MUMBAI: With rains again bringing Mumbai to its knees, it is apparent that the state government and
BMC
failed to heed a warning of heavy showers issued by the IMD barely 24 hours before the deluge on Tuesday.
The Indian Meteorological Department forecast for August 29 was “heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely at a few places with isolated extremely heavy rainfall in North Konkan”. Mumbai falls under North Konkan.
True to the forecast, it began raining heavily from the wee hours. On Tuesday at 1pm, Mantralaya received another warning from the IMD that in the next four hours, Mumbai city, suburbs, Alibaug, Dahanu and nearby areas would face a deluge (ativrushti). But by then, it was too late.
Lakhs of citizens had left for work in the morning, the children had gone to school. When, following the IMD warning, the state general administration department issued a circular granting permission to all state government, civic employees to leave office at 2.30pm, the central railway, main and harbour railway lines had already come to a standstill, western railway services were hobbled and roads were gridlocked.
As floods ravaged the city, it was déjà vu once again.
12 years since 26/7, few lessons learnt, Rs 660 crore down Mithi drainTuesday’s flooding that ravaged Mumbai has again put the spotlight on official apathy. After the deluge of July 2005, noted hydrologist Madhav Chitale had submitted recommendations to ensure a flood-free city and was scathing in his criticism of the BMC. Chitale had earlier told TOI that his report had made clear what kind of preparations were needed, and if the city could not handle rain, it was “a clear indication” the recommendations had not been implemented.
Over the past decade since the 2005 deluge, the BMC has spent Rs 660 crore to deepen and widen the Mithi river, but the efforts have failed because of its failure to remove encroachments along it. The Mithi overflowed on Tuesday evening.
Civic observers pointed out that the largescale flooding on Tuesday highlights the shoddy desilting of stormwater drains and nullahs carried out by civic contractors. Two years ago, in a major scam, contractors were found to have submitted bogus bills to show that work had been carried out.
“After spending huge amounts to widen rivers and stormwater drains, it is very sad that we could not save Mumbai,” said BJP MLA Yogesh Sagar. He represents the Charkop constituency and as the high tide coincided with the heavy rains, spent anxious hours monitoring the water level of the Poisar river that flows through his constituency. “Thankfully at 6.30 pm when the high tide receded, the water level in the Poisar river too receded,” he said.
Sudhir Naik, in-charge of the BMC’s disaster control room, said the Mithi and Dahisar rivers overflowed once. “Between 5-6pm it rained 70mm between Andheri to Dahisar. Poisar and Oshiwara rivers reached the danger mark, but did not overflow. Around 7.30pm, the river water levels started to slowly recede,” he said.
“The Chhatrapati Shivaji flyover had to be shut down as there was waterlogging in Dahisar East. Reliance Energy disconnected power supply to all the buildings along the Dahisar river. The Western Express Highway in Dahisar was also water-logged as the river overflowed,” said Harish Pande, activist and local resident.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, informed about the IMD warning, reviewed the preparedness in the state disaster control room at Mantralaya.
“He has been in touch with the railway administration and directed them to start services as soon as possible,” said a Mantralaya official.
Fadnavis appealed to citizens not to panic. Considering people lost their lives due to suffocation inside their cars in Mumbai during the 26/7 deluge, he urged motorists in flooded areas not to stay inside their vehicles. “Car doors get locked if the tyres get submerged in rain water because they have electronic locking systems,” said Fadnavis.
BMC’s Naik said five areas received more than 200mm rainfall in five hours. These include Parel (230mm), Matunga (253mm), Worli (243mm), Kurla (208 mm), Vile Parle (212mm), and Santacruz (212mm). Predictably, these were also the worst-affected in terms of water-logging. “This is an exceptional situation. The high tide coupled with gusty wind affected the water receding capacity,” said Naik. While the high tide was just 3.23m, due to the high wind velocity, the waves were more than 5m in height. He said around 30,000 BMC staff were on the streets and would stay there till the situation normalizes. The BMC had deployed 300 pumps which were pumping out water at the speed of 6,000 litres per second. “Thirty-six de-watering pumps as a part of the pumping stations are also functioning. But the swelling of the sea is delaying the water from receding,” said Naik. Complaints of tree or branches falling were received from 180 areas in the city.
The
Indian Navy rescue team has been kept on standby in case of emergency. “Flood rescue teams with boats have been deployed at Chembur, Ghatkopar, Malad and Worli. Two diving teams are standing by at Colaba,” said a naval official. Seaking helicopters have also been kept on standby, he added. The state government has suspended toll collection at all Mumbai entry points and the Bandra-Worli sea link till the situation normalises. Fadnavis said both PM Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh have extended all possible help for Mumbai.
Heavy rainfall also disrupted normal life in Ratnagiri, Raigad, Palghar, Thane, Nashik, Pandharpur and other areas.
TIMES VIEWThe city has again fallen victim to nature’s fury. Suburban train services are crippled, roads are flooded, water has entered municipal hospitals, people are walking in knee-deep water. The pretensions of India’s richest city to become a global financial centre are literally being washed away. To be fair, such unusually heavy rains would have thrown even the most well-run metropolis anywhere in the world. But with each passing year, Mumbai is being increasingly mismanaged by those in charge of running it. Its keepers have made all the right noises about monsoon preparedness, throwing statistics saying 92% of the nullahs being cleaned or 98% of the potholes filled. What is especially unconscionable is that the government hasn’t learnt its lesson even after more than 400 lives were lost in the 26 July, 2005 deluge. Trees are ruthlessly cut, large swathes of eco-sensitive mangroves destroyed, and now the government’s brazen attempt to open up the salt pan lands for development. Its time politicians and bureaucrats get their act together.