Mumbai: After heavy rainfall exposed the BMC's readiness claims, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, accompanied by civic officials, personally visited some low-lying areas on Sunday. He has instructed the civic administration to explore the possibility of using underground water holding tanks as a solution in areas where traffic gets diverted due to waterlogging.
Tackling Waterlogging Issues at Milan Subway
Following the first heavy shower on Saturday, several parts of the city and suburbs experienced waterlogging. However, the Milan subway in Santacruz provided relief to citizens due to the presence of water holding tanks and pumps. On the other hand, Dahisar, Malad, and Andheri subways remained waterlogged, causing inconvenience to commuters. On Sunday morning, the chief minister, along with P. Velarasu, an additional municipal commissioner (projects), and other officials, visited the Mumbai Coastal road project, Milan subway, and other low-lying areas.
Shinde directed officials to take all necessary measures to prevent waterlogging in such areas. The civic officials also inspected the Andheri subway, which had faced waterlogging on Saturday. According to the BMC, 165 liters of various items, including refrigerators, cupboards, beds, and rubber pipes, got caught in the net at Mogra nullah, blocking the pumping system during heavy rain. A civic official explained, "Our stormwater drain department swiftly removed the obstructing material and restored the system within one hour."
P. Velarasu interacted with local citizens, addressing their concerns and clarifying the situation. He instructed the relevant officials to restructure and reinstall the steel mesh as soon as possible and take necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future. Additionally, the BMC will review long-term measures proposed by IIT Mumbai and implement them before the next monsoon season, as assured by civic officials.
Waterlogging Situations at Various Locations A Day Ago
The heavy rainfall, which began at 5 pm on Saturday, impacted several areas in the city. However, the rainwater gradually receded at key locations such as Dadar TT Circle, Road No. 24 in Sion, Tilak Nagar, Andheri Subway, and Milan Subway.
Coastal Road Project Inspection
Chief Minister Shinde earlier in the morning visited the Coastal Road Project in Worli. During his inspection, he inquired about the factors contributing to waterlogging and directed the relevant officials to take necessary measures to prevent any such situations in the future.
