BMC maps Mumbai's worst waterlogging hotspots ahead of monsoon

Waterlogging on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Road in Dahisar East

Apart from areas in Central Mumbai like BKC, Kurla, Santacruz, Powai, Dharavi, and Mahim, falling in the catchment of Mithi river which recorded the maximum waterlogging incidents in the past decade as mapped by BMC in its annual Flood Preparedness Guidelines (2026), locations in Northwest Mumbai, including Malad, Borivali, and Kandivli, also appeared among chronic waterlogging spots. These spots are in the catchment areas of two other prominent Mumbai rivers, namely Poisar and Dahisar.

Official Speak

A senior civic official,
"Areas in Northwest Mumbai prone to waterlogging can have localised solutions. Unlike Mithi river, which results in waterlogging in Central Mumbai, these areas are not waterlogged only due to their locations in the catchment basins of Poisar and Dahisar rivers. BMC has planned 33 automated floodgates to abate waterlogging from tidal impact, of which 18 are for Mithi, and the remaining are at outfalls to the Arabian Sea to prevent catchment areas of rivers from flooding."

Areas worst hit

According to BMC:
>> F North (Sion)
>> L ward (Kurla)
>> N Ward (Ghatkopar, Vidya Vihar)
>> H East (Bandra East)
>> K East (Andheri East)
>> P North (Malad)
>> K West (Andheri West)

Catchments of Dahisar, Poisar rivers

While at least five wards cover areas in the catchment of Mithi river, Malad falls in the catchment of Poisar river, and the sub-catchment of Dahisar river. Similarly, R South and R Central wards of Kandivli and Borivli, among the top wards prone to severe waterlogging, also fall in the catchments of the two rivers.

Flood management

While BMC's Rs 13,000 crore flood management master plan focuses on Mithi, according to official information, these spots are not in focus for the plan, as flooding here can be abated through localised solutions instead of extensive solutions tied to the two river bodies.

About the rivers…

Poisar river
Origin: SGNP, Poisar, Kandivli, and Malad
Waterlogging spots: Kandivli West and East, Charkop, Malad, Poisar Village, Gorai

Dahisar river
Origin: SGNP, towards Manori creek
Waterlogging spots: Sanjay Nagar, Dahisar Gaothan, Dahisar Subway

Mithi river
Origin: Vihar lake, SGNP
Waterlogging spots: Kurla, Kalina, Ghatkopar, Andheri East, Santacruz, Jogeshwari, Bandra, BKC, Kalina, Dharavi, Mahim