Mumbai: Mumbai woke up to a rain-drenched Monday as the early arrival of the southwest monsoon brought intense downpours, triggering widespread waterlogging, traffic snarls, and delays across the city’s crucial public transport systems.
With the monsoon advancing faster than usual this year, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that parts of Mumbai and its suburbs received heavy to very heavy rainfall during the early morning hours. Areas such as Bandra, Kings Circle, and Andheri were particularly hard-hit, with visuals showing commuters wading through ankle-deep water and vehicles inching through waterlogged streets.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) area witnessed thunder and lightning, adding to the weather-induced chaos. Gusty winds swept across the city, with the IMD forecasting wind speeds of up to 60 kmph in isolated areas over the next few hours.
The city’s lifeline — the Mumbai suburban train network — also bore the brunt of the weather. Services on the Central, Western, and Harbour lines faced significant delays.
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Suburban trains are running with a delay of around 8–10 minutes due to reduced visibility caused by continuous rainfall,” said the Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway. Trains between Kalyan and Kasara are reportedly the worst affected, with waterlogging on tracks causing delays of up to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, a Western Railway spokesperson confirmed that its services were largely operating on schedule, though they continue to monitor conditions closely.
Air travel, too, experienced setbacks. Low visibility at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport led to multiple flight delays, with SpiceJet issuing an advisory on X (formerly Twitter) cautioning passengers to check flight statuses in advance.
According to the Regional Meteorological Centre, Mumbai is expected to witness persistent heavy rainfall, thunder, and lightning for the next 3–4 hours, with overcast conditions likely to continue for the week. The temperature on Monday is expected to hover between 23°C and 31°C.
The monsoon officially made landfall in Maharashtra on May 25, nearly ten days ahead of its usual schedule. By Sunday evening, it had reached Dapoli in Ratnagiri, and officials anticipate its full arrival in Mumbai within the next 48 hours — potentially marking one of the earliest monsoon onsets in recent memory.
