Hindmata to flood yet again this year

Mumbai: This monsoon too, Mumbaikars will have no relief from waterlogging at Hindmata in Dadar, as the storm water drains (SWDs) work will be completed only next year. Hindmata is the most crucial flooding point in Mumbai and proves to be the last location from which rainwater recedes.

“Due to the topographical condition at Hindmata, the relief work is taking time,” said officials from the SWD department.

Last year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) undertook the work of widening the current drains and installing new drains of 2.5km around Hindmata. But the main water drain at Hindmata is at a distance of 5 km from the Britannnia pumping station located at Reay road.

Due to the distance and uneven topographical condition, the relief work is consuming time. Due to the saucer like condition at Hindmata, more rainwater is saturated during high tide. The gravitational force results in rainwater receding very slowly.

The BMC has been taking various measures sin-ce years to avoid flooding at Hindmata like insta-lling a number of dewatering pumps. But no major relief has been seen.

The BMC officials have always said that upgradation and installation of new underground water drainage lines will also give major relief.

However, BMC spokespe-rson Ram Dotonde infor-med that due to several works across the city, the water receding capacity of Mumbai has increased from 25 mm per hour to 50 mm. This results in less waterlogging and many flooding points are abated. BMC has declared that out of 225 waterlogging locations identified in Mumbai in 2017, till now, 160 have abated and another 60 will be abated by this monsoon.