Finally…the moment September entered the Monsoon poured and poured, and
the first major disruption of normal life of the season happened. Since morning
today heavy rains lashed parts of Mumbai city, the central suburbs and the
district of Thane. Normal activities were disrupted with slowing or stopping trains,
traffic jams and water logging. But the showers brought cheers, because it
rained heavily in several drought-hit areas of Maharashtra and also in catchments
areas leading to overflowing lakes that supply water to the city of Mumbai. The Mumbaikars
rejoiced. The farmers rejoiced.
As Mumbaikars were relishing the relief from possible water cuts in
future and withdrawal of the present 10% cut the Monsoon shifted its sights
over to the main city and the western suburbs since afternoon. Torrential and
continuous heavy rains till late evening brought the city to a standstill with
the homecoming commuters hopelessly stranded. Every street, road and lanes got
clogged; trains almost stopped with water flowing over platforms and railway
tracks; all potentially prone spots got flooded and many colonies and roads got
submerged. As we said earlier maybe the suffering people still cheered the
showers!
For example I was not exactly disheartened while coming back home from a
hard day’s work in office by car in early evening and getting caught in the
full blast of the continuous showers. Even though it took me four hours to
cover five and half kilometers. My wife too got caught in the western suburbs
where she went for a job and it took five hours for her to reach home by
walking through knee-deep water first and then taking a train that toddled
literally through watery ways. I was
only annoyed as it delayed a few important tasks. Overall, we feel happy for
the farmers and ourselves. Hail Monsoon! Now eradicate the full deficit next!
