The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data has revealed that mumbai’s flooding spots have recorded a 10 per cent rise in the past one year. At present there are 498 flooding spots in the city, compared to last year’s 453.
With monsoon just a few months away, the civic body has once again taken up the annual task of making the maximum city flood-proof.
BMC officials said that of the 498 flooding spots, 391 have been addressed, while 52 will be addressed in the next three months ahead of monsoon.
However, the report quotes BMC officials as saying that the increase does not necessarily imply that all are “new" flooding spots. Many reportedly represent areas that were previously addressed but have since resurfaced due to factors such as encroachment, which leads to choked drainage systems.
Besides, the BMC said plans were being drawn up to address the rest 55 flooding spots, 26 of which will be tackled in coordination with the railways, Metro, traffic department and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
Some of the key flooding spots recorded this year are spread across the city and suburbs such as Vikhroli, Parel, Andheri, Vile Parle, Santacruz and Dahisar, among others. Many of these areas are adjoining railway tracks and low-lying areas on the banks of Mithi River and other water bodies like Walbhat and Dahisar.
To tackle these spots, the BMC has proposed a slew of mitigation measures. One, it has decided to acquire four flood recovery vehicles with auto prime pumps. These are amphibious vehicles fixed with motorable pumps, deployed in heavily flooded areas to drain out accumulated water. In addition, the BMC has also deployed portable pumps in various locations to channel out accumulated water.
Meanwhile, internal documents cited by Mumbai Mirror reveal that 29 chronic flooding hotspots remain stuck in planning or tendering stages.
These pending sites include several critical areas such as Gate No. 4 of Nair Hospital, where drainage augmentation work is not expected to be completed until 2028, potentially leaving the hospital vulnerable for the next two monsoon seasons.
Other major locations awaiting permanent flood mitigation measures include Nana Chowk, Saki Naka Metro Station, and the Andheri Subway and Khar Subway.
The Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP) highlights the gravity of the situation, noting that 35 per cent of the city’s population resides in flood-prone zones — low-lying areas with saucer-shaped topography and inadequate drainage.
The BMC has allocated Rs 1,800 crore to the Storm Water Drains department in its 2026–27 budget, marking a 12.5% increase in funding. Of this, Rs 286.26 crore has been earmarked for the rejuvenation of the Mithi River.
In the absence of permanent solutions, the civic body continues to rely on temporary measures. BMC officials say they plan to increase the number of dewatering pumps deployed across the city compared to last year’s 500. Additionally, the corporation is introducing four new flood recovery vehicles equipped with auto-prime pumps to quickly drain accumulated water in heavily affected areas.