Mumbai Water Crisis: BMC Chief Ashwini Bhide Orders Citywide Well Revival Drive Amid Dwindling Lake Reserves

Mumbai, June 11: Amid dwindling water reserves and fears of a delayed monsoon, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has ordered an immediate citywide audit of wells, directing officials to clean, desilt and revive them through rainwater recharge measures.

The BMC has also been asked to promote the use of well water by nearby housing societies to ease pressure on the city's strained water resources.

Monthly Review Meeting And Civic Directives

Bhide on Thursday chaired a monthly review meeting at the BMC headquarters, attended by Additional Municipal Commissioners Abhijit Bangar, Ashwini Joshi, Avinash Dhakane and Vipin Sharma, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyanarayan Chaudhary, and senior civic officials.

During the meeting, Bhide also instructed officials to sustain desilting efforts during the monsoon, address pothole complaints within 24 hours, and immediately clear debris, construction material and barricades from roads after the completion of cement concreting works.

Water Conservation Measures

With water levels in Mumbai's seven lakes dropping to just 12 per cent of their total capacity—enough to meet the city's needs for only about 50 days—Bhide has directed ward officials to prepare an updated inventory of all public, government and private wells and borewells.

She has also ordered their restoration and urged housing societies to utilise these alternative water sources, while emphasising coordination between local representatives, civic officials and residents to maximise available water resources.

Black Spot Safety Measures

Ahead of the monsoon, Bhide directed civic officials to identify and rectify accident-prone black spots, strengthen coordination with traffic police to ensure smooth traffic flow, and crack down on illegal parking.

She also called for special drives to remove abandoned vehicles and implement targeted traffic management measures around schools, hospitals and other key public institutions.

Digital Governance And AI Integration

Bhide directed all BMC departments to integrate civic services with the Union government's UPYOG (Urban Platform for Delivery of Online Governance) platform, enabling citizens to access services through a single digital interface.

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She also called for accelerated adoption of 3D mapping, GIS-based data integration and AI-powered solutions in key sectors such as waste management, traffic, water supply, healthcare and grievance redressal, while mandating regular digital and AI training for civic staff.

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