Waiting for a dampener

MUMBAI, June 8:The first pre-monsoon showers on June 1 were a welcome relief from the sweltering heat of this polluted city. Mumbaiites, th...

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MUMBAI, June 8:The first pre-monsoon showers on June 1 were a welcome relief from the sweltering heat of this polluted city. Mumbaiites, though taken by surprise at the early arrival of rains, preferred to get drenched than seek shelter.

However, the euphoria is not likely to last long. Very soon delayed trains , potholed roads and that movie you could not reach because it was raining, would add to the gloom that dark, ominous monsoon clouds bring with them. And in Mumbai where people commute long distances to work and back, a long spell of rain can ruin your day.

As Jayshree Chavan, a bank employee who travels daily to Nariman Point said, “The last three monsoons have been pretty good and not posed much trouble.” Her chief concern during the monsoon is to reach office and the return home daily. Apart from delays of local trains which have become a normal feature during the monsoon, Chavan says she does not have any other major complaints.

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However, Anita Goel, a resident of Malad working in a private company at Bandra, feels that the children are worst affected due to the rains. The kids are expected to be at home most of the time depriving them of outdoor games. “Also, when it rains heavily, the kids do not go to schools and at times I am expected to be at home to entertain them,” she added. She said that her ten-year-old son goes everyday to a nearby health club for swimming and this is the only sport he enjoys. But the pools are closed for three months and then I realised how rains can also become a pain. Now, Goel plans to buy a computer to keep her son occupied indoors. “At least, he will not trouble me,” she added.

Girish Patel , a resident of Borivli religiously frequented eating joints with his family every weekend, a pleasure he will have to reduce due to rains. “The whole idea of enjoyment is lost when you visit a restaurant all drenched,” he feels adding that chances of infection also go up if you eat outside frequently during the monsoon.

Patel feels that a lot of things have to be put off during the rains. He has given up travelling out of station as you never know when you will reach your destination, unless it is really important.

The suburbs face the headache of works left unfinished in dug-outs by the BMC or the telephone authorities.Unsuspecting children and the elderly face the danger of falling into them.