Following another bout of drowning cases this monsoon, the BMC has come up with a detailed beach safety plan which it hopes to implement before the next monsoon.
After surveying the city's nine beaches, civic officials and a qualified risk and disaster management professional have prepared a plan to demarcate certain spots as 'swim zones', which will be comparatively safer than other parts of the beach.
Additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh confirmed the development and said, "The plan is at a preliminary stage at present. In most drowning cases, visitors, mainly the youngsters, venture into the sea without paying heed to repeated warnings from lifeguards. The plan was formulated keeping such cases in consideration." An additional rescue work force will be present to handle emergencies at these 'swim zones'.
Deshmukh added that at present, no beach in the city is actually safe for swimming and therefore the plan will have to be studied further and needs the municipal commissioner's approval before being implemented next year.
"Since the sea is rough and usually unsuitable for swimming, we will first have to certify if the coastal waters are shallow and safe at specific points," he said.
City youths however hope the plan is implemented soon. "We love swimming, but since we cannot afford expensive pool memberships, beaches are the only option for us. But the police or lifeguards often prevent us from going into the sea because of rough waters. If a dedicated swim zone is made at beaches, swimming can be a safer and enjoyable affair and drowning instances will also go down," said Amit More, a Malad resident.
Recent drowning deaths
September 8: A 15-year-old boy from Antop Hill died of drowning after he reportedly ventured into the sea at Haji Ali.
August 1: A birthday celebration turned tragic for a group of 11 college students when three of them drowned at Juhu beach. The teenagers from Thane's Gyandevi Vidya Mandir College drowned during high tide.
July 31: A teenager, Rafiq Shah, 17, drowned in the sea at Versova behind Sagar Kutir building, Yari Road. He had gone for a swim with his friends.
April 27: A 17-year-old boy drowned in Aksa beach where he had gone with four friends to swim. He had ventured too deep into the sea.
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