Mumbai rain update: Private offices asked to allow work from home
As relentless monsoon showers continue to batter Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed to private companies and commercial establishments to allow employees to work from home wherever possible, citing safety concerns amid the severe weather.
Addressing the media on Monday, Fadnavis said employers should adopt a humanitarian approach and minimise the need for staff to commute through waterlogged roads and flood-prone areas.
He also warned that organisations failing to comply with government directions issued under the Disaster Management Act could face legal action.
The Chief Minister urged citizens to avoid venturing outdoors unless absolutely necessary, adding that the state administration, district authorities and emergency response teams have been placed on round-the-clock alert.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have also been deployed in vulnerable locations.
The appeal comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Mumbai, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds. In view of the weather conditions, the Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority has advised private offices to implement work from home wherever feasible. It has also announced that non-essential government offices will function only for a half-day.
Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan also requested residents to remain indoors unless travel is unavoidable.
He said decisions regarding schools, colleges and offices would be announced based on the evolving weather situation.
Heavy rainfall has also disrupted transport across the state. While traffic has resumed on parts of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway after debris clearance, restoration work continues at several locations.
Authorities have advised people to avoid non-essential travel on the Mumbai-Pune route due to landslides and waterlogging.
Fadnavis has warned that intense rainfall is likely to continue until July 8, with some regions, including parts of Nashik, facing the possibility of cloudburst-like conditions.