The heavy downpour on Wednesday evening disrupted life in Mumbai and surrounding areas. The situation, particularly in Vasai-Virar and Nalasopara, was dire for commuters. There were no auto-rickshaws at the auto stands near railway stations, as drivers refused to navigate the heavily flooded roads. After alighting at stations, commuters had to walk kilometres to reach their homes. Most roads lacked proper streetlights or were dimly lit, exacerbating the situation.

Nalasopara-based Tahir Khan, who works in Andheri, left for his home at 6 pm but reached home around 2 am on Thursday. Khan said, “I generally reach home by 9.30 pm. On Wednesday, there was a huge traffic jam on the Western Eastern Highway (WEH).” “I reached Fountain Junction around 9.15 pm and my motorcycle broke down. There was no mechanic around and the roads were heavily flooded,” he added. Khan then had to wade through the flooded road wheeling his motorcycle along. He said, “I had no choice but to cover the remaining distance of 23 km on foot. By the time I reached home, I was soaked and completely exhausted.”