Vasai-Virar: Although the rain eased on Wednesday, floodwaters continued to inundate several parts of Vasai-Virar, resulting in a drowning and leaving thousands of residents stranded indoors for the fifth consecutive day.Many localities were without electricity for more than 72 hours, triggering protests by angry residents in Nalasopara. People said they were suffering sweaty nights without fans and had run out of drinking water at home because pumps could not function.Hundreds of residents gathered at Moregaon and blocked the road, raising slogans against the administration and MSEDCL. A large number of women participated in the protest.Similar protests were reported from Achole and Santosh Bhuvan. As protesters warned that they would not leave the spot until power was restored, police officers rushed to the spot and called MSEDCL officials. The crowd dispersed after electricity was restored in some areas.Vasai-Virar received more than 1,482 mm of rainfall in the first week of the month, resulting in widespread flooding across the city. Several low-lying areas of Vasai, Nalasopara and Virar remained waterlogged. The Tulinj police station in Nalasopara and the Vasai railway police station were also among the waterlogged spots.With two to three feet of water on several roads, both public and private transport services remained disrupted. As in previous years, tractors were pressed into service to ferry people through flooded areas. Tractors stationed near railway stations and bus depots charged Rs 50 per passenger. The Ro-Ro ferry service between Vasai and Bhayander remained suspended.Though local train services resumed on Wednesday, operations remained heavily affected. On Tuesday night, suburban trains were terminated at Vasai station, forcing hundreds of commuters returning from work to walk along railway tracks between Vasai and Virar after midnight.Angry passengers also surrounded the motorman’s cabin of a local train stationed at Vasai and demanded that the service be extended to Virar, leading to tension for a while.Pelhar dam, one of the reservoirs supplying water to Vasai, continued to overflow. Papadkhind dam in Virar reached full capacity.Civic officials clarified that no water would be released from the dam and appealed to residents not to believe rumours.A 22-year-old woman drowned after falling into a drain at Richard Compound in Nalasopara (East) in the afternoon.The deceased, identified as Kavita Jaiswal, was a native of Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh. According to the police, she had come to Nalasopara to visit her sister along with her brother.Around 1.30 pm, Kavita, her sister, Renukumari, and their brother were walking near the drain at Richard Compound when Renukumari lost her balance and fell into the water. Kavita jumped in to rescue her but was also swept away.Residents rushed to help and managed to rescue Renukumari but Kavita drowned before she could be pulled out, said senior police inspector Sachin Kamble of the Pelhar police station.Floodwaters submerged MSEDCL’s main substation, several transformers, distribution boxes and underground power infrastructure, disrupting electricity supply across many areas.Localities, including Cheda Nagar, Patankar Park, Yashwant Gaurav, Hanuman Nagar, Sai Dham, Chandan Naka, Alkapuri and Agrawal Nagari in Nalasopara, were without power for over three days.“We have been without electricity for the past four days. Our children are suffering. We have never witnessed such a situation in the last 25 years. We don’t even have water for our daily needs. Corporators come only to seek votes and disappear afterwards,” a resident said.Maniklal Rathod, superintendent engineer of MSEDCL‘s Vasai Circle, said power supply was being restored in phases.Ajit Igatpurikar, deputy chief public relations officer, Konkan Region, MSEDCL, said several transformers were still submerged. “Electricity has been disconnected in many areas as a safety measure. Power supply will be restored as soon as the floodwaters recede,” Igatpurikar said.
