Title - Heavy rains lash Mumbai: High alert sounded, harbour line stalled

Mumbai, Konkan brace for torrential rains, high alert sounded

* dna reporter, Binoo Nair reports that due to heavy rains the train traffic on harbour line stalled in the afternoon with authorities allowing passengers to travel by mainline and trans-harbour line. The water accumulation is severe near Kurla north end. Even the slow line between Sion and Kurla is seeing steady rise in water levels. Central railways running shuttle services.between CST and Panvel. Services on main line between CST, Kalyan and beyond almost 45 minutes to one hour late.

* The India Meteorological Department has warned that heavy to very heavy rains will hit Mumbai and coastal Konkan over the next 72 hours.

All agencies concerned with disaster management, relief and rescue operations have been put in a state of high alert and people have been warned against venturing outdoors unless absolutely essential.

IMD Mumbai director V.K. Rajeev said that entire Maharashtra is expected to get heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next 12-72 hours.