Why Did the Rain Fury Lead to Shutdowns in Mumbai Today?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Mumbai faces significant disruption due to heavy rainfall.
- All government offices are closed, and private firms are encouraged to adopt WFH.
- A red alert has been issued for the region.
- Local train services are heavily delayed.
- Residents are urged to stay safe and limit outdoor activities.
Mumbai, Aug 19 (NationPress) With the escalating downpour, all government and semi-government entities in Mumbai were shut down on Tuesday. Private businesses have been urged to enable their employees to work from home (WFH).
“The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for exceedingly heavy rainfall in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area (including Mumbai city and its suburbs) today, Tuesday, August 19, 2025. In light of the ongoing downpour, the BMC has declared a holiday for all non-essential services within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area,” stated the BMC in an official announcement.
“The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation also urges all private offices and establishments within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to promptly instruct their staff to work from home and minimize unnecessary travel,” the BMC further added.
The Mumbai Police have similarly advised residents to exercise caution and refrain from unnecessary travel. In a message on X, Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti stated, “Good Morning Mumbai. We hope you are following safety protocols due to the anticipated heavy rains today. Please be cautious, limit outdoor activities, steer clear of coastal areas during high tide, and remember, we are just around the corner to assist in emergencies. We encourage the private sector to facilitate work from home whenever possible.”
Since Monday, Mumbai has experienced significant rainfall. The intensity further escalated this morning. The Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Mumbai, Thane, and several districts in the Konkan region.
Continuous rainfall has been observed in various suburbs of Mumbai, including Kandivali, Borivali, Malad, Andheri, Dahisar, Goregaon, Vile Parle, Santacruz, Khar, and Bandra. Numerous low-lying areas are waterlogged, with significant accumulation in Dadar, particularly in the Hindmata locality. The municipality has deployed pumps to alleviate water in Hindmata.
Suburban railway services, which are critical for Mumbai, have suffered partial disruptions due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging on tracks from Ghatkopar to Dadar on the Central Railway. The tracks at Matunga station are completely submerged.
This has led to a total collapse of the Central Railway train schedule, with services currently running 25 to 30 minutes late. Local trains on the Harbour Railway are also delayed by approximately half an hour, while the Western Railway has seen services running 15 minutes behind schedule. Passengers are facing long waits on platforms as they await their trains.
Additionally, local trains are experiencing delays due to technical issues on the Central Railway line past Kalyan. A technical glitch between Shahad and Ambivali stations is causing delays for local trains originating from Kasara. Services from Kasara, Asangaon, and Titwala are also impacted.
Heavy rainfall has also affected Vasai, Virar, and Nalasopara, leading to waterlogging in several low-lying areas.
A red alert has been issued for Palghar district today, with a holiday declared for all schools and colleges within the district. Similar measures have been implemented for the Vasai and Virar City Municipal Corporation areas.
In response to the heavy rainfall in the Kalyan-Dombivli regions, the municipal administration has also declared a holiday for schools as a precautionary measure. In the Nashik district, authorities have urged residents, particularly those near the Godavari River, to remain vigilant.