Mumbai is once again battling the fury of the monsoon as continuous heavy rainfall since early Monday has brought the city to a near halt. Widespread waterlogging, paralyzed transport systems, and overflowing low-lying areas have triggered chaos across India’s financial capital, with officials issuing urgent weather advisories.

Commuters faced nightmarish delays on their Monday morning commute as major arteries like the Eastern and Western Express Highways saw crawling traffic amid blinding showers. In Andheri, a subway was completely submerged under floodwaters, forcing authorities to shut it down. A viral video circulating on social media showed a local train cautiously passing above the flooded subway, capturing the sheer scale of the downpour.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded an orange alert for Mumbai and Raigad, warning of extremely heavy rainfall. A yellow alert has also been issued for Thane and Palghar. The weather department has urged residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary and strictly avoid coastal areas, as a high tide of 3.88 metres was recorded at 9:19 AM, further compounding the waterlogging in many parts of the city.

Forecasts indicate that the rain is far from over. The IMD has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall, thunder, lightning, and gusty winds over the next 24 hours, particularly in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and the Konkan belt.

The rainfall data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the 24-hour period ending at 8 AM on Monday showed:

• Island city: 23.45 mm

• Eastern suburbs: 36.42 mm

• Western suburbs: 50.02 mm

Local train services, the city’s lifeline, were running with minor delays. However, waterlogging near tracks and low visibility continued to be a concern for rail authorities. Several air passengers also faced uncertainty, with airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet issuing advisories warning of delays due to poor road conditions leading to the airport.

IndiGo’s advisory on X read: "Heavy rain showers have settled in over #Mumbai, and the roads are feeling the impact... If you are flying today, please plan ahead, leave a little earlier, and check your flight status... Our teams are ready to support you on the ground and are working to keep operations running as steadily as possible."

As rains show no sign of letting up, civic bodies remain on high alert. Emergency response teams are working across waterlogged zones to pump out water and assist stranded citizens.