Heavy rainfall hit the vehicular movement on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway and towards the Chinchoti-Anjur Phata road, affecting the rescue operations after a building collapsed in Bhiwandi on Sunday. A 23km jam on the route towards Bhiwandi led to traffic diversions towards Ghodbunder, and the fire brigade vehicles were stuck on the road towards Gaibi Nagar.
"We were stuck in the jam for two hours. There was no space for light vehicles as trucks and tankers were out on the road, blocking the vehicular movement towards Bhiwandi," said motorist Adarsh Saxena.
The traffic police department diverted the heavy vehicles on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad NH 08, which passes through the Ghodbunder road to reach Bhiwandi and Thane.
"There is a major jam as vehicles are not moving due to the building collapse near Bhiwandi while roads are flooded due to heavy rains. We have decided to move the traffic towards Ghodbunder so that the jam is cleared," said a senior traffic department official.
22 injured
Two children -- 3 and 6-year-old -- survived the collapse while a total of 22 persons were injured, including 9 women and 9 kids. "The injured are being treated at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital while many have been discharged after. Two are in a critical condition," said Sukhada Narkar, PRO, Thane police department.
