June 11, 2025: In a significant policy reversal, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced that 514 dewatering pumps will be deployed across Mumbai this monsoon, surpassing last year’s count of 482. The civic body had earlier planned to scale back the number of pumps to 414, citing improvements in the stormwater drainage system.
The decision to cut back was based on a past performance review. Some pumps reportedly ran for only short durations or remained underutilised during previous monsoon seasons, prompting officials to believe fewer would suffice. However, the situation changed dramatically after the May 26 downpour, which brought triple-digit rainfall and led to widespread waterlogging in several parts of the city.
An internal BMC analysis revealed that 80 of the 120 waterlogged locations were newly affected areas, not previously marked as flood-prone. This alarming discovery prompted civic authorities to reconsider their preparedness strategy.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar confirmed the U-turn, acknowledging the impact of unexpected flooding. “We had planned reductions based on data from past years, but the recent rains showed the emergence of new flooding hotspots,” he said.
Among the high-priority areas now receiving attention are key zones such as the Mantralaya premises and areas surrounding Metro stations, where additional pumps are being installed. BMC is also expediting the process of connecting these pumps to the underground sewer system to prevent localised backflow or the creation of new flood-prone areas.
With monsoon intensifying, the civic body aims to be fully prepared to tackle flooding risks. Officials are hopeful that this proactive stance will mitigate the impact of heavy rains in the coming weeks.
Source: Times Of India
