Mumbai rush-hour chaos: 2 dead as relentless rain triggers deadly collapses, waterlogging

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 3 (ANI): An intense monsoon downpour has thrown India's financial capital into total disarray, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to upgrade its weather warning to an Orange Alert.
The relentless deluge has caused widespread waterlogging, crippled major traffic corridors, and resulted in two tragic fatalities linked directly to civic infrastructure failures.

The extreme weather turned fatal in the suburbs, triggering fierce political debates over municipal accountability and pre-monsoon negligence. In the suburbs, the situation turned tragic in multiple incidents linked to the extreme weather.

In Chembur, a massive tree uprooted by fierce gales collapsed directly onto a school bus carrying students from Universal High School and Tilak Nagar School. Local citizens and emergency services used specialised cutting gear to rescue trapped children. Tragically, 11-year-old Vihan Shrivastav succumbed to his injuries.
Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar expressed deep grief over the death of 11-year-old Vihan Shrivastav on Thursday, who was killed after a massive tree uprooted by strong winds fell on a school bus in Chembur.
Calling it an unfortunate incident, Shelar said the government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had a responsibility to extend full assistance to affected families and assured action against those responsible.
"It is an unfortunate incident... It is the responsibility of the government and the BMC to provide the best possible support... Action has been and will be taken upon the officers responsible," Shelar said.
The incident occurred on Road Number 11 in Chembur when a large tree collapsed onto a school bus carrying students from Universal High School and Tilak Nagar School due to fierce winds.
Several occupants were trapped inside the vehicle before being rescued by local residents and emergency teams using specialised cutting equipment. One student succumbed to injuries, while others were shifted to Zen Hospital and Jain Hospital for treatment.
On meeting the family of the Chembur bus accident victim, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said that accountability must go beyond junior officials and include senior authorities as well, calling for strict action to prevent such tragedies.
"We spoke to the victim's family, as he was his parents' only child... Taking action only against junior officials is not enough; senior officials must also be punished because we need to prevent such incidents," Pawar said.
He further questioned the effectiveness of pre-monsoon preparedness measures, noting that audits of manholes, drains, roads and streetlights are routinely conducted before the rains.
"If such incidents are occurring despite the government's claims regarding these audits, then there is certainly negligence somewhere," he added.
In Sakinaka, 60-year-old Aslam Isak Shaikh lost his life after plunging into an open, unguarded manhole during peak rainfall. Maintenance crews had left the drainage cover off without setting up safety barricades. Shaikh, who was reportedly on his mobile phone, was instantly swept away by the raging subterranean currents; his body was recovered following a grueling three-hour search.
Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar raised concern over civic negligence after a 60-year-old man, Aslam Isak Shaikh, died after falling into an open manhole in Sakinaka on July 2.
Questioning accountability, he demanded action against responsible officials and called for an FIR.
"During the rain, it was necessary to keep the manhole covered or barricaded, but that was not done... Whose responsibility is this? A person's life was lost, and ward officers and other officials are at fault; an FIR should be registered," Wadettiwar said.
The incident occurred around 12:26 PM during heavy rainfall when the drainage cover was left unguarded during maintenance. The victim, reportedly speaking on his mobile phone, fell into the pit and was swept away by strong rainwater flow. His body was recovered after a three-hour search operation.
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar said the matter has been discussed in the House and a detailed report has been sought, calling it a "very unfortunate incident."
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde termed it a "mistake on the administration's part" and announced ₹10 lakh compensation for the victim's family.

Meanwhile, a truck overturned near Kharghar Toll Plaza on the Sion-Panvel Highway amid heavy rainfall, leading to major traffic congestion on the key arterial route. Emergency teams and local authorities were deployed to clear the accident site and restore traffic movement as the vehicle blocked multiple lanes.

Several parts of Mumbai, including Dadra East and Sion Gandhi Market, faced severe waterlogging, further worsening commuter hardship and disrupting daily life.
With the IMD predicting sustained heavy downpours over the next 24 hours, civic authorities have urged residents to avoid non-essential travel as emergency teams continue clearing debris across the waterlogged metropolis. (ANI)