HAM radio assistance will be available this year in every BMC ward, claimed the head of disaster management wing of the operators Nilesh Rathod who is also the secretary of Mumbai Amateur Radio Society.

Learning from last year’s experience, HAM operators will not take any more chances. “We have made it mandatory to all the 30 people in the disaster team to be equipped with battery back-up, which will help the sets run without electricity for at least six to seven days,” he said. “We are also coordinating with the Manatralaya disaster management team so that we can provide information to them at any time.”