September 22, 2025: Despite several interventions over the years, Dadar East’s Hindmata continues to face severe flooding during monsoons. To address the persistent problem, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now proposing additional flood-mitigation work worth around ₹600 crore, to be executed within the next two years under the guidelines of the Brihanmumbai Storm Water Disposal System (BRIMSTOWAD) project.
Hindmata, a saucer-shaped low-lying zone, receives rainwater from surrounding areas like Dadar TT, Naigaon, Parel, Bhoiwada, and Fitwala Lane. Due to its natural slope, the water eventually drains towards the Britannia pumping station, leading to recurrent waterlogging.
In 2021-22, the BMC built underground water-holding tanks beneath the Hindmata flyover, with a capacity of 30 lakh litres. The ₹200-crore project reduced water recession time from nearly 12 hours to just 1–2 hours. Additionally, nine to eleven dewatering pumps are deployed each monsoon to manage excess water.
Still, the civic body believes further upgrades are needed. A senior official said, “We have explored the option of augmenting drain capacity to contain more than 100 mm of rain. However, experts from IIT-B [Indian Institute of Technology Bombay] suggest augmenting this to handle about 120 mm of rain.”
The BMC has submitted a master plan, prepared with IIT-B, to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Currently, Mumbai’s drainage system handles only 55 mm of rain per hour. The proposed upgrade aims to manage 100–120 mm per hour, requiring an investment of around Rs 500 crore.
Talks with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), facilitated through the Maharashtra Institute for Transformation (MITRA), are also planned to explore long-term solutions spanning 10–15 years.
“To bring about 100 per cent relief through infrastructure, we are looking at investments that can be viewed as disproportionate to the impact, especially because we are spending public money,” a civic official added, stressing the impact of changing climate patterns on urban planning.
Source: Mid-day
