BMC reserves civic school in Kurla under monsoon contingency plan for Mithi banks

As part of its contingency evacuation plan for those living along the banks of Mithi river, as the river overflows almost every monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal

As part of its contingency evacuation plan for those living along the banks of Mithi river, as the river overflows almost every monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is reserving the Bail Bazar municipal school in Kurla which can house between 800 and 1,000 persons.

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Unlike the 350 other municipal schools in the city, Bail Bazar municipal school is not being converted into a Covid Care Centre (CCC) despite its large capacity in a bid to reserve it for monsoon. BMC is also preparing a plan for monsoon evacuees in view of social distancing rules. Fortunately, the areas that may need evacuation owing to monsoon have not seen any Covid-19 cases so far.

Almost every year during monsoon months, the civic body is forced to move around 400 to 600 people living in four to five localities along the banks of Mithi, as the river overflows owing to heavy rain and high tide. The most-affected areas include Kranti Nagar, Indira Nagar and Bamandaya Pada in Andheri (East). BMC’s disaster management department generally prepare an evacuation plan, and the residents are moved to nearby municipal schools with the help of the local ward offices.

However, in light of the crisis due to Covid-19 pandemic, major municipal schools across the city have been converted into quarantine centres to house asymptomatic positive patients and contacts of Covid-19 patients. Residents of slums where homes are congested, where residents use community toilets and where Covid-19 cases have been reported are also being moved to quarantine centres as a safety measure.

Manish Walunju, assistant commissioner of L ward which covers these areas, said, “That school is not being converted into a CCC. I will need it during the monsoon. It a four-storey structure with two halls on the ground floor. So, about 800 to 1,000 people can stay there. If we need to evacuate people from Mithi’s banks during monsoon and this school is in walking distance from these two-three localities.”

BMC is also preparing a plan with special instructions for maintaining social distancing norms in case more than 400 to 600 people need to be evacuated. Walunju said, “We have one-and-a-half month to chalk out the plan as the heavy rains are likely in June and July, going by the pattern every year. Since the school is in walking distance from the areas that we evacuate, it will be easier to plan keeping social distancing in mind.”

Last year, BMC had moved about 400 people living in Kranti Nagar to this municipal school.

Saeeda Khan, a corporator from L ward, said, “We have insisted that BMC divert the overflowing water to Vikhroli and Airoli creeks by micro tunnelling. This is the long-term solution. In case they need to shift people this year due to waterlogging, I will insist that BMC come up with a social distancing plan to ensure the rooms in the school do not get crowded with too many beds, and that they detect Covid-19 positive cases well in advance, if there are any, to avoid other residents coming in contact with people who may be carrying the virus while staying in the school. I am also going to ask for a separate school to be reserved for residents who live in Indira Nagar as a monsoon contingency plan.”