After a deluge nearly drowned the city on July 26, 2005, Mumbaikars became aware of the extreme danger posed by the infamous Mithi River. It turned out to be a wake-up call for the civilians as well as the authorities, and unprecedented steps were taken to prevent a repeat the following year.
Following the tragedy, the state government appointed a fact-finding committee, headed by Dr.Madhavrao Chitale, to investigate the causes of the flood and suggest remedial measures to prevent it in the future. Since the flood, the BMC has been spending crores on the cleaning and widening of the Mithi River and other nullahs in the city.
The central government, too, sanctioned Rs.1, 200 crore for the widening and deepening of Mithi River, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Redevelopment Mission.
Over a period of six years, BMC’s expenditure for the maintenance of the storm water drainage system rose from Rs.448.87 crore(2006) to Rs.1,626.00 crore. The civic body has spent a total of Rs.6, 854.48 to avert a July 2005-type situation. But the city still faces flooding in the event of heavy rainfall.
Heavy rains this monsoon may lead to flooded roads in the city as BMC’s Storm Water Drains (SWD) department of BMC has not completed its nullah-cleaning work, which was slated to have been complete by May 31. In the first week of June, water logging in many parts of the city and the suburbs was reported with the onset of the first mild rain showers.
States Aftab Siddique, ALM member of Khar said, “Every year, BMC officials give false promises about curbing flooding, and yet we see logging in many parts of the city after claims by the department about having completed 96% of the work. I fail to understand why can’t they clean the storm water drains throughout the year?” Ram Joseph, a resident of Ghatkopar and active member of AGNI, seconds him, “The BMC has to shoulder the blame for the flooding.”
But officials blame the state of affairs on slum dwellers and poor civic sense, saying they throw garbage into the drains even while they are being cleaned. “Unless they stop this, the nullahs will never be clean,” said a senior official, on condition of anonymity.
According to LS Vhatkar, chief engineer of BMC’s storm water drain project, “The city will come to a halt for a few days during the monsoons, as the original city was reclaimed and made up of seven islands. Flooding is bound to happen,” he added that where there are thundershowers, the low lying areas will get flooded.
The civic body has indentified over 40 chronically flood-affected areas, which include Kalbadevi, Tardeo, Sleater Road, Worli, Parel, Hindmata, King’s Circle, Sion, Kurla East, Khar Road West, Kurla East, Khar Road West, Vile Parle, Milan Subway, Juhu Tara Road, Andheri Subway, Piramal Nagar, Goregaon West, Kotkar Nullah in Goregaon East, Malad Subway, Sambhaji Nagar, Dahisar, Kirol Road, Ghatkopar and Bhandup village.
An official from the storm water drains department says, “Unless and until the proposed pumping stations are not built in the city, there won’t be much relief. The plan is to build eight pumping stations, but six are only on paper.”
Work on the water pumping stations, which could reduce the water logging problem in the city, is progressing. Vhatkar said, “There are two pumping stations which are functional, but the garbage from the drains has to be cleared. We are currently building six other pumping stations. Pumps have also been stationed at various flooding spots. This is the only solution to water logging, even after drains and major nullahs have been desilted.”
When contacted, Additional Municipal Commissioner Mohan Adtani said, “yes, cases of flooding have been reported during the July rains, but there are low-lying areas and prone to flooding every year. Most of out nullahs and drains have been cleaned and desilted.”
BMC’s disaster management chief Mahesh Narvekar informs, “in case of water logging, citizens should immediately inform the disaster control on 108. This toll free number is accessible through all networks. The ward-level officials, the fire brigade, traffic policemen, and even health officials, if required, would be sent across. They would then help drain the water from the roads.”
