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With the monsoon approaching, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has stepped up its pre-monsoon preparedness, directing officials to prioritise desilting work in areas that are prone to waterlogging and urban flooding.

Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, who reviewed ongoing desilting operations across the city on Tuesday, instructed civic teams to ensure that the cleaning of stormwater drains is completed in a time-bound manner by May 31, 2026. She stressed that the deadline must be met “under any circumstances”.

Focus on flood-prone locations

During inspections at key sites, including Bandra-Kurla Complex, Worli, and the Dadar-Dharavi stretch, Bhide emphasised the need to identify and target areas that historically witness waterlogging during heavy rainfall.

Officials were asked to map such vulnerable spots within each drain’s catchment area and prioritise the removal of accumulated silt and garbage. The directive comes amid recurring flooding issues in several low-lying parts of Mumbai during intense monsoon spells.

At the Nehru Science Centre drain in Worli, the commissioner reviewed the pace of work and sought strict adherence to timelines, while also calling for improved coordination among departments involved in stormwater management.

Manhole safety under scrutiny

Apart from desilting, the civic body has also turned its attention to the condition of manholes and drain covers across the city. Bhide instructed officials to carry out detailed inspections to ensure that all manholes are secure and functioning properly before the rains set in.

Protective grilles installed at various locations are to be checked and repaired where necessary. The move is aimed at preventing accidents and ensuring uninterrupted flow of rainwater during peak monsoon.

Special focus has been placed on chronic flooding points such as Worli Naka and Saat Rasta (Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk). Officials have been told to work closely with metro and road authorities to ensure that lateral connections to stormwater drains remain unobstructed.

Garbage dumping, damaged drains raise concerns

At the Dadar-Dharavi drain, civic officials flagged the persistent issue of garbage being dumped into the water channels, which hampers desilting efforts and reduces carrying capacity.

The commissioner noted that such stretches may require repeated cleaning cycles. She also raised concerns over damaged sections of drain walls upstream, which pose safety risks and could impact water flow.

Immediate repairs have been ordered, along with the installation of additional protective barriers in areas where dumping is frequent.

Mithi River works under review

Desilting work on the Mithi River is currently underway at multiple locations under three project packages. Reviewing the progress, Bhide directed officials to assess the availability of machinery and deploy additional resources if required to speed up operations.

She underlined that while meeting deadlines is important, the quality of work must not be compromised. To improve monitoring, the BMC is using an artificial intelligence-based system to track desilting activities and ensure transparency in execution.

Senior civic officials, including Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar and engineers from the stormwater drains department, were present during the inspections.