Mumbai Records 110mm Rain, Waterlogging Hits Traffic and Subways
Continuous heavy rainfall lashed Mumbai on Monday, flooding major roads and closing down critical infrastructure, including the Andheri subway. In 24 hours, the city recorded over 110mm of rainfall across its regions, severely disrupting road and rail movement. Commuters faced massive traffic jams during peak hours on both express highways, while civic agencies worked to control rising water levels. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an ‘orange’ alert for extremely heavy rain, cautioning citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from the shoreline due to high tides reaching 3.88 metres.
The deluge submerged low-lying areas across Mumbai, with visuals of inundated roads flooding social media. The closure of Andheri’s key subway led to rerouted traffic, stretching already slow-moving vehicle queues. The city’s eastern and western suburbs were particularly affected, recording 36.42mm and 50.02mm of rain respectively, while the island city saw 23.45mm. Officials warned that intense rainfall may persist over the next 24 hours, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds at isolated spots. Suburban trains ran with minor delays, adding to commuter woes on an already stormy morning. Civic authorities remain on high alert as infrastructure strain grew amid continued rainfall. Mumbai’s vital east–west corridors, including the Eastern and Western Express Highways, saw significant congestion.
Motorists reported bumper-to-bumper traffic during morning office hours, while puddles and poor visibility made driving conditions worse. Public transport services struggled to maintain schedules, and waterlogged bylanes further choked internal traffic movement. While emergency responders were deployed at critical points, city dwellers were advised to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary. Airlines also issued passenger advisories warning of delays and traffic snarls en route to the airport. Domestic carriers highlighted that ongoing rain conditions may cause extended commute times and urged travellers to leave early and check flight statuses in advance. Airport authorities coordinated with traffic police to ensure minimal disruptions. With heavy rain showing no signs of slowing, the city’s ability to maintain operational mobility under pressure drew concern from civic planners and urban resilience experts alike.
Mumbai’s reservoir levels reached 81.86% capacity as of July 19, according to officials from the civic administration, offering a silver lining for the city’s long-term water supply. However, the rising reservoir levels have also prompted further caution, given the risk of overflow or sudden releases. With climate variability intensifying monsoon patterns each year, Mumbai’s rainfall-related crises reflect larger questions around sustainable urban planning, stormwater drainage upgrades, and infrastructure preparedness in megacities.
