Even as heavy rains lashed Mumbai again early this morning, authorities issued an alert asking people not to venture out of their homes unless it was absolutely essential.

Mumbai Police Commissioner A N Roy requested people not to panic but to remain alert.

Roy said some areas in Central Mumbai -- King's Circle, Parel TT and Dadar -- and the eastern suburbs of Sion, Kurla and Chembur were waterlogged.

On the western suburbs, people have been asked not to use the Milan and Khar subways. The arterial SV Road from Bandra and Andheri is also waterlogged, but it has reopened to traffic.

He said traffic had been diverted in many areas.

Terrible Tuesday: Mumbai copes with a calamity

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh cancelled a visit to the marooned distant suburb of Kalyan due to the rains.

Most of the  long distance trains from Mumbai have been cancelled for the day. Suburban trains of the Western Railway were running 15-20 minutes late. The Central Railway authorities have advised people not to venture out.

Though the Mumbai airport has opened, the Union civil aviation ministry has said that most roads leading to the airport are waterlogged.

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Emergency helpline numbers of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation are 108 and 1916.

The Meteorological Department has predicted more rains for the next 48 hours. The administration has declared the next two days as holidays in Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts.

The BMC control room numbers are as follows: West Mumbai-022-26412021, North West Mumbai- 022 - 28854643, North East Mumbai-022-252335, Kalyan-0251-2313427, Thane-022-25442121

Meanwhile, a statement said the prime minister was monitoring the situation in Maharashtra. The prime minister's office was in touch with the state government, the statement said and added that the prime minister had asked  union ministers Sharad Pawar [Images] and Shivraj Patil to keep track of the situation.

Terrible Tuesday: Mumbai copes with a calamity