Mumbai: With the onset of the monsoon around the corner, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) held a high-level meeting of the District Disaster Management Authority at the Municipal Corporation Headquarters on Tuesday.
The meeting, chaired by Dr Vipin Sharma, municipal commissioner in charge and additional municipal commissioner (Western Suburbs), aimed to prevent disruptions caused by heavy rains. Departments were put on high alert, and key directives were issued to tackle potential monsoon-related emergencies.
Vipul Sharma instructed all deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners to coordinate closely with the Rainwater Drainage Department. Special emphasis was placed on the timely installation of water pumps and diesel-powered generators in low-lying areas across the city, aiming to reduce incidents of waterlogging and power outages during heavy downpours.
Municipal Corporation Headquarters | X|@mybmc
To ensure public safety, Dr Sharma further directed officials to obtain structural stability certificates for advertisement hoardings located within the jurisdiction of various authorities. Repeating the order for emphasis, he highlighted the need to secure all such structures before the monsoon intensifies.
The Fire Brigade has been instructed to deploy additional lifeguards at city beaches, while the Parks Department has been asked to speed up the tree pruning process, not only on public land but also in private areas.
In a significant disaster preparedness measure, Dr. Sharma called for the deployment of National Disaster Response Team (NDRF) contingents in key urban and suburban zones. Traffic police were also instructed to create designated ‘green corridors’ to enable rapid emergency response during any incident.
The meeting was attended by senior BMC officials including Dr Amit Saini (Additional Municipal Commissioner, Eastern Suburbs), Mr Abhijit Bangar (Additional Municipal Commissioner, Projects), and Mr Kishore Gandhi (Deputy Commissioner, General Administration), along with officers from various departments and all seven administrative circles.
