BMC to tie up with 2 Tokyo experts to tackle flooding

Over the course of next week, the experts — Takeshi Katayama, the technical manager of disaster management and port development section and Yoshitaka Toyosu, general manager —will visit flood-prone spots, rivers that cause flooding such as Mithi.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned a joint venture with two Tokyo-based experts to help with flood management and mitigation in the city. The experts, associated with a Japanese firm called Pacific Consultants Co. Ltd., which has worked in flood management in Tokyo, met BMC chief Praveen Pardeshi on Monday. The move comes days after Pardeshi held a review meeting of the waterlogging situation with the stormwater drains (SWD) department, wherein officials decided on a three-point solution.

The firm’s long-term work with the BMC will include conducting geotechnical surveys to check feasibility of underground holding tanks; studying topography and natural gradient of the city to suggest locations for the tanks(HT FILE)

The solutions included construction of underground water-holding tanks. Vijay Singhal, additional municipal commissioner, in-charge of SWD department, said, “Tokyo had similar problems of waterlogging. It was dealt by the experts by creating huge underground tunnels and holding tanks to collect rain water. While in Tokyo this water is sent to the sea, in Mumbai, we want to study the feasibility of reusing it for potable purposes.”

Over the course of next week, the experts — Takeshi Katayama, the technical manager of disaster management and port development section and Yoshitaka Toyosu, general manager —will visit flood-prone spots, rivers that cause flooding such as Mithi, and lakes that cause flooding such as Tulsi and Vihar in SGNP. They will study waterlogging in the city and submit a detailed report to Pardeshi. They will then be empanelled with the BMC.

The firm’s long-term work with the BMC will include conducting geotechnical surveys to check feasibility of underground holding tanks; studying topography and natural gradient of the city to suggest locations for the tanks; and personalised mitigation measures, said Singhal. “The experts may suggest alternative or additional measures, which will be studied,” said Singhal.