Hindmata and Gandhi Market won't face water-logging this year, claims BMC

Every year, the city, during the monsoon season, faces the brunt of water logging, whereby many low lying areas of the city, like Hindmata and Gandhi Market, experience a tough time.  To ensure this is avoided this year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken special measures to prevent water logging.

To implement the same effectively, a meeting was held with the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who also reviewed the pre-monsoon works in the BMC areas through an online meeting on Friday, April 16, 2021. BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal was also present at the meeting and informed the officials about the pre-monsoon works, whereby he said that Mumbai received 64% more rainfall than the average rainfall in 2020, and following the instructions given by the Chief Minister, the pre-monsoon drainage and sludge removal works were started in October 2020. As a result, the administrative process and tender process was completed early and the actual work started earlier than planned.

A total of 406 potential rainwater harvesting sites have been identified in Mumbai and necessary works were started. Iqbal Chahal also said that notices have been issued to buildings in Mumbai which are more than 30 years old and dangerous to live in, and work related to evacuation of residents from dangerous buildings to safer places, filling of potholes on roads etc. are underway.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Project) P. Velarasu gave a presentation with detailed information of pre-monsoon works. As per records, a total of 5,04,125 metric tons of sludge was removed from Mumbai's rivers and streams in 2020. This year, the same has increased to 6,85,358 metric tons, out of which 1,83,716 metric tons or about 35% sludge has been removed.

Every year water gets collected in the low lying areas of Hindmata and Gandhi Market, and with this project, the drainage will be efficient and faster than before. Meanwhile, large underground tanks are being constructed at both these places, and so, the rain water from these low lying areas will be released in these tanks, further releasing into the sea after the tide recedes. 

Adding more, he said that  470 pumps will be hired this year to drain rain water from Mumbai, and other agencies including railways have done a good job of cleaning and sanitation in their respective areas so far.