09 July,2026 07:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev Shivadekar
Vehicles were passing through the rainwater that had accumulated on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Road at Krishna Colony, Dahisar East on Monday. PIC/SATEJ SHINDE
The Maharashtra government is banking on a Rs 13,000-crore flood mitigation project to provide a long-term solution to Mumbai's recurring monsoon waterlogging. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that the proposal has been submitted to the Government of India. Once approved, the project aims to ensure that water from all 370 flood-prone locations is drained within 30 minutes, even during heavy rain and high tide.
CM Devendra Fadnavis
Fadnavis said the large number of trees uprooted during the recent spell of heavy rain was a matter of concern and that every death was unacceptable. He said Mumbai records an average of five deaths annually due to falling trees, three due to landslides, and 13 in building collapses. In recent years, seven people have also died after falling into open manholes.
The chief minister said the BMC has been directed to scientifically assess the health and stability of old trees, particularly their root systems. "If the roots have weakened, efforts should be made to strengthen them. If that is not possible, such trees should be scientifically uprooted," he said.
Referring to the BMC desilting scam, Fadnavis said several vehicle numbers submitted by contractors to claim desilting payments were found to belong to scooters, autorickshaws and private cars instead of heavy transport vehicles. He said the malpractice has been stopped and strict verification measures have been introduced to prevent false billing and fraudulent claims.
Fadnavis said the BRIMSTOWAD project (Brihanmumbai Storm Water Drain Project), launched after Mumbai received a record 944 mm of rainfall in a single day during the 2005 deluge, has remained incomplete for nearly two decades. He said the government is committed to completing the long-pending project over the next few years as part of its long-term strategy to tackle Mumbai's recurring flooding.
Responding to the Opposition's allegations of administrative failure over monsoon-related disruption, including deaths caused by falling trees, a manhole accident and widespread flooding, Fadnavis said the recent crisis was triggered by unprecedented rainfall.
He said Colaba and Santacruz, which receive an average of 734 mm and 856 mm of rainfall respectively during the entire month of July, recorded 882 mm and 988 mm in just the first six days of the month. Nearly 90 per cent of this rainfall was recorded over four days. He added that gusty winds of 50-75 kmph and high tides exceeding 4 metres further aggravated the situation.
