Inside the disaster management control room at the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) headquarters in CBD Belapur, the emergency hotlines never stop ringing. As citizens panic over sudden waterlogging and uprooted trees, the frontline staff are pushed to their limits, often returning to their families with their lunch tiffins completely untouched.

In a conversation with mid-day, NMMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner of Disaster Management Cell Smita Kale lifted the veil on the stress her department faces daily. Operating in 24/7 shifts, a core team of just six to seven individuals coordinates a massive rescue network.