How weekend rain flooded Mumbai society

The housing colony has been facing this problem during monsoon ever since the 2005 deluge.

Seema Khubchandani, 53, a resident of Jai Bharat Society in Khar, had to pick up her mother from Bandra’s Pali Hill on Sunday. But, rain water had flooded the area. She could not get out of her house till late in the evening after the water receded.

Around 400 people live in the housing colony which has of 65 buildings. (HT)

Around 400 people live in the housing colony which has of 65 buildings.

“My husband kept calling the ward office and disaster management team. He wanted to ask them if they could provide us a jeep so that I could get out of the area and reach my mother, who is a senior citizen. But, we didn’t receive any assistance,” said Khubchandani.

The housing colony has been facing this problem during monsoon ever since the 2005 deluge.

They said that as the storm water drain passes through railway track, the civic body and the railway authorities keep shifting responsibility of maintaining the drainage system.

“On Sunday, there was waterlogging in our area for almost 10 hours though there was no high tide around that time nor did we receive heavy rainfall,” said Rahul Pai, secretary, Jai Bharat Society.

Speaking about the issue at a residents’ meeting, MLA Ashish Shelar said that he had pitched for contour mapping, which could solve issues of residents living in low–lying areas.

“I have proposed this for the entire city. As per the process, a builder will have to ensure that he begins construction on sea level. This will help Jai Bharat Society when it goes for redevelopment,” Shelar said.

H-west ward officer Sharad Ughade claimed that the BMC is working to find a solution. “The society is in a low-lying area. Water from Pali Hill and Linking Road flows to the area, flooding it. The solid waste department is inspecting the area. The Chanliwadi nullah would have to be widened,” Ughade said.

A resident and a civil engineer, Surindra Khubchandani blamed the civic body for its failure to find a solution to the decade-old problem. “People from Linking Road and SV Road dump waste, which clogs our drains. If the BMC diverts the flow of water to Worli side, there may not be flooding in our housing society,” he said.