New Delhi: Relentless monsoon rains have pushed Vasai Virar into one of its worst flood crises in recent years, with nearly 70 percent of the twin city submerged after two days of continuous downpours. Floodwaters have entered homes, housing societies and commercial areas, forcing thousands of residents to leave their homes and seek shelter with relatives or in hotels as living conditions continue to deteriorate.
The extensive flooding has severely disrupted daily life, leaving large parts of the city isolated. Roads, railway tracks, markets and residential neighbourhoods remain inundated, cutting off access to essential services. Thousands of families have spent the past three days without electricity, drinking water or mobile network connectivity, making communication and access to basic necessities increasingly difficult.
Electricity supply was suspended in several flood affected areas as a precautionary measure to prevent accidents caused by submerged power infrastructure. However, the prolonged outage has also halted water pumps in high rise residential buildings, leaving many households without access to drinking water. As supplies dwindled, residents reported a sharp rise in bottled water prices, with one litre bottles being sold for as much as ₹50 in some localities.
The transport network has also suffered extensive disruption. Local train services between Vasai and Virar have been suspended, forcing many stranded commuters to walk nearly 12 kilometres to reach their destinations. Public transport has been reduced drastically, with only 16 of the municipal corporation’s 114 buses operating on just five routes, while the remaining routes remain suspended.
Emergency teams have deployed boats to rescue stranded residents from heavily flooded areas. Meanwhile, reports of excessive fares being charged by tractor operators, now among the few available transport options, have added to public frustration. Commuters claim they are paying up to ₹500 for short journeys, highlighting the growing hardships faced by residents struggling to cope with the ongoing flood emergency.
