By Sandeep Verma 
Mumbai, September 28: Rain has returned to Mumbai in the way only this city knows, sudden, loud, and unforgiving. By early Sunday morning, entire stretches were waterlogged again, and the IMD’s red alert made it clear: the downpour isn’t going anywhere just yet.
The Numbers Are Stark, But The Streets Tell The Story
Colaba clocked over 120 mm of rain in a day. Santacruz wasn’t far behind, crossing 80 mm. Official figures are neat, but step outside and you see what they really mean: stranded rickshaws, bikes abandoned in knee-deep water, and people wading with their trousers rolled up. In some suburbs, the rain came down so hard overnight that drains simply gave up.
Meteorologists point to a depression over Vidarbha pushing its weight westward. It should weaken soon, they say, but until then, Mumbai is in the firing line.
Same Flood Points, Same Frustration
The first casualties were predictable. Andheri subway shut. Hindmata Circle is flooded. Sion and Kurla traffic is crawling. Mumbaikars know this drill by heart: when it pours above 100 mm in a short window, the city’s weak spots surrender.
On the highways, cars moved at a crawl, hazard lights blinking through sheets of rain. Trains weren’t spared either. Both Central and Western lines reported delays. BEST buses ran their routes, but “running” is generous; most were stuck in jams that stretched longer than the morning patience of their passengers.
Airports Brace For The Spillover
Airlines weren’t taking chances. IndiGo and Air India told passengers bluntly: leave early. Don’t risk missing flights because of waterlogged roads. Inside the terminals, operations continued, but not on time. Some departures slipped by half an hour, others longer. In a city where reaching the airport can already be a gamble, the warnings were heeded.
Disaster Teams On Standby
The NDRF is on alert across Mumbai and its neighbouring districts. Trucks and rescue boats haven’t been rolled out yet, but the gear is ready. The BMC’s control rooms are watching flood-prone spots minute by minute. Officials are also pleading with residents not to venture into seafronts or underpasses during high tide. The risk is real: a strong tide meeting a heavy shower can turn bad in minutes.
A City That Has Heard It All Before
Every monsoon, the same questions surface. Why are the drains still clogged? Why are expansion projects still incomplete? Why does a city that contributes so heavily to the national economy fold so easily in the rain?
The BRIMSTOWAD project, which was supposed to overhaul Mumbai’s stormwater system, is still dragging along. Meanwhile, natural water channels keep getting swallowed by construction. Add to this the changing climate, which experts say is producing more short, violent bursts of rain, and the result is visible on the streets today.
Looking Ahead, But Warily
Forecasts say the city can expect more heavy showers until Monday morning. After that, if the system weakens as predicted, relief could finally arrive. Until then, it’s a waiting game, commuters deciding whether to risk trains, families checking WhatsApp groups for flooded routes, and businesses hoping employees can make it in without another shutdown.
Mumbai has seen worse. 2005 is a scar nobody forgets,s but resilience doesn’t make days like these any easier. For now, the city just has to endure, one hour of rain at a time.
Stay ahead with Hindustan Herald — bringing you trusted news, sharp analysis, and stories that matter across Politics, Business, Technology, Sports, Entertainment, Lifestyle, and more.
Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and join our Telegram community @hindustanherald for real-time updates.
Regional journalist bringing grassroots perspectives and stories from towns and cities across India.
- Sandeep Vermahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/sandeep/
- Sandeep Vermahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/sandeep/
- Sandeep Vermahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/sandeep/
- Sandeep Vermahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/sandeep/
Ananya Sharma and Sandeep Verma