The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs has approved Rs 500 crore for urgent flood mitigation works in Mumbai following recent heavy rains in Mumbai, officials said.
The move comes as the city continues to face challenges from recent intense monsoon rains in Mumbai.
According to the officials, the NDMA has asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to prepare a detailed action plan to tackle floods, especially in areas identified as high-risk through real-time assessments.
In addition, BMC will draw up a master plan to improve the city’s stormwater drains. The aim is to handle rainfall of up to 120 mm per hour, a significant jump from the current capacity.
Mid-day had earlier reported about the BMC`s plan to augment drains. The city civic body had decided to check the feasibility of widening the drains of the city to a water carrying capacity of up to 120 mm of rain per hour. After the 2006 deluge, Mumbai`s drains were widened from the carrying capacity of 25 mm of rain per hour to 55 mm of rain per hour, as per the recommendations of the Chitale Committee Report. This project is now 90 per cent complete, according to information from BMC.
Read more: Would widening drains keep Mumbai flood-free?
To further reduce waterlogging during Mumbai rains, the city will get four new pumping stations, announced Ashish Shelar, the Cultural Affairs and IT Minister, and Guardian Minister for Mumbai Suburbs.
The developments come in the light of a BMC study that showed the city received more high-intensity rainfall in last 6 years.
Mid-day had on June 15 reported that the city has seen a sharp spike in the number of days that it receives rainfall over 100mm in the past 3 years, according to a study conducted by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Disaster Management Department. From 13 such days in 2022 to 14 days in 2023, and 21 days during the monsoon season of 2024, the city has recorded an increase of 61 per cent. This number exceeds the annual average of 16 days a year where rainfall is recorded above 100 mm within a day. For comparison, Mumbai receives an annual rainfall of about 2100 mm in the monsoon months, according to official data.
Read more: City received more high-intensity rainfall in last 6 years, BMC study finds
The study has also revealed that the average of high-intensity rainfall has increased for Mumbai during this time.
In the last six years, the average high intensity rainfall received increased to 182 mm, from 131 mm, in a short span of four hours.
On July 25, 2024, the city received 267 mm of rainfall in just four hours, compared to 132 mm of rainfall on July 27, 2023, and on July 30, 2022. In the past 10 years, high intensity rainfall in four hours occurred 28 times.
This number exceeds the annual average of 16 days a year where rainfall is recorded above 100 mm within a day. For comparison, Mumbai receives an annual rainfall of about 2100 mm in the monsoon months, according to official data.
