Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Reviews Mumbai’s Monsoon Preparedness; Directs Agencies to Aim for ‘Zero Casualties’

Mumbai, June 2026 : Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday reviewed Mumbai’s pre-monsoon preparedness and directed all concerned agencies to work in close coordination with the objective of ensuring “zero loss of life” during the rainy season in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

He stressed that with the monsoon arriving later than usual this year, authorities must focus not only on disaster management but also on planning for drinking water supply. Shinde instructed officials to expedite drain cleaning, operationalise holding ponds and flood gates, install protective nets in landslide-prone areas, and conduct structural audits of hoardings.

He also suggested that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) establish a dedicated disaster response force on the lines of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Administrative agencies, he said, should function as a unified team to provide relief and convenience to Mumbaikars during the monsoon.

The Deputy Chief Minister also revealed that out of Mumbai’s 2,000 km road network, concreting work on 1,700 km has been completed. As a result, expenditure on road and pothole repairs has reduced by nearly 80 per cent.

Shinde conducted the review meeting through video conferencing. Present at the meeting were Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, Additional Chief Secretary to the Deputy Chief Minister Aseem Gupta, Principal Secretary Navin Sona, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, senior BMC officials, and representatives from Railways, Police, CIDCO, MHADA, MMRDA, SRA, the Coast Guard, Navy, NDRF, and BEST.

During the meeting, Shinde said that the planning undertaken by the BMC and other agencies would prove beneficial for citizens. He directed officials to complete drain cleaning works in areas where they remain unfinished, noting that the delayed arrival of the monsoon has provided additional time for preparations.

He instructed authorities to ensure that holding ponds and flood gates remain functional and asked BEST and the State Transport Corporation to prepare alternative transport arrangements in case of disruptions. The BMC was also directed to take extra precautions to prevent accidents caused by falling trees, while the Railways were asked to properly clean drains beneath railway tracks.

The Deputy Chief Minister noted that effective drainage in slum areas would help prevent water-borne diseases. He instructed that adequate stocks of medicines be maintained at the Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Aapla Dawakhana clinics and directed authorities to ensure that water does not accumulate at metro stations.

Shinde highlighted the valuable assistance provided by agencies such as the NDRF, Navy, Air Force and Army during emergencies and urged departments to maintain close coordination with them to safeguard citizens.

According to officials, Mumbai has 125 rain gauges, and there are 24 days between June and September when high tides of 4.5 metres or more are expected. The city has installed water pumps at 934 locations and operates 65 mini pumping stations. A new smart pump management system has been introduced this year to monitor pumping stations from the municipal control room.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar informed the meeting that 1,000 disaster volunteers, three NDRF teams, and nine naval teams have been deployed across Mumbai for the monsoon season.