Maharashtra Government faces opposition ire as Legislative Assembly proceedings begin under shadow of Mumbai's heavy rainfall

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], July 6 : As heavy rainfall continues to lash Mumbai and surrounding areas, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sameer Meghe on Monday stated that the resultant delay and diversion of flights could impact the proceedings of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
Speaking to ANI in Nagpur, Meghe highlighted that the prolonged spell of rainfall in the state capital has disrupted travel schedules for several legislators and officials.
"There has been heavy rainfall there for the past 34 days; naturally, everyone is affected by this, and all flights are running somewhat behind schedule... Given the situation, with 13 flights diverted while some are cancelled, the Chairman can certainly make a decision if circumstances warrant it... We will have to see the situation at 11:00 AM," Meghe said.
He further added, "The Chairman can defer the proceedings if there is no quorum. I've been told flights are running half an hour late."
Echoing the reports of delays, Congress MLA Vikas Thakre shared his personal experience with the flight rescheduling from Nagpur.
"Due to the rain in Mumbai, the 10:00 AM flight from Nagpur was rescheduled to 10:40 AM, meaning it is running an hour late. So, I think the MLAs scheduled to arrive this morning will be delayed," Thakre told ANI.
However, the Congress MLA asserted that, "The proceedings of the Assembly will certainly go ahead. Regardless of the attendance, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly has the full authority to conduct the proceedings. I believe the MLAs will reach there using their own means of transport."
According to the forecast issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at 8 AM today, Mumbai and its suburbs are expected to experience very heavy, continuous spells of rain.
Additionally, residents are to prepare for occasional gusty winds, which are likely to reach speeds of 60-70 Kmph. Considering the impact of wind, Mumbai has been upgraded to Red Alert.
The forecast showcased an average rainfall of 105.24 mm in the city in the last 24 hours. While the Eastern Suburbs recorded an average rainfall of 161.11 mm, the Western Suburbs recorded at 159.40 mm during this period.
The authorities noted that a high tide of 4.08 meters is expected at 3:56 PM, followed by a low tide of 1.52 meters at 10:13 PM today. The tide will reach a high of 3.44 meters at 04:38 AM, followed by a low tide of 1.86 meters at 09:59 AM on Tuesday.