July 26, 2005 (the bloodiest monsoon Mumbai has ever seen
The previous night was tiresome. I could not sleep as the train was in motion and making lots of noise in sleeper compartments. I was returning from Baroda after attending the problems faced by the customers there.
I reached home early morning and took a nap for a while as I wanted to go to office in the afternoon.
I took a local train from Kandivali. It was raining cats and dogs. I reached Matunga Road rail station my destination. The platform was not crowded much but I could see college crowd on platform, may be colleges have closed early due to heavy rains.
I also met Dr. Ajit Naik, on platform, my professor from Ruparel College. He was returning home. I don’t know what struck me on that day that I went for office and when he offered me to join him on his way back to Kandivali I readily accepted his offer and we boarded back into train bound to Kandivali. But that day was different, not much rush in train. Sir has introduced me to one of his present student from Physics department Bhargav. Now there were three of us together. We cracked jokes and the train was just cruising to the destination. We reached closer to Ville Parle station & next were Bhargav’s station Andheri.
However the train came to halt 50 meters ahead of Ville Parle station and we could see another train halting inside the station. The situation was same on the fast lane tracks too. Before we could realize there ware chains of trains before and after. The rain water was filling in tracks at slower rate. There was water logged as usual outside on roads. We could not fathom the situation yet.
People started jumping out the train as it appeared that the train will not move. We also decided to jump & we jumped to walk towards the rail crossing at Ville Parle. The water was just above the ankle level but towards the SV Road side it was knee deep many places.
We reached towards the SV Road to find that the traffic too has come to standstill. Only buses and bigger vehicles were moving at snails pace. The sides of roads were logged with knee deep water and every one was walking on the road dividers. The water was flowing all over the road and it was not steady. The water currents were displacing the pedestrians.
We started walking towards Andheri as Bhargav’s home was just next to Irla Bridge. We thought of going to his home to spend night or at least till the water levels goes down. On our way to Irla we could see one of the lecturers from Ruparel College accompanied by one of the Junior college girl student in a Bus standing on road. They also decided to join us to Bhargav’s home. We passed by Sony Mony & proceeded towards Andheri. The Irla Bridge now was in sight. As we walked closer towards the bridge the water level started rising. Being 5 feet 11, I & Sir were in waist deep water. I can now imagine about the lecturer madam and the Junior college girl.
We changed the course of our initial plan and moved to Irla petrol pump. All the hotels & shops around were closed. Bhargav moved ahead to cross the bridge, we could have done so but we decided not to leave our friends behind. Bhargav was told to keep hot tea & some eatables ready for us in case we decided to cross the bride with the help of the volunteers assisting people to cross the bridge from sides by holding the ropes. Water level was nearly 5 feet plus near the bridge.
We four along with a crowd of people assembled at the petrol pump. My cell phone was still working. All of us have called up our homes to inform about our where about. My mother called me to inform that she is safe and going to BMC building opposite BSES hospital at Andheri for night shelter.
The intensity of rains accompanied by thunders was scaring. All types of people were assembled at the petrol pump right from small time hawkers to owners of luxurious cars, from Small school children with there rickshawallas to college going youngsters. The children were very much panicked and were crying for their parents. The hawker and other people offered them biscuits’ water & comfort. People were getting eatables and water bottles and were distributing them to others at no cost. People staying by were also offering shelter and eatables.
This is the spirit of Mumbai city that was keeping everybody together even at this worst of times. People earlier boarded in the bus were alighting and crossing the bride.
It was 12 AM now, midnight. My cell phone battery was now going down as apart from us I offered others to make an emergency call to their homes. I switched off the cell phone to conserve battery for the morning emergencies. Most of the cellular networks were down due to rains & over trafficking of calls. There was water everywhere and many places there was no electricity available.
We boarded a nearly empty bus bound to Borivali bus station. We could easily get place to sit. It was over midnight. The intensity of rains now reduced but not stopped. The water levels were now going down. Our Bus now started to crawl towards destination. It was to take a route from Andheri flyover to Borivali-east.
After making way through heavy traffic we reached to Andheri East and ten to western express highway. It was no pleasure ride, there too water was logged everywhere and road was full with pedestrians & small cars floating around which were left behind by their owners.
Some how we managed to go pass Goregaon Checknaka Junction. Driver had to skip the Dindoshi Depot.
It was 6 AM of July 27, 2005. We got down at the junction of Tata on western express highway. Now only I and Sir were there. No buses around we decided to walk down towards our home. We crossed the Kora kendra flyover and headed to link road. After walking for an hour or so we reached to our homes.
The long night has come to an end. Although it was raining outside but the intensity was not there. The water logs are now getting cleared. All the vehicles left behind were on road.
All the Mumbaikars have helped each other in this crisis.
It was 944.2 mm of record rainfall which left Cherapunji behind as the highest monsoon receiver.
Long Live Spirit of Mumbai!!!
