As many as 400 cars, auto-rickshaws and sports bikes were submerged in the underground parking lot in Kandivali’s Thakur complex, a day after heavy rainfall battered the city. The vehicles were submerged in the Brihanmumbai Mumbai Corporation (BMC)-run underground parking lot in the basement of Vasant Pride building in Thakur Complex area at Kandivali (East), spread over 20,000 square feet. Anxious vehicle owners were seen waiting outside the parking lot on Sunday and Monday, as BMC installed four high-capacity dewaterng pumps.
A large nullah called Ashanagar runs adjacent to this building, and due to torrential rains, the nullah – around 5 metre in width — overflowed and entered the premises, the civic body officials said. The rainwater coming from the hill beside the Sanjay Gandhi National Sanctuary as well as water from 90 feet of road also flowed down the slope from all sides and entered the parking lot, they added.
Fire brigade officials have been extracting water from the premises for over 24 hours until Monday night. The BMC pumped out around 70 to 80 lakh litres of water and after a 48-hour operation, all the water was pumped out by the end of the day, officials said. Local corporator Sunita Yadav of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the parking lot used to witness flooding of up to a few inches in the past as well and demanded compensation for the vehicle owners.
News Source : India Today
