Heavy rains bring Mumbai to a standstill every year. They prevent trains from plying, people from commuting, kids from going to school – generally wreak havoc. Mostly the rain mayhem happens once each year, and the doughty Mumbaikar deals with it and carries on stoically. This year has been worse than in other years. Rains have paralysed Mumbai more than once – clearly, no one told the Rain Gods that its September now.
This video of a flooded Mumbai road went viral. Not just because of the water, but also because a fancy car like the Jaguar was stuck while the hardy, desi Bolero simply sailed through.
While a couple of guys are wading through shoulder high water, there is this guy on a jet ski – on the street!
It is really hard to accept that this is a real picture. Of actual people.
That looks like a waterfall from the Lonavala Ghats transplanted into urban Mumbai.
It is survival of the fittest out there. The situation can be life-threatening for old people, kids or people with ailments/ disabilities.
More sinking thank linking, thinks this Twitter user, who has clearly had enough of the ‘Mumbai Spirit’ that is supposed to take all the trials and tribulations in its stride and simply get on with it all.
Many of the tweeple expressed their disgust with the town planning and municipal authorities; where the common people suffer year after year and there are simply no solutions in sight.
The corporate-political nexus often results in poor quality or nonexistent infrastructure. People hope that falling profits will prompt those in positions of power to bring about actual change.
People are angry that the people of Mumbai are expected to continue to accept the terrible conditions under the guise of the mythical Mumbai Spirit. Yes Mumbaikars are hardworking, enterprising, resilient; but why put this to the test every year!
I can be in a terrible mood. I may be beset by seemingly unsurmountable problems. But then I hear a snatch of music and suddenly things don’t seem to be as bad. Music has that power, doesn’t it?
…To give thanks where it is due.
The common folk are troubled but they do what they can to help each other.
Actor Renuka Shahane tweeted this image of herself stuck in knee deep water with others who helped.
Another commentator shared a story about an auto driver who dropped him home free of charge; just someone stopping to help another in the pouring rain as he went back home.
They don’t want to go through the same problems and losses each year. They want that there should be a lasting solution to the yearly monsoon problem. They want civic authorities to actually work to improve drainage and create the infrastructure that will not collapse at the first sign of Mumbai rain. People are now thoroughly fed up of the celebration of the Spirit of Mumbai – they want that the taxes they pay, be put to better use. They don’t want to have go around saving the lives of others – simply because the authorities didn’t do their jobs.
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