Schools, colleges in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai shut on Tuesday as IMD issues orange alert after rain batters city

Heavy rain continued to batter Mumbai and its metropolitan region on Monday, prompting authorities to declare a holiday for all schools and colleges on Tuesday after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert forecasting extremely heavy rainfall and gusty winds.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said government, private, municipal schools and colleges across the city will remain closed on July 7 as a precautionary measure.

"The IMD has issued a warning of extremely heavy rainfall (Orange Alert) for the Mumbai metropolitan area on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, along with an alert for gusty winds," the civic body said in a post on X.

It urged citizens to venture out only if absolutely necessary.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation also announced a holiday for all schools and colleges under all managements and across all mediums in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday due to the forecast of heavy rainfall.

The decision came after relentless showers disrupted normal life across Mumbai and adjoining areas, throwing rail, road and air traffic out of gear and inundating several low-lying areas.

Schools and colleges had remained shut on Monday as well after the IMD issued a red alert for Mumbai.

The Maharashtra government had also advised private establishments to allow employees to work from home wherever possible and declared a half-day for employees of non-essential government and semi-government offices.

According to the BMC's monsoon report, the city recorded an average rainfall of 28.2 mm between 8 am and 6 pm, while the eastern and western suburbs received 61.75 mm and 65.45 mm, respectively.

The civic body appealed to residents to stay away from trees, dilapidated buildings, hoardings, electric poles, beaches and waterlogged areas, and said around 15,000 BMC personnel, along with other agencies, were working round the clock to tackle the situation.

It also issued a safety advisory for construction sites, directing developers and contractors to secure scaffolding, cranes, loose materials, temporary structures and hoardings, suspend lifting operations and work at heights where required, and conduct immediate site-wide safety inspections.

Heavy rain severely disrupted rail services, with train operations on the Mumbai-Pune route suspended after multiple landslides in the Karjat-Lonavala Bhor Ghat section early Monday.

Suburban train services between Karjat and Khopoli were also suspended after heavy rain washed away ballast between Lowjee and Dolavli stations.

Tracks were submerged at some locations, including the Palghar and Virar-Vasai Road sections.

On the suburban network, local train services between Kanjurmarg and Bhandup on the slow line towards CSMT were briefly suspended after a piece of plastic got entangled in the overhead equipment. Services resumed after the obstruction was removed.

According to railway officials, landslides near Thakurwadi and between Khandala and Monkey Hill around 3.05 am disrupted all three railway lines in the Bhor Ghat section, leading to the cancellation, diversion, rescheduling and short-termination of several trains.

Five incoming flights to Mumbai airport were diverted to other cities till 3.30 pm on Monday.

According to Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), IndiGo flights 6E 595 from Raipur and 6E 1340 from Singapore were diverted to Hyderabad, while Akasa Air flight QP 1110 from Delhi was diverted to Ahmedabad.

Air India's AI 2772 from Kolkata was diverted to Bengaluru, while Oman Air flight WY 203 from Muscat was rerouted to Vadodara, the airport operator said.

IndiGo, in a post on X, said flights to and from Mumbai and Pune were being impacted due to heavy rain and advised passengers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport and keep extra travel time because of slow-moving road traffic.

The Pune-Mumbai Expressway was closed between the 'Connecting Link' and 'Missing Link' sections after a concrete pillar fell on the carriageway, while the old Mumbai-Pune highway was also shut due to waterlogging at multiple locations.

Proceedings in both Houses of the Maharashtra legislature were adjourned because of the heavy rain, while the Bombay High Court assured lawyers that no adverse orders would be passed if they were unable to reach court.