I stay in south mumbai and was saved from the brunt od the rains lashing mumbai since the past 30 hours. But i could not help but notice the various events whcih were unfolding on news reports and channels. Rediff reported a double decker bus stranded with more than 100 ppl submerged till the 2nd level with few ppl on the roof for more than 12 hours. Navy boats & rafts were available at that moment BUT instead were sent to pick up our esteemed Bal Thackrey. Also, he was celebrating his sons udhav birthday and his house was flooded upto knee length. Therefore..a boat + 3 electric generators and pumps were dispatched to his place so that while he is picked up by boat and enjoys at the taj, the pump (2 on standby) were used to pump out water from his home. It seemed the administration felt it more important to dispatch critical equipment to one of arthitechs of the bombay riots than to help 100+ passengers who had asked for help hours ago. I also found out that the order to dispatch the boats to bal thackreys house was given AFTER news reports reached the administration about the kurla incident. I would strongly urge criminal procedings should be demanded against the people responsibl
Am in ohio,US,but listening to the story of the ppl at home, my heart trembles. Thinking that its just a rain and will stop in an hour, my dad was doing his usual stuff at office,but slowly after realising how the situation is turning,he decided to leave & left office at 4:30pm from goregoan to reach mulund,he realised there is problem in railway so decided to board the bus,along with a person from office who stays beyond sahara airport,but bus werent working so they took highway and planned to take rickshaw,but it got stuck in water & they left that after sitting in there for 20min. They decided to walk & came to andheri all the way walking,it was 7:30pm then, so he dropped his collegue at sahara airport and was walking. he reached marol naka after 3 hrs. Ther ppl were walking in groups of 10ec he hold them but then level of water was raising and drums were rolling against them & so he lost confidence &he left that group and was back to marol & boarded a standing bus & stayed ther for 4hrs. cops came & were clearing drums & cars but water was bad so nothin could happen.finally he boarded bus at 4am but it got stuck.he got another bus at 5am & camehome by 7am. we're happy tosee him
A lot of us living out of mumbai have relatives who have been affected with the downpour. Most news channels are only providing active coverage of proper mumbai which has by some means and spirit managed to salvage itself. However there is no news of areas beyong borivli and thane/kalyan. We know that people have been stranded in water that has risen to over 10 - 15 ft. however we dont know if there is relief for these areas and are there any contact lines to get through to the people there. I only hope that some contact be established with these areas so that everyone can enquire about the well being of their loved ones.
When i came to mumbai 8 months back to pursue my career,i was warned of two things-1.the mumbai rains 2.You will fall in love with the city and never leave. I never believed either of the above is possible. Born and brought up in Kerala, i was used to rains and monsoon began from my home town Trivandrum, exactly on the day schools reopened ..so rains was manageable. Falling in love with the city..No way.In all my visits I never saw Mumbai beyond Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Linking Road , Pubs and Juhu beach .. I loved all that(for a small town person it is quite a lot of excitement), but when you live here the charm will be lost. I was wrong and the people who advised me were right.Rains in the last two days is something i had never witnessed before and least likely to do so,in future.Day 1 i slept in office chair like a thousand others.Day 2, i had to go home and against many warnings ventured out..taxi from Prabhadevi left me at Khar and then i walked to andheri through knee deep water with thousand others, all smiling and cheering each other, kids playing football, volunteers distributing food.I suddenly realised the spirit of the city,and I love it ..I belong here-forever !!!
Hi I am really amazed to see "The Spirit of Mumbai" in every message . What the heck has spirit to do with mumbai ? . Each and every city in world , or atleast in india will react in more or less same manner. Please stop this nonsense of " back with bang ", "spirit of mumbai" . Think about poor who dont have access to internet to send a mail to rediff. They know nothing about spirit of mumbai , do they ? After every problem in mumbai media makes waves about "mumbai normal", "people with spirits" and etc. Has mumbai lost its emotions ? its human values ?
i was really surpise the way what have happended even after what has happended in 1998 and 2002.
why is mumbai my city not able to tackle this rainy climate even after the rain god has given a lesson in the past it is the mumbai muncipal what are to me blamed for not able to provide a safe place for the public .
