Mumbai’s flood-prone spots rise 10% to 498 in a year, BMC steps up mitigation before monsoon
The BMC said plans were being drawn up to address the rest 55 flooding spots, 26 of which will be tackled in coordination with the railways, Metro, traffic department and MMRDA.
In the past one year, Mumbai’s flooding spots have recorded a 10 per cent rise, shows Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data. At present there are 498 flooding spots in the city, compared to last year’s 453.
BMC officials said that of the 498 flooding spots, 391 have been addressed, while 52 will be addressed in the next three months ahead of monsoon. Besides, the BMC said plans were being drawn up to address the rest 55 flooding spots, 26 of which will be tackled in coordination with the railways, Metro, traffic department and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
“Even though the number of flooding spots has increased, many of the spots identified this year are not new. They were tackled earlier but have resurfaced. Activities like encroachment often leads to chocking that leads to overflowing of water and waterlogging during the monsoon and these places might have resurfaced as flooding spots,” an official said.
A flooding spot is a low-lying area that is likely to record a significant period of waterlogging during moderate or heavy rainfall and every year, the BMC identifies chronic flooding spots in Mumbai by assessing the previous year’s rainfall pattern, following which remedial measures are implemented. According to the Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP) report, 35% of Mumbai’s population resides in flooding zones. Most of these areas are saucer-shaped, low-lying places having poor drainage facilities.
“One of the primary reasons for flooding spots rising is choking of drainage and water channels. Besides, incomplete desilting of drains is also a reason why water gets accumulated in some of the low lying areas in Mumbai,” the official added.
Some of the key flooding spots recorded this year are spread across the city and suburbs such as Vikhroli, Parel, Andheri, Vile Parle, Santacruz and Dahisar, among others. Many of these areas are adjoining railway tracks and low-lying areas on the banks of Mithi River and other water bodies like Walbhat and Dahisar.
To tackle these spots, the BMC has proposed a slew of mitigation measures. One, it has decided to acquire four flood recovery vehicles with auto prime pumps. These are amphibious vehicles fixed with motorable pumps, deployed in heavily flooded areas to drain out accumulated water. In addition, the BMC has also deployed portable pumps in various locations to channel out accumulated water.
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The civic officials last year had deployed more than 500 pumps. “Last year, we deployed more than 500 pumps, and this year also the number of pumps will be increased. Owing to heavy rainfall last year, railway movement was affected as the tracks went under water. Our key focus this year has been mitigation of these spots to ensure railway movement is not affected,” the official said.
In the recent civic budget for 2026-27, the BMC has allocated Rs 1,800 crore to the storm water drains (SWD) department, which is primarily responsible for carrying out flood-control measures. The fund allocated in this year’s budget has also seen a 12.5 percent rise. Of the total budget, Rs 286.26 crore has been earmarked for Mithi river rejuvenation.
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:
Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.
City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.
Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:
National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.
Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.
Experience
Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:
Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
