Maharashtra government has declared a holiday today in all schools and junior colleges in Mumbai, Thane and the Kokan region as a precautionary measure.

On Wednesday, nearly 20 flights were cancelled and another 280 delayed at the Mumbai airport which sees around 1,000 arrivals and departures every day.

The situation worsened on Wednesday afternoon as water from the flooded Mithi river was pushed back by the high tide and submerged rail tracks at in many areas, virtually bringing the train and road traffic to a standstill.

Two civic body workers died in the western suburb of Goregoan when they drowned in rainwater during heavy rain. A 24-year-old man fell in the Mithi river and died. Mohammed Shahrukh Rafique drowned in the river while walking with two of his friends. He was declared dead at a hospital.

Newly-appointed Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who reached Mumbai on Wednesday, was also affected by the rain. His convoy was made to wait on a road near the airport as a portion of it was under water, said an official from the state protocol department.

Passengers in trains were stranded for hours after local train services were stopped in many areas due to flooded tracks.

Almost every monsoon, Mumbai struggles to cope with the chaos caused by the rain. The suburban trains - the city's lifeline - are affected and low-lying areas get flooded.

Activists say Mumbai's susceptibility to floods has worsened in recent years due to a construction boom that is trying to keep up with the city's swelling population.

Much of Mumbai's mangrove cover, which is extremely effective in helping to drain water, has been destroyed over the past decade to make way for high-rises.