Many parts of the north and west had not received adequate rainfall over the past month of monsoon rains, triggering fears that a drought was in the offing.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had asked his officials to monitor the situation.

But on Monday, torrential rainfall was seen in most parts of the parched region including the capital New Delhi, the key agricultural northern states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab and the western states of Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Welcome though it was, the rain wasn't all good news as the downpour submerged metro lines in the western commercial hub of Bombay, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and disrupting traffic for hours.

The state government of Maharashtra declared a half-day as many people couldn't turn up for work.

The meteorological department has forecast more rainfall for the region over the next 24 hours.

Share prices on the Bombay stock exchange closed 0.62 percent higher as trading sentiment was boosted by the long-awaited rains.

In New Delhi, there was cheer in government circles as officials said the monsoon had entered an "active phase" in the northern and western region where it had been near certain a drought would occur.

Prime Minister Singh had recently told parliament that of the 36 meteorological subdivisions in the country, 16 had experienced "deficient" or "scanty" amounts of rain.

TERRA.WIRE