Tuesday travails for drivers after Monday madness

Following Monday's torrential rain that wreaked havoc on air, train and road traffic, Mumbai experienced a much-needed respite on Tuesday, bringing relief to the citizens.

- Shefali Parab-Pandit & Aishwarya lyer

Water levels in the low-lying areas had receded by Tuesday morning and suburban rail services were back on track.

All schools and colleges in the city were closed owing to the India Meteorological Department's warning of a "red alert" on Tuesday. However, there was no heavy rain, helping the city to return to normalcy.

After a tempo broke down at the Vakola flyover on the Western Express Highway, beelines of automobiles started to accumulate, choking the entire southbound for hours. By the time, the tempo was cleared, the route between Andheri to Jogeshwari was clogged, forcing motorists to wait for hours in the traffic.

"I waited for around 40-45 minutes at LBS Marg near the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) Junction. Now, this has become a routine for us," said a motorist. Another said, "Usually there are school buses or autos plying college students that create chaos in the morning. Today (Tuesday) all schools and colleges were shut and yet entry to the BKC from LBS took over 35-40 minutes.