The MMRDA has identified 47 spots across arterial roads in the Metropolitan Region that are at the risk of flooding this monsoon,35 of which lie in the western suburbs.
The weather department has predicted that monsoons will hit Mumbai next week and as the city awaits rains civic agencies are also gearing up to tackle the problems of water logging and flooding.
However, there’s bad news for Mumbaikars residing in the western suburbs. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has identified 47 spots across arterial roads in the Metropolitan Region that are at the risk of flooding this monsoon, near 35 of which lie in the western suburbs.
This is the case despite MMRDA’s claims that road maintenance work and construction of storm water drains at crucial points across the Metropolitan Region was almost
complete.
Most of these spots lie in areas in Andheri, Kandivili and along the Western Express Highway where the MMRDA has recently carried out road widening and construction of cross culverts. However, S Ramchandani, chief engineer (roads), MMRDA argues that these spots are chronic flooding spots with a history of flooding and water logging.
“Majority of these spots are chronic flooding spots identified by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) where we have carried out corrective measures to curb flooding and excessive water logging,” he said.
But, notwithstanding the construction and repair work carried out by the civic agencies, Ramchandani feels that flooding may happen again if the intensity of the monsoons was higher than normal.
When he was quizzed about why these areas are susceptible to flooding despite various counteractive measures, Ramchandani said, “The road level in these areas have not changed though widening and other restorative measures have been taken. Large number of underground utilities, pipelines and several other factors prevent a change in the road level due to which these areas, especially low-lying areas, are prone to flooding.”
But taking a lesson from the severe problems that the public had to face in recent years owing to water logging in these areas, the MMRDA is planning to tie up with traffic police and FM radio stations during the monsoons to alert the public about flooded areas.
“We have already spoken to the traffic police to display alert messages on traffic display boards so that commuters can take alternate routes. As most of the traffic display boards are in the island city, we are also in talks with private FM radio stations to announce regular updates about water logging in different parts of the city,” Ramchandani said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}