The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing a flood-mitigation programme in partnership with IIT Bombay, with the stated aim of addressing chronic waterlogging in multiple locations and securing Central funding. BMC has proposed a project estimated at ₹10,000 crore and will seek financial assistance from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). The plan targets around 300 to 350 flood-prone “hotspots” by upgrading key parts of the city’s drainage and flood-control systems.
According to BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, flooding is expected during extreme rainfall events and is influenced by factors such as heavy rain accumulation over short periods, high tide levels, the city’s coastal setting, and extensive development on reclaimed land. BMC says annual maintenance measures like desilting are not sufficient to cope with increasingly intense weather.
IIT Bombay is tasked with preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR), which BMC will use to support its NDRF funding proposal. The proposed works include completing pending pumping stations at Mogra and Mahul, adding new pumping capacity where needed, installing automated floodgates, and strengthening the city’s stormwater drainage network. BMC also reiterates guidance to citizens to avoid dumping waste into water channels, which can clog drainage routes.
