PARALYZED MUMBAI DURING RAIN
### Key Points
- Mumbai's drainage system was once advanced but is now outdated and unable to handle present-day monsoon rains.
- Recent heavy rainfall paralyzed the city, highlighting how even critical infrastructure like the monorail and roads fails during storms.
- The city’s recommended drainage capacity should manage 250 mm rainfall in a single day, but in reality, it struggles even below this threshold.
- Increased rainfall frequency and intensity—exacerbated by climate change—means Mumbai now faces more "heavy rain days" each year.
- Upgrades since the 2005 floods have been inadequate; current drainage improvements fall short, with low-lying areas needing 120 mm/hour capacity.
- Urban encroachment and city expansion worsen flooding, as overbuilt or blocked drains cannot handle run-off.
- Every major downpour causes predictable chaos: flooded trains, derailed road traffic, and public transport failures.
- The article emphasizes that while Mumbai cannot prevent monsoon rains, it can and should fix its stormwater drainage system to avoid such recurring disasters.
SOURCE TIMES OF INDIA