The day the Rains threw Mumbai into turmoil

26th July 2005. A day most mumbaites will never forget. I was at work while the rain was raging outside and as usual we looked out as the sky darkened and the roads began to flood. Our HR sent out an email asking us to leave by 4pm. Most of us still stayed behind trying to complete that last report or work before leaving. By the time I decided to move out it was 5.30 pm.

It was only when I reached our building entrance did I realize how bad the rains had really got. It was flooded outside and we waded through water to get to the main road. No public transport was available and the few buses plying the roads were jam-packed. I decided to walk a lil distance in the hope of getting an auto somewhere down the road. Unfortunately I was alone as there was no colleague who lived in the same locality as I.

As I kept going forward I realized how bad the situation had gotten as the road was dotted with vehicles that had broken down, areas flooded knee high with water. I still kept walking hoping against hope something would come along. I had an umbrella but it was as good as useless as I was soaked to the skin. I just about managed to keep my head dry.

I then reached the toll naka to Aarey. The start of the road was flooded. Within minutes it would get dark, I hesitated at the naka debating whether to go ahead or take the flyover. The flyover would be too long a distance and I was already exhausted. I had already walked for an hour. I decided to take a chance and moved into Aarey. However a couple of minutes down the road I began to get dismayed. The water canals ahead had begun to overflow and the road was not only flooded but the water was moving across the road with such force that it took all my strength to keep balance. Seeing people ahead of me I took courage and moved on.

Aarey in normal circumstances is still a road by which one is advised not to traverse post 8pm. There are instances of looting, murder and stories of ghosts walking through the roads at night. I had already walked quite a distance through the water and it would be madness walking back again. I couldn’t see a single woman ahead and began to get more and more worried for my safety. I began to pray desperately as I plodded on ahead.

The going got tougher as I noticed the entire stretch of road was flooded. The world began to swirl around and it was a miracle I didn’t faint. I saw two boys ahead who seemed reliable and I joined them. Feeling a lil reassured we decided to see if we could hitch rides. The few vehicles that stopped agreed to take me on board but refused to take my new friends along. As the men offering me the lift seemed of dubious character I decided not to risk it. My wrist watch was still on and I realized it was 7.30pm. It was 2 hours that I had been on my feet. By then darkness had fallen.

Thanks to my 2 bodyguards Laxman and Derrick I managed to get through a landslide, was saved from getting pulled into the undercurrents of the water and drowning somewhere in the bleak darkness. They continuously berated me for having ventured into Aarey on my own and taking such a huge risk. However it was my knowledge of Aarey that helped us get through in the blinding darkness.

We had covered 3/4th of the journey when we had to split as they were heading towards Powai and me towards Marol. Fear gripped my heart when I saw a group of men who were going in the opposite direction turn around and head towards me seeing I was alone. The water by now was knee high and I could barely walk. I saw 2 young girls and a boy ahead, but they were still a distance away. By now the men were closing in on me.

If not for my regular gym-ing I don’t think I would have made it to them. By then the men had already reached me. It turned out that the 3 ahead were college going kids and were as glad to see me as I was to see them. The men followed us a little way ahead making comments but slunk away when we saw some stranded vehicles up ahead with people in it.

Barely had we heaved a sigh of relief when the people ahead said the water had risen from under the bridge ahead and it would be impossible to move to the other-side. The water was chest high and none of us knew how to swim. Either we spend the night in the stranded BEST bus there or try wading through the water. We clasped our arms around each other and went into the water and nearly got swept by the undercurrent into the pool below the bridge if not for 2 good Samaritans who came to our rescue and hauled us across to the other side of the bridge. The little ladies in unison said “There is a God”! And indeed it was nothing short of a miracle that we stood there alive. By now I was drenched from head to toe as I had had to close the umbrella to maneuver through the waters.

We plodded on ahead praising and thanking God for pulling us through. By then my home drew near. As the kids still had a long way to go I took them home so that they could call their parents to inform them they were safe. When I got into my colony it was pitch dark and when we got home we realized that there was no power, the phone lines were dead. It was pathetic. We tried our mobile phones but they too were on the blink.

I gave them a torch to get them through the darkness, gave my shoes to one of my now new found friends who had lost her pair in the flood and accompanied them to the main road and set them on their way. As I limped my way back home, I decided never to attempt again what I had done. Next time I stay back in office! Thankfully my brother and sis-in-law too had got back safe. We passed the entire night with no power and the phone lines dead.

The next day my limbs were sore and my mom to take up from where my friends had left off last night continually berated me for having come through Aarey. My bro n s-i-l had a Orange and Reliance mobile which were kaput and useless. My Airtel phone however had come on and sms’ started pouring in. I called and messaged family, friends and acquaintances communicating we were safe and not to worry, at the same time checking out how our dear ones were.

We were totally cut off from the world. The rain pouring outside, cable not functional, landlines dead and no internet. Bits and pieces of information trickled through our neighbors. 9 children and 2 parents had perished when the school wall collapsed on them. This was the same school which I passed out from. The following 2 days were declared a holiday. I did try on the 28th to get to work but there was no transport and my legs hurt from walking so I came back home. The cable was still on the blink, landlines still dead, there were power cuts and also shortage of water!

It was only on Friday that life limped back to normal and I went in to work. However this time I had to take a longer route as Aarey was sealed. I was astonished on the way to see the destruction the deluge had caused around. Fear was still in my heart and I left work apprehensive of reaching home safe.

I still count my blessings as I know that many didn’t make it through the night. Some were swept away, some died in their vehicles, some drowned and most others were stranded for hours. The 26th and the 27th were two heart wrenching days as people frantically tried to trace their loved ones. I at least had a home to come back too, there were many whose homes were washed out and are currently living in conditions that are unhygienic, having lost all that they had owned.

Even today as I write this post, the rain is furiously pounding outside. Tomorrow has been declared an off for schools and colleges. I shudder to think what the journey to and fro work will be like. I pray to God that the 26th may not repeat itself.