Airlines Issue Advisory for Mumbai as Heavy Rain Triggers Orange Alert

IndiGo and Akasa Air issued advisories for passengers from Mumbai on Sunday after the city and nearby districts were placed under an “Orange Alert” for heavy to very heavy rainfall with gusty winds. The city, which witnessed a downpour on Saturday, faced waterlogging, severe traffic disruptions and flight diversions.

IndiGo said on X that heavy rainfall was impacting much of Mumbai, with waterlogging and traffic delays reported on some routes to the airport.

“If you have a flight, please leave earlier than usual and check your flight status on our app or website. Be careful on wet and slippery roads. Our teams are actively monitoring the situation to keep operations going smoothly. Your comfort and safety remain our top priority. Thank you for your understanding,” the airline stated.

In a similar post, Akasa Air said: “Due to heavy rainfall in certain parts of Mumbai and Goa, we anticipate slow-moving traffic and congestion on roads leading to the airport. To ensure a seamless travel experience, we request you to plan for additional travel time to reach the airport well in time for your flight.”

Air India has not yet issued any such warning. Earlier, the Hindustan Times reported that over 350 flights were delayed, two diverted and more than a dozen were forced to perform go-arounds amid unfavourable weather at Mumbai airport on Saturday. Citing sources at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the report said 15 aircraft bound for the city had to execute go-arounds on Saturday morning, while two flights were diverted to Nagpur and Ahmedabad.

The rainfall, which began on Saturday night, left some parts of the city submerged after receiving 200 mm of rain. In the evening, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced that Tulsi Lake, one of Mumbai’s seven drinking water sources, began overflowing at 6:45 pm. Located inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park and connected to the BMC’s Bhandup Water Treatment Complex, the lake has a maximum capacity of 804.60 crore litres (8,046 million litres). With storage now full, excess water has begun spilling out.

Meanwhile, heavy rainfall submerged railway tracks at Matunga, Sion, Kurla, Vidyavihar, Ghatkopar and Bhandup on the Central Line, and at Wadala, Chunabhatti, Tilak Nagar and Kurla on the Harbour Line.

“Moderate to high flash flood risk is likely over a few watersheds and neighbourhoods of the following meteorological sub-divisions during the next 24 hours: Konkan and Goa – North Goa, South Goa, Mumbai City, Palghar, Raigarh, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Suburban Mumbai districts,” the IMD said in an official release on Sunday.