon in the city is 11 June, but it reached Mumbai on 26 May this year, as per the IMD (India Meteorological Department).

"We know that the rains will arrive after 6 June and preparations are done accordingly. We don't deny that some things have happened. Pumps will function in full swing (in low-lying areas)," Shinde added.

Shinde, who is also the urban development minister and guardian minister for Mumbai city, said the cleaning of nullahs (major drains) is in progress. He said water has been drained out from low-lying areas like Hindmata, Milan Subway, Andheri, Ghatkopar, and Sion.

A pre-monsoon disaster management meeting was held by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis comprising stakeholders like the BMC, PWD, MMRDA, Railway, Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and NDRF. The system is alert, Shinde said, adding that the BMC and the state government will take care that people are less affected.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray targeted the state government and said never ever has the BMC been in such a dangerous situation.

This picture will remain if the BMC goes under the control of the BJP, Thackeray said. "This is not the first rain of the season that has hit Mumbai. We have been saying for the past two months to clean the nullahs. The civic body should have held a monsoon meeting. Where is the person who calls himself a visionary, infra man?" Thackery asked in a dig at Shinde.

He said the BMC is being run by the chief minister's office and the urban development department headed by Shinde.

Senior Congress leader Nana Patole said Mumbai was submerged owing to the reckless governance of the BJP-led Mahayuti dispensation. "Rain water in Mantralaya, the state secretariat, is not a natural disaster. It is a warning. Water entering an important administrative building like Mantralaya isn't merely due to rain, but a reflection of the government's apathy," he said.

Filth and floods have gripped the entire state, but the corrupt ruling alliance is busy with Union minister Amit Shah's visit (to Nagpur and Nanded), he added.

"The builder lobby is behind the floods in Pune, but guardian minister Ajit Pawar is indifferent to the public's plight," Patole alleged. He added that despite spending crores, the government has failed to clean Mumbai, improve roads, or fix the drainage system.

Crores are siphoned off on the pretext of cleaning rivers, the senior Congress leader alleged.

"Unseasonal rains have caused massive damage to rabi (summer) crops like wheat, chickpeas, maize, rice, and fruit orchards. But the government merely reads out statistics. It hasn't provided a single drop of relief to wipe farmers' tears," he claimed.

NCP (SP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto also took a swipe at the ruling alliance.

"According to the NITI Aayog CEO, India is now the world's 4th largest economy. But look at the poor state of Mumbai, a city we proudly call India's financial capital. The BJP-led Maharashtra govt, which is running the BMC for more than three years now, should be ashamed and must apologize to Mumbaikars," Crasto said.