As heavy rain lashes Maharashtra, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde urges people to avoid stepping out unless necessary

Emphasising the need to prevent any loss of life or property, he instructed officials to keep all emergency response systems fully equipped and operational. “Ensure swift and effective rescue operations wherever needed. Pay special attention to waterlogged roads, bridges, power lines, and dangerous or dilapidated buildings,” he said.

Districts such as Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, and Nashik are currently experiencing heavy rainfall. IMD records show that at 295 mm, the Colaba observatory in Mumbai has now recorded the highest rainfall during the month of May, shattering the previous record of 279.4 mm reported in May 1918.

“Every effort must be made to avoid disruption to daily life. All concerned departments should act swiftly and in coordination,” he said, adding that the state government is closely monitoring the situation and taking all necessary steps to safeguard the public.

Shinde also highlighted the need to maintain suburban rail services in cities like Mumbai and Thane, and to manage crowd movement in case of disruptions. The deputy CM urged citizens to follow weather advisories and remain cautious, especially those residing in low-lying areas. “The administration is fully prepared to assist, but public cooperation is equally important,” he added.

Shinde also stressed the need to evacuate residents from structurally unsafe buildings and ensure smooth suburban rail operations in areas like Mumbai and Thane. “In case of major obstructions, prompt assistance should be provided to commuters. Rescue and relief teams must respond quickly wherever needed,” he said.

This year, Maharashtra witnessed advanced onset of the Southwest Monsoon on Sunday, May 25, ten days before the usual onset date of June 5. This is also the earliest onset of monsoon that Mumbai has seen in 35 years.

Aaditya Thackeray slams BJP’s ‘apathy’

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray accused the BJP-led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of administrative failure in handling the situation. “Waterlogging has returned to areas that had been made flood-free during our tenure. The absolute apathy of the BJP government that has controlled the BMC for the past three years has led to Mumbai coming to a standstill today,” Thackeray said in a statement.

One of the key locations he pointed to was Hindmata — long known as a flood-prone zone — which had undergone major infrastructure upgrades in 2021–22. “The Hindmata area, which we made waterlogging-free, is submerged again today only because the BMC did not initiate the water-pumping process on time,” he added.

Thackeray also cited last week’s incidents of waterlogging at Andheri Subway and Saki Naka, noting that the number of affected areas had since grown. “Today, many more areas are suffering under the BJP’s terrible governance,” he stated.

Questioning the civic body’s preparedness, Thackeray alleged: “Why does the BJP hate Mumbai so much that it has left the city grappling with roads half dug up, nullahs not cleaned, and more flooding than ever before?”

Despite the civic body’s claims of pre-monsoon readiness, several parts of the city remained waterlogged for hours on Monday, affecting traffic and daily life. Officials said dewatering pumps had been deployed and emergency teams were on the ground, but many residents took to social media to express frustration over delays and poor communication.

Maharashtra Congress chief Harshawardhan Sapkal also criticised the ruling BJP-Shinde Sena-NCP over the flooding in Mumbai. Taking to X, he posted, “The corrupt BJP alliance drowned Mumbai in its first rain. The streets of Mumbai are flooded with corruption from the state government and the municipal corporation.”

“The first rains have left Mumbaikars in a state of shock and the roads of Mumbai have turned into ponds. Mumbai is flooded with water in many places. There is water everywhere on the roads and railway tracks. A single rain has exposed the corrupt practices of BJP Shinde Sena and Ajit Pawar. Their achievements are so great that it seems they will have to go door to door by boat to seek people’s votes in the upcoming elections,” Sapkal lashed out, adding that city residents “will not forgive this corrupt gang that looted Mumbai.”