Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visits State Emergency Operations Center

District administrations must remain alert for relief and rescue operations in view of heavy rains – Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

Instructions given to airlift 40 people stranded due to floods in Ashti taluka

Mumbai, Sept 2025 : In the backdrop of heavy rains continuing across Mumbai and the state, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde today afternoon visited the State Emergency Operations Center at Mantralaya and reviewed the situation arising due to the downpour. As floodwaters surrounded some villages in Ashti-Pathardi taluka of Beed district, Deputy Chief Minister Shinde directed that 40 villagers stranded there be airlifted with the help of NDRF and shifted to a safe location. He also interacted with district collectors of rain-affected districts, reviewed relief and rescue operations, and instructed the administration to remain on high alert.

Around noon, the Deputy Chief Minister visited the center. On this occasion, Principal Secretary to the Deputy CM Navin Sona, Director of the Operations Center Dr. Bhalchandra Chavan, and others were present. Dr. Chavan briefed him about the situation across the state. The Deputy CM also spoke over phone with officials of Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to assess rainfall conditions. He instructed that wherever complaints of waterlogging arise in Mumbai, additional manpower be deployed and pumps installed for quick drainage.

He reviewed rainfall in Pune and other parts of the state. As some villages in Ashti-Pathardi taluka were surrounded by floodwaters and 40 villagers were trapped, the Collector of Sambhajinagar informed that they would need to be airlifted with the help of NDRF. Accordingly, Deputy CM Shinde directed that a helicopter be called from Nashik to immediately airlift the stranded villagers to safety. He also communicated with the Divisional Commissioner of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division from the center.

As per the forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department for the next five days, Shinde emphasized that district administrations must take preventive measures and remain vigilant for disaster management.

Dr. Chavan also informed that in the last 24 hours, as many as 35 crore alert messages regarding rainfall had been sent across the state through the Sachet app.