Mera Mumbai Mahaan ???
Mera Mumbai Mahaan ?? Is that real ??
We had a harrowing experience in the posh Bandra Kurla Complex. Our
offices declared at 2.30 that those who wanted to go early on tuesday
could leave by 3.30. A bus load of us were stranded right at the kurla
signal. The scene ahead was that of chaos. BEST buses, taxis and autos
were all stranded in the neck deep rain water (or was it sewage ?? it
smelled that way!!). People were standing atop the buses and many were
trying to cross over to reach Kurla station. Around 7-8 of us braved
the water and waded through to Kurla station to see a flood of people
already stranded there for hours. In only an hour or so it became
impossible for us to return back as both sides of the station were
under nearly 8 feet of water and the police had cordoned off the areas
and didnt allow anyone to pass through. Stuck in the kurla station
from 5.30 pm on tuesday to 9.00 am on Wednesday was an experience in
itself. On top of it all, there was no current either in the station
and even outside. The Orange network was down and most people who were
stranded were trying hard to call up home.
I and four of my colleagues shifted ourselves to the PF 5 and found a
place to sit... spreading newspapers and plastic covers so as not to
sit on the dirty muddy platforms. The only wise thing we did was to go
out immediately and buy whatever eatables and bisleri water we could
get..that saved us from being hungry throughout the night. The
residents of Kurla came to the rescue of the stranded female
population ...they had arranged for accommodation and food in the
Jhulelal hall, the maruti temple and elsewhere too.... I really
appreciate them for their support in the time of need..... at around
11pm a big group of volunteers from the Islamic Foundation came around
the station with cartons of biscuits and distributed it to everyone
who was stranded..that helped a lot ...
The night was spent watching the rain pour continuously and the water
rise above the platform. The platforms and the stairways were jammed
with public who were either sleeping or sitting and chatting up.
It was around 6 am that that rains stopped and we had some respite. We
could only crossover from Kurla station to BKC.....back to our ofice
in hope of some food and hot tea !! The signal was under 6 feet of
water and a rope was tied across it to help cross over... even then
the current in the water was so strong that quite many people lost
their bags and belongings which they saw helplessly float away...
We reached our office at around 9 am and had some tea and biscuits....
we had the courage to venture out and try to reach home only at noon
when the water had receded further. Went back the same way and crossed
over to the EE highway........the road from kurla station to EE
highway was completely under 3-4 feet of water and we saw quite many
deadbodies floating around.......it was just a terrible sight.
Hundreds of people were walking on the EE highway towards their
homes.. and the other side of the highway.....the route going towards
CST was jammed with traffic... both stranded and abandoned vehicles as
well as those trying to go towards CST.
Had a tough walk of around 4 hours before i reached home in Mulund at
4.00 pm
A real experience which I would never forget in my lifetime.. (being a
regular trekking guy....i had it easy..but I just cant imagine those
with wife and children stranded in the middle of nowhere for so many
hours)
Ravi
We had a harrowing experience in the posh Bandra Kurla Complex. Our
offices declared at 2.30 that those who wanted to go early on tuesday
could leave by 3.30. A bus load of us were stranded right at the kurla
signal. The scene ahead was that of chaos. BEST buses, taxis and autos
were all stranded in the neck deep rain water (or was it sewage ?? it
smelled that way!!). People were standing atop the buses and many were
trying to cross over to reach Kurla station. Around 7-8 of us braved
the water and waded through to Kurla station to see a flood of people
already stranded there for hours. In only an hour or so it became
impossible for us to return back as both sides of the station were
under nearly 8 feet of water and the police had cordoned off the areas
and didnt allow anyone to pass through. Stuck in the kurla station
from 5.30 pm on tuesday to 9.00 am on Wednesday was an experience in
itself. On top of it all, there was no current either in the station
and even outside. The Orange network was down and most people who were
stranded were trying hard to call up home.
I and four of my colleagues shifted ourselves to the PF 5 and found a
place to sit... spreading newspapers and plastic covers so as not to
sit on the dirty muddy platforms. The only wise thing we did was to go
out immediately and buy whatever eatables and bisleri water we could
get..that saved us from being hungry throughout the night. The
residents of Kurla came to the rescue of the stranded female
population ...they had arranged for accommodation and food in the
Jhulelal hall, the maruti temple and elsewhere too.... I really
appreciate them for their support in the time of need..... at around
11pm a big group of volunteers from the Islamic Foundation came around
the station with cartons of biscuits and distributed it to everyone
who was stranded..that helped a lot ...
The night was spent watching the rain pour continuously and the water
rise above the platform. The platforms and the stairways were jammed
with public who were either sleeping or sitting and chatting up.
It was around 6 am that that rains stopped and we had some respite. We
could only crossover from Kurla station to BKC.....back to our ofice
in hope of some food and hot tea !! The signal was under 6 feet of
water and a rope was tied across it to help cross over... even then
the current in the water was so strong that quite many people lost
their bags and belongings which they saw helplessly float away...
We reached our office at around 9 am and had some tea and biscuits....
we had the courage to venture out and try to reach home only at noon
when the water had receded further. Went back the same way and crossed
over to the EE highway........the road from kurla station to EE
highway was completely under 3-4 feet of water and we saw quite many
deadbodies floating around.......it was just a terrible sight.
Hundreds of people were walking on the EE highway towards their
homes.. and the other side of the highway.....the route going towards
CST was jammed with traffic... both stranded and abandoned vehicles as
well as those trying to go towards CST.
Had a tough walk of around 4 hours before i reached home in Mulund at
4.00 pm
A real experience which I would never forget in my lifetime.. (being a
regular trekking guy....i had it easy..but I just cant imagine those
with wife and children stranded in the middle of nowhere for so many
hours)
Ravi
posted by Ravi Vaidyanathan at 4:29 AM
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