‘BMC alone should not be blamed for Mumbai’s August 29 deluge’

A report submitted by the disaster management cell of the BMC on the deluge highlights gaps in the functioning of the various agencies responsible for keeping Mumbai flood-free

While heavy rains pounded the city on August 29th, paralysing the transport, inundating roads, but the city’s civic body says it should not be blamed alone. A report submitted by the disaster management cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on the deluge to civic chief Ajoy Mehta highlights gaps in the functioning of the various agencies responsible for keeping Mumbai flood-free, including its transport body Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), traffic, railways , the Indian Meteorological department (IMD), among others.

The report includes lack of communication as major concern in tackling the downpour last month. On August 29th, BMC released its first proper advisory, asking people to stay indoors, only around 2pm. By then, the city’s drains, capable of handling only 25mm of rain an hour, had already gone under. Officials blamed the IMD for failing to release a warning on time. The city that day had recorded 333mm of rainfall, with over 20 locations receiving more than 200 mm of rainfall, way above the storm water drains’ capacity of carrying 50 mm in an hour.

The Colaba observatory of the IMD had, on August 28, issued a statement to warn citizens about the heavy rain over the next 24 hours, after which the BMC sent out an advisory through a press statement conveying the message.

Following this report, new plan of action for disaster management will be prepared, informed civic official.