Incessant rains have also claimed lives in Kurla. NEW DELHI: Heavy rain and strong winds wreaked havoc in Mumbai on Sunday, disrupting air travel, claiming lives and sparking fresh political debate over the city’s monsoon preparedness. Flights at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were severely affected after runway operations were suspended for about an hour while the India Meteorological Department maintained a red alert warning of increased rainfall.
Flight operations are difficult
Heavy rain and gusty winds forced Mumbai International Airport to suspend runway operations from 10:17 am to 11:17 am, disrupting both arrivals and departures.The weather forced the cancellation of four IndiGo flights and the diversion of 13 incoming aircraft operated by different airlines. All the diverted flights later returned to Mumbai and landed safely after conditions improved, sources said.The airport operator said the suspension was necessary to ensure operational safety.“At approximately 10.17am, adverse weather conditions, including strong gusts of up to 42 knots and reduced visibility due to heavy rain, affected runway operations.”He added that runway operations had been “temporarily suspended” to ensure the safety of passengers, aircraft and ground staff before normal service resumed in about an hour.
Airport delays are increasing
The disruption left passengers stranded as delays spread throughout the airport. According to Flightradar24, about 90% of outgoing flights were delayed by an average of 65 to 75 minutes, and between 45% and 62% of arriving flights were delayed, depending on the data update time. The airport operator did not disclose the total number of delayed or canceled flights.Air traffic control sources said the Mumbai airport handles 980 to 1,000 flights every day, with an average of about 48 flights per hour, including 24 arrivals and 24 departures.
IndiGo cancels four services
According to sources, the canceled IndiGo flights were 6E 395 from Delhi to Mumbai, 6E 5273 from Mumbai to Indore, 6E 552 from Indore to Mumbai and 6E 6613 from Mumbai to Delhi.The airline said it was monitoring the weather situation.“Bad weather over Delhi and Mumbai has affected flight schedules. We are closely monitoring the weather… we ask that you remain updated on the status of your flight.”IndiGo, however, did not mention the four canceled services in its statement.
Heavy rain turned deadly
Incessant rains have also claimed lives in Kurla. A 63-year-old man, identified as Yunus Kundawala, died after a tree collapsed on a shop near BMC Hindi School in Gomes Gown Building in Kamani, West Kurla.The incident was reported around 12:40 p.m. Kundawala was taken to Fauzia Hospital where doctors declared him dead.Congress attacks BJP over civic infrastructureThe heavy rain has also reignited the political battle over Mumbai’s civic infrastructure.Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad accused the BJP of being responsible for the city’s deteriorating infrastructure, arguing that the party could not shirk responsibility after effectively controlling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for nearly three decades.She said the BJP ruled the civic body for 25 years in alliance with the Shiv Sena and continued to exert influence through an administrator appointed after civic elections were not held since 2022.“The BJP has looted Mumbai while filling its own coffers. She cannot shirk responsibility for the city’s decline,” she said.Gaikwad questioned the BMC’s annual wastewater treatment expenditure of over Rs 100 crore, saying even short spells of rain continue to lead to waterlogging of roads, uprooting of trees, flooding of residential buildings and paralysis of traffic, despite repeated assurances that monsoon preparedness was “completely 100 per cent”.She also criticized the civic administration, saying the mayor seemed “more busy making videos” while claiming the municipal commissioner had failed to do meaningful work.
IMD maintains red alert
Mumbai remains on red alert as monsoon activity has increased in several parts of the country.The India Meteorological Department warned of continued heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the city, while rain also affected parts of Delhi and triggered weather alerts in Kerala, Odisha and Jharkhand.