Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) completed 30 per cent of the silt removal in Mumbai. With the monsoon season approaching, pre-monsoon preparations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are gaining momentum, particularly with silt removal from major and minor drains across the city.
On Tuesday, Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani visited key drainage sites, including the Racecourse Drain in Worli, Nehru Science Centre Drain, and Dadar Dharavi Drain, to inspect ongoing desilting operations.
Pre-Monsoon Silt Removal Work | X|@mybmc
During the visit, Shri Gagrani issued specific instructions to ensure smooth and efficient silt removal. He emphasised that both large and small drains must be carefully planned and deepened, and the removed silt must be disposed of within 48 hours to prevent re-entry into the drainage system. He also directed the use of trash booms where necessary and asked the Water and Waterways Department to ensure uninterrupted water flow in the drains.
As of now, around 30 per cent of the pre-monsoon desilting target has been achieved. The remaining work is expected to be completed swiftly over the next one and a half months. Gagrani highlighted that this year, greater transparency has been introduced in the desilting process through the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) system, a first for the city.
The AI system is assisting the municipal corporation in monitoring video footage of silt removal activities and maintaining accountability throughout the process.
In a move towards public involvement and transparency, the Municipal Corporation has launched a dedicated website (https://swd.mcgm.gov.in/wms2025) where citizens can view photos and videos of desilting work in their respective areas. Shri Gagrani appealed to Mumbai residents to refrain from dumping garbage into drains, a key factor contributing to urban flooding.
The inspection was also attended by Chief Engineer (Rainwater Channels) Shridhar Chaudhary and other senior officials, underlining the administration’s commitment to ensuring a flood-resilient Mumbai this monsoon season.
