No waterlogging at Hindmata this monsoon, Said BMC

Mumbai: Hindmata, a low-lying area between Dadar HTT and Parel, is one of the wetlands that witnesses flood-like conditions every year during monsoons. However, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claimed that it would not witness such floods in this monsoon area. The low-lying areas of Mumbai are generally prone to floods due to heavy rains.

When heavy rains cause high tides in the Arabian Sea, the city is submerged in rainwater two or three feet deep. Underground rainwater storage tanks are being constructed at BMC Junction to mitigate the flooding caused by heavy rains. The city council says these large groundwater tanks can last at least three hours. Authorities say the tanks will significantly reduce flooding during high tide and heavy rainfall.

BMCBMC officials said that the underground rainwater harvesting tanks in Mumbai will be constructed as a pilot project and the project will be implemented in other areas depending on its effectiveness as a monsoon flood mitigation measure. Construction of the two tanks was flagged off in March this year and is expected to be ready by June. Under the project, two underground rainwater storage tanks made of concrete will be constructed at Pramod Mahajan Kala Udyan in Dadar and another at St. Xavier's Ground in Parel.

Mumbai Suburban District Guardian Minister Aditya Thackeray on Saturday reviewed the pre-monsoon preparations. He visited the activities of "Monsoon Holding Tanks" at Pramod Mahajan Udyan, Hind Mata Flyover, and St. Xavier's Ground. Aditya Thackeray, Corporator Urmila Panchal, and BMC AMC P were present during the inspection of the project. Velarasu and engineers from the Department of Hydraulic Engineers joined. 

In addition, the underground tanks will be covered with urban landscapes as before, and they will disappear from the surface. BMC officials have started scouting for more such places in Mumbai’s flood-prone areas, which challenge existing pumps due to geography and heavy rains. According to some reports, each tank will be 100 meters long, 50 meters wide, and 6 meters deep with a storage capacity of 30 lakh liters of water. The cost of the project is almost Rs 130 crore.