The BMC will rope in contractors for security and maintenance of the pools. (Express photo)
Listen to this articleYour browser does not support the audio element.
In a move to boost the city’s recreational spaces, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is set to open five new swimming pools in the city. While the civic body announced on Saturday that one of the pools situated in Wadala will open August 1, four others are slated to be opened by August 15.
According to the civic body officials, the Wadala pool which is set to open on August 1 was previously under the ownership of Mumbai Fire Brigade. With its specifications of 25mX15m, the pool has a holding capacity of 7 lakh litres.
You’ve Read Your Free Stories For Now
Sign up and keep reading more stories that matter to you.
Meanwhile, the other spaces are located in Vikhroli, Worli with two others coming up in Andheri — east and west. “These pools have been in the works for the past four or five years. We plan to open them for the public by Independence Day”, added a senior official.
The BMC will rope in contractors for security and maintenance of the pools.
Earlier this year, the civic body completed works on two new pools in Malad and Dahisar. These pools are located at Chacha Nehru Garden in Malad (west) and Gyandhara Garden in Dahisar.
Besides these, the BMC has a swimming pool at Dadar (Shivaji Park), Kandivli, Dahisar, Mulund, Chembur and Ghatkopar. Out of these pools, two are Olympic-sized and meet the international standards for swimming.
Seeking to augment the number of recreational spaces in the city, the civic body had proposed to construct new pools in 2018. With the outbreak of the pandemic, the pace of the work slowed down. Earlier in 2022, the civic body had opened the swimming pool in Kandivali, which was set to be opened during the summer of 2020.
These upcoming recreational spaces will drive the total number of civic body-run pools up to 13.
For the record, in December, the BMC had initiated monthly and quarterly membership schemes for citizens in the swimming pools. Earlier, citizens could take only annual membership. The BMC has also initiated an online website through which citizens can avail membership of the swimming pools directly and there is a facility of waitlisted candidates in the system.
Nayonika Bose is a Trainee Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)
Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.
Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:
Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).
Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).
Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.
Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.
Tweets @nayonikakb ... Read More
