To prevent waterlogging, BMC joins hands with MMRDA, MMRCL

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has learned its lesson in the last two years when debris collected from various infrastructure projects choked the city's rainwater pipelines. Now, the civic body is coordinating with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) to prevent waterlogging in the monsoon months.

In the last two years, many parts of the city got waterlogged after debris from infrastructure projects choked the rainwater pipes. Even the Fort area got flooded in 2018 — an uncommon thing to witness — due to the ongoing underground work for Metro. This year, construction work for Metro is going on in different parts of the city. To avoid past mistakes and keep water drainage systems free of silt from the Metro construction sites, BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta has directed additional municipal commissioner Pravin Darade to coordinate with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. These agencies are responsible for the ongoing Metro work. The BMC, MMRDA, and MMRCL had coordinated in 2018 also. The MMRCL, that is building the underground Metro line had installed 241 dewatering pumps at possible waterlogging sites in 2018. The BMC also installed more than 250 pumps across the city.

Commissioner Ajoy Mehta asked AMC Pravin Darade to arrange a meeting with the MMRDA and MMRCA and to ensure that the silt or muck from the Metro construction sites does not enter the rainwater drainage systems and choke the pipelines. Mehta also asked all ward officers to regularly inspect silt generated during Metro work so as to dispose it of properly.