Ahead Of Monsoon, BMC Conducts 2-day Workshop For Flood-free City

Every year, the city faces water logging despite innumerable measures taken by the civic body for flood mitigation.

Accordingly, ahead of monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had organized a two-day workshop with World Resources Institute (WRI) to discuss flood-risk areas in Mumbai, its effects on various factors, and possible remedies.

This workshop, conducted at Sahyadri Guest House in Walkeshwar, aimed to discuss the issue of urban flooding along with roadmap for its resilient and also to build goals and strategies in line with the Mumbai Climate Action Plan. It was inaugurated by suburban guardian minister and state environment minister Aaditya Thackeray.

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State Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Project) P Velarasu, former chief secretary of the state Ajoy Mehta and Jairaj Phatak will attend the workshop along with other experts in the fields of flood management, urban development, administration and NGOs.

The 2-day workshop to develop a Comprehensive Roadmap for a Flood Resilient Mumbai was inaugurated by Cabinet Minister @AUThackeray today.

AMC (Projects) Shri P. Velrasu and other dignitaries were also present.#ClimateChange #UrbanDevelopment #FloodResilientMumbai pic.twitter.com/ogX0nACky7

— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) April 28, 2022

Speaking at the workshop, additional municipal commissioner P Velrasu stated that about 40 per cent of the rainfall is seen in two to three days of monsoon. Almost 150 spots in the city are below sea-level, while the drainage system is gravity based. Also, out of 186 outfalls that carry rainwater to sea, only six are above high tide level; 45 outfalls are below the sea level and 135 are above sea level, but below high tide level.

For flood relief, under the Brimstowad project, the BMC has now constructed six pumping stations in Mumbai, that have the capacity to pump 70,000 million litres of water per day. However, the construction of Mogra and Mahul pumping stations is yet to start.

To reduce flood risk, the municipality has taken other measures such as the construction of mini pumping stations and underground holding tanks.

Moreover, the desilting of drains is being carried out every year before the monsoon. But such workshops are important in taking long-term measures, stated BMC authorities.

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