By Sunita Menon, Gulf News
Dubai, July 11: Shock, panic and anger gripped Mumbai expatriates, frustrated due to their inability to contact family members as worried relatives clogged communication lines in the Indian financial capital.
A series bombs ripped through Mumbai metro trains and stations during rush hour at 6:09 pm.
The first blast went off near Khar Railway station in Mumbai, followed by Jogeshwari, Bandra, Matunga, Borivili, Bhayander, Mira Road and Mahim.
In its wake, Delhi has also been put on high alert.
The expatriates said that the blasts brought back memories of the serial bombs blasts that rocked the city in 1993.
"I am not able to get through my bother a photographer who stays near Mira road where one of the blasts took place. The phone lines are jammed. How on earth am I going to find out if my family members are safe," said a Sunanda Bajpayee a Dubai resident.
"My six-year-old daughter is on her vacation in Mumbai where her grandparents live.
The moment I heard of the blasts I tried to telephone her. I was lucky to have been able to speak to her. But the telephone lines went dead after awhile," said Vinod Niar a Dubai based creative designer.
"We were unable to et in touch with our relative in Jogeshwari where one of the blasts occurred," he added.
Indian consulate in Dubai said that they have no plans to set up a hotline.
A teary-eyed Lata Kulkarni a Dubai-based housewife said that the government should get the people responsible for the blasts arrested soon.
"If they fail to catch the people who masterminded the blasts I fear communal violence will soon engulf the city. This is a testing times for Mumbai. I was witness the aftermath of the 1993 blasts and belive me it my blood boils even if I talk about it," she said.
"Those who are responsible for this carnage should be caught as early as possible. I am not able to get in touch with my parents who live in Matunga. There telephone lines are dead. It is driving me mad. I just hope they are okay and not anywhere near the area where the blasts occurred," said Haridas Gandhi a Sharjah-based businessman.