Mumbai limps back to normalcy

Mumbai: After heavy downpour and subsequent flooding threw life out of gear, Mumbai returned to normalcy on Saturday with train services being restored and water levels receding though most parts of the city continued to receive steady but mild rains.

However, the city braced for more trouble as the met department has forecast heavy rains in the next 24 hours.

All train services, suburban and long-distance, which were badly hit on Friday due to flooding of tracks, resumed to the great relief of the commuters in the country's financial capital.

Ignoring drizzle, men and women streamed to suburban stations around the Metro to head for their offices and other places of work which had remained shut on Friday.

"Water levels have receded. There is no water logging on railway tracks and suburban services are running normally," a Railway official said.

Suburban services, on which depends the mobility of the people had been restored on all the three lines--Central, Western and Harbour-- linking the heart of the city with outlying areas.

Schools and colleges in the city and neighbouring Thane district remained closed on Saturday on direction from the state government.

Heavy rains pummeled the sprawling city and suburbs during which two persons were electrocuted. Altogether 283 mm of rain, a quantum normally recorded in 10 days, was received in just 24 hours yesterday.

Life in the "maximum city" was brought to a grinding halt with several areas waterlogged and local train services cancelled leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta said BMC had advised people to remain indoors as there is likelihood of heavy rains.