The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) shifted nearly 950 people from low-lying areas by 8 am Wednesday as water discharge from the Mulshi dam has been increased by 10,000 cusecs, with collective outflow from the Pavana and Mulshi dams reaching 50,000 cusecs in the wake of heavy rain in their catchment areas. Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh told The Indian Express that civic officials are on high alert and camping at various river sites in the city. ''The process of shifting residents from slums started last evening and is continuing today. We have appealed to citizens to shift to safer places or the temporary shelters set up by us." Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sachin Pawar said several crematoriums have been submerged due to the rising level of the Pavana River. But PCMC officials said last rites will not be affected as some crematoriums in the city are away from the river banks. Officials said they will arrange for the last rites as needed. The civic body activated disaster management cells at all regional offices, and response teams have been deployed along vulnerable riverbank settlements to ensure swift evacuation and relief. Residents from Bhatanagar in Pimpri, labour camp and adjoining areas in Kiwale, Kesavnagar, Jadhav Ghat, Kalewadi, Pimple Nilakh, Bopkhel, Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, and Pimple Gurav have been shifted to PCMC schools, community halls, and other designated shelters. At each relief centre, arrangements have been made for food, drinking water, power supply, and healthcare support. The PCMC’s fire department, health teams, and solid waste management staff have been stationed across vulnerable locations with fire tenders, boats, ambulances, and vehicles to carry out evacuation operations, said officials. Additional transport support has been provided with PMPML buses. Alongside relocation, teams are addressing complaints of waterlogging and drainage choke-ups across the city, added officials. They said eight zonal help centres are fully functional, supported by search-and-rescue teams, while the PCMC’s central disaster management cell remains operational 24x7. The civic body is coordinating closely with the Irrigation Department, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), the Meteorological Department, and the traffic police for real-time updates on rainfall, dam discharge, and traffic diversions. Residents receive regular updates on flood risks and precautionary measures through All India Radio, FM channels, and the PCMC's social media platforms, they added. The civic administration said outflow from the Mulshi dam, which discharges water into the Mula river, has been increased to 35,000 cusecs on Wednesday morning. The Mula river, which flows for 10-15 km within Pimpri-Chinchwad, can cause flooding in the Sangvi area where it meets the Pavana river, according to officials. The PCMC administration said the discharge from Pavana dam has remained constant at just over 15,000 cusecs since 10 pm Tuesday. ''If it rains more, then the discharge might be increased by the irrigation department as the Pavana dam is already full,'' officials said. On Tuesday, there was an incremental rise in the discharge of water from the Pavana dam, from 2,860 cusecs in the morning to 5,660 cusecs in the afternoon, and to 11,900 cusecs by the evening.
