How rain-ready is Mumbai? Joseph and Tinaikar debate

Q&A:  Johny Joseph and SS Tinaikar debate on Mumbai’s rain readiness and the city’s future prospects

‘We are ready’

In the aftermath of the flood of 26/7, Municipal Commissioner Johny Joseph found himself overseeing a massive campaign to rehabilitate the city’s drainage and improve its disaster management. Now, as another monsoon approaches, Suhit Kelkar asks him to assess the current progress, and comment on the future prospects of the city’s civic infrastructure.

In the light of your pre-monsoon measures (widening rivers, cleaning all drains, setting up search and rescue teams) how would you assess the city’s prospects in a typical monsoon?
Number-wise it is difficult (to say). (But I would say) 300 per cent better. For the first time in the history we are doing complete desilting and widening. That will increase the holding capacity according to land use. As far as response is concerned, we are prepared for (a situation like) 26/7. (We have) boats… NGOs, additional resources and manpower.

What more would you want to do to make the city monsoon-ready?
Ideally, we’d like to have a world-class drainage system which is possible only after implementation of BRIMSTOWAD (the Brihanmumbai storm water drains project, proposed in 1992 which took off only recently) in its entirety. (Also) sewerage. 100 per cent coverage is what we should aim for.

What is your roadmap for future developments?
We have posed (three of our projects) under the NURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission). Drainage will be (completed) in three years. Water supply four years. Sewerage will take more… five years (maybe). Provided we are successful in getting funds. In another two years we will have world-class roads (because of the current road work)-asphalt and cc (cement concrete).

Would you say that the effects of 26/7 were exacerbated by the way the city developed? After the experience of the flood, how would you like the city to develop in the future?
After seeing the changes in land use (in the city), the holding capacity (for storm water) does not exist. So we have to plan for full discharge of the water through the drains. (A problem is) encroachments on nullahs. Mostly it (the exacerbation of a flood) happens because of unauthorised construction.

After 26/7, some say that an elected mayor with executive powers should replace the municipal commissioner, since a mayor would be directly accountable to the citizens. Please comment.
It is a political question. I cannot answer it. (It is a) prerogative of the policy-makers. It is like the debate on parliamentary versus presidential process.

‘There is no vision’

For many who can look that far back, SS Tinaikar was one of Mumbai’s most effective municipal commissioners. Outposken and dynamic, the retired former commissioner speaks to Suhit Kelkar about Mumbai’s sorry situation and makes his objections clear about the current state of civic infrastructure in the city. He has special insights into last year’s flooding, the rebuilding work that has followed and the inbuilt contradictions in the way the city is run.

Are you confident that the measures announced and undertaken in the city after last year’s terrible experience will be  good enough even for a year of normal rainfall?
So far, the responsibility to manage Mumbai has been with the municipal corporation and the municipal commissioner. But this time, because of last year’s crisis, the chief minister is also looking into it. (But) I have no confidence in anyone.

There may be a difference between (what the CM said in) press conferences and the reality on the ground. But we will only get to know when it rains. Still, going by his word, it seems that all that is humanly possible has been done.
In the light of 26/7, how would you want Mumbai to be developed in the future?
Whatever (constructions) are happening, are not according to the city development plan of 1992. There is no consistency. Just building only flyovers and metro railways will not help.

It is a large question. But no-one asks it. In five years, what will be the city’s population? How many slums will arise? In what way will the city grow? How many jobs will be created? No-one is asking these questions which are vital for the survival of Mumbai.

After 26/7, some say that an elected mayor with executive powers should replace the municipal commissioner, since a mayor would be directly accountable to the citizens. Please comment.
Isn't the chief minister accountable? The chief minister is paying attention to Mumbai as if Mumbai is a state. He is not speaking on anything else these days: the crops, the farmers’ suicides. (Mumbai had) a mayor-in-council. But (its creators) had to withdraw it. Mumbai has central (agencies such as) railways, telephone (service). Will the mayor be able to control them? When the Railways have a mega-block, like there was recently,  can the chief minister do anything about it?

This city is the country's (financial) capital, so even the central government is involved. This city cannot be controlled by one man. It is a political thing. Many people are stakeholders.