Mumbai rains: Western Railway continues local train services amid waterlogging
What's the story
Mumbai is currently reeling under heavy rainfall, which has led to severe waterlogging in several areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for "very heavy to extremely heavy" rainfall with winds reaching up to 55km/h. Despite these conditions, Western Railway has decided to continue its local train services.
Service assurance
Western Railway's post on X
In a post on X, Western Railway reiterated its dedication to keeping suburban train services running. The post read, "We won't stop, we won't pause... The speed of local trains continues." They added that their controllers are taking appropriate decisions to ensure that the trains keep running despite the weather conditions.
Twitter Post
Western Railway's post on X
रुकेंगे नहीं, थमेंगे रही...💫
— Western Railway (@WesternRly) August 19, 2025
जाऱी है लोकल ट्रेनों की रफ़्तार....👍
पिछले दिनों लगातार बारिश से मुंबई प्रभावित हुई है। 🌧️
परंतु, WR की ट्रेनें हमेशा की तरफ़ लोगों को उनकी मंजिलों तक पहुंचा रही हैं।
हर परिस्थिति में भी राइट डिसीज़न लेकर हमारे कंट्रोलर ये सुनिश्चित कर रहे हैं… pic.twitter.com/D7V3uQRfjZ
Precautionary measures
BMC shuts government offices, asks private firms to allow WFH
On the other hand, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has shut all government and semi-government offices as a precautionary measure. The civic body has also requested private establishments to allow employees to work from home and avoid unnecessary travel. This comes after the island city received 186.43mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours till Tuesday morning.
Commuter challenges
Waterlogging and delays in train services
Key areas like Hindmata, Andheri Subway, Dadar, Matunga, Parel, and Sion have been waterlogged. Rail tracks in low-lying areas were also submerged. A Western Railway spokesperson said trains were delayed due to poor visibility but assured that water levels remained below track height. Central Railway's suburban network saw minor disruptions with main line trains delayed by around 10 minutes and harbor line services by about five minutes due to a signaling snag between Ambivali and Shahad stations.
Tidal impact
High tides expected to worsen situation
Further complicating matters for commuters, high tides of 3.75 meters at 9:16am and another of 3.14 meters expected at 8:53pm are likely to worsen the waterlogging situation across Mumbai. The IMD has also predicted "very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall" in the next few days, which could add to the existing woes of Mumbaikars.