'Metro line aptly named Aqua', 'where is infra man'... : Political slugfest continues over Mumbai rains

The southwest monsoon, which arrived in Mumbai on May 26 (its earliest onset in over 70 years) not only brought with it heavy rainfall, widespread waterlogging and disruptions in traffic and flight services, but also sparked a political slugfest.

 

The normal onset date for the southwest monsoon in Mumbai is June 11, but it hit Mumbai on Monday, marking the earliest arrival in 75 years. The month of May this year also saw Mumbai breaking more than a 100-year-old record for the amount of rainfall received. According to Times of India, the IMD Colaba observatory broke the all-time rainfall record for May, logging 439mm so far, crossing the 279.4mm mark recorded in May 1918.

 

South Mumbai, in particular, recorded extremely heavy rainfall. Nariman Point received the highest rainfall at 252 mm, followed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters (216 mm) and Colaba pumping station (207 mm) between 10 pm on May 25 and 11 am on May 26, according to data shared by the BMC.

 

The deluge sparked off a political war of words between the ruling Mahayuti bloc (comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP) and the opposition. While Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde attributed the flooding to the early arrival of southwest monsoon and heavy rainfall in a short period of time, the opposition blamed the government for failing to prepare the city for it.

 

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, while referring to the flooding of Mumbai's new Metro Line 3 (Aqua) and subsequent suspension of services, took a dig at the state government saying "the Metro line was aptly named Aqua, since it is under water today". Congress, too, launched a scathing criticism against the BJP-led coalition government in the state, accusing it of spending crores of rupees, and yet failing to improve roads or fix the drainage system in Mumbai.

 

Shinde admitted the administration was caught off-guard by the early onset of monsoons, as the pre-monsoon work was planned to be completed by June 10.

"This was like a cloudburst due to the intensity of the rain. We know that the rains will arrive after June 6 and preparations are done accordingly. We don't deny that some things have happened,” he said.

 

The deputy CM and Shiv Sena leader, who also serves as the Urban Development Minister and guardian minister for Mumbai City, added that pumps are flushing out water in low-lying areas and major drains (nullahs) are being cleaned.

 

However, the opposition parties are in no mood to relent. "This is not the first rain of the season that has hit Mumbai,” said Thackeray, who is a former minister too, and added that the BMC’s condition under BJP rule is worsening. He also took a dig at Shinde, his arch-rival. “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?"

 

Senior Congress leader Nana Patole blamed the "reckless governance" of the Mahayuti bloc for Mumbai’s waterlogging. He termed the waterlogging in the state secretariat in south Mumbai, a "warning" and a reflection of the government's "apathy." He also alleged that the funds for cleaning up Mumbai were being "siphoned off".

 

NCP (SP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto joined the criticism, expressing shame at the state of Mumbai, "India's financial capital," given India's claim as the world's fourth-largest economy. He demanded an apology from the BJP-led Maharashtra government, which has been managing the BMC, which is without elected representatives since 2022, for over three years.

 

NCP (SP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto demanded an apology from the state government, which has been managing the BMC for over three years.

India