Lake stock at nearly 16%, no water cuts amid +ve forecast
Mumbai: The total water stock in the seven lakes supplying to Mumbai was 2.27 lakh million litres on Sunday, amounting to 15.75% of the required water quantum. Last year on the same date the water stock was 1.4 lakh million litres, or 9.69% of the annual requirement.
The civic body this year hasn't imposed a water cut for the city yet and said it is still monitoring the situation especially in wake of a positive monsoon outlook for the next few days. Last year, a 10% water cut was imposed on Mumbaikars from June 5 onwards due to insufficient water stock in the seven lakes. The cut was withdrawn on July 29, 2024 when water stock reached a satisfactory level.
The Maharashtra government approved the release of additional water for Mumbai from the contingency reserves of the Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna dams a few months ago.
Mumbai draws its daily water from seven lakes -- Tansa, Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Tulsi, Vihar, Upper Vaitarna, and Middle Vaitarna. During the monsoon, the catchment areas of these lakes get filled and their overall stock is equated to the actual water stock of Mumbai.
The lakes are located on the outskirts of Mumbai and in districts like Thane and Nashik. Only two of the smallest lakes, Tulsi and Vihar, are located within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in the city, and provide 1-2% of Mumbai's needs.
The maximum amount, or over 50% of the city's daily water requirement, comes from Bhatsa.
According to data sourced from RTI and the Mumbai Environmental Status Report which was released last week by the NGO Praja Foundation, Mumbai faced a 15% shortfall in meeting its water demand in 2024, with a supply of 3,975 MLD against the required 4,664 MLD. —Richa Pinto
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India Today
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- India Today
BMC expands tree pruning to private properties to prevent monsoon mishaps
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The Print
29-05-2025
- The Print
Mantralaya to Marine Drive, why South Mumbai spots that have never seen flooding went underwater
As a result, areas like Mantralaya, Kemps Corner, Flora Fountain, Colaba, and Marine Drive saw roads nearly turn into pools. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was also caught off guard after monsoon arrived earlier than its expected date of 11 June this year. And, while several parts of South Mumbai have seen waterlogging in the past during 'heavy rainfall' events, described by India Meteorological Department (IMD) as rainfall between 64 and 124 mm, several areas in the district, including Nariman Point, received over 200 mm of rain between midnight and 11 am Monday. Mumbai: Heavy monsoon rains that lashed Mumbai Monday inundated several areas of South Mumbai for the first time. In addition to record rainfall, the waterlogging is attributed to a number of civic issues, including the metro project, blocked drains, and non-functional water pumps at stations. 'We were surprised that some locations which never saw waterlogging got waterlogged. 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It spends Rs 150 crore annually on water pumps, according to the data from the civic body. Bangar told ThePrint that there will be 15 vehicle-mounted pumps available for South Mumbai by next week. These can then be used to deal with flooding emergencies as and when they arise. He also suspected that road works and their debris could be other reasons why certain spots were flooded. For instance, Bangar said debris and garbage from the ongoing road works near Oval Maidan had choked the nearby drains and contributed to the waterlogging near Mantralaya. Among other reasons, BMC is also now assessing incomplete cleaning (desilting) of drains. According to Bangar, 94 percent work was complete for major drains, but only 54 percent of the Mithi river, a crucial drainage channel, and 70 percent of minor drains across Mumbai, including South Mumbai, had been completed. The Mithi river desilting project is currently under the scanner of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police, which is investigating an alleged scam in the allocation of its tenders. Two of the three contractors were accused of the scam. 'That you know and the third one (contractor), we have blacklisted because we found erroneous practices with the contractor. And so, our pace there has slowed down and we need to increase it,' he said. However, Bangar denied that the concretisation of the road project, undertaken by BMC, was one of the reasons for waterlogging. 'Of 1,174 roads that we had dug up for concretisation, we have finished concrete work on 1,170 roads. Now, on some of the roads, curing work is remaining, which we intend to do in the next 8 days. And that work requires water. So rains won't hamper it,' he said. 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On Tuesday, in a video statement, Ashwini Bhide, the managing director of the MMRC, said that the station flooded after 11 lakh litres of water from the stormwater drain that had collected in a pit near the exit of the metro station gushed into the station. This, she said, occurred because a combination of high tide and heavy rainfall led the drains to back-charge instead of draining into the sea. 'Acharya Atre Chowk station, which is the terminal station of the commissioned stretch, now has two entry-exits functioning, whereas the station actually has six entry-exits and work on the remaining ones is still ongoing and is likely to be completed in the next two-three months,' she added. She further said that, while there was a bund wall in place to temporarily protect from floods, it could not handle this 'unprecedented' deluge. Firstly, let's be clear — 90 mm of rain is not an extreme event for Mumbai. This is the kind of rainfall the city experiences every monsoon, every year. Secondly, isn't it the core responsibility of @MumbaiMetro3 to plan for extreme events? Because if infrastructure starts… — Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) May 27, 2025 On Monday, MP and Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad questioned the rush to inaugurate the metro line when work was not completed 'Why were these checks and balances not done? Why wasn't enough precaution taken? How can people trust underground metro travel on heavy rain days? The government must answer, it must fix responsibility. We don't want hyped inaugurations, but basic safety and functionality,' she said on X. A day later, responding to Bhide's statement, Gaikwad said, in a post on X, 'If infrastructure starts collapsing under routine rainfall, what exactly are we planning for? The officer here is admitting that the flood prevention bund wall they had built was not built for this kind of situation… This isn't just negligence — it's institutional impunity.' Politics over flooding Opposition parties Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress lashed out at the BJP-led Mahayuti government, holding it responsible for the flooding. While speaking to the media Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) Aaditya Thackeray accused the Maharashtra government of corruption, questing why areas like Hindmata and Gandhi Nagar, which were made made to be flood-free earlier, were inundated. In a post on X, Monday, he further asked why the newly built road in Kemps Corner caved in, how water got into the metro 3 line, and how waterlogging was reported inside KEM hospital on Nepean Sea Road. 'Why does the BJP hate Mumbai so much? Why does the BJP want to finish Mumbai? The Road scam that I have been exposing—Today we see that Mumbai is suffering due to this scam.' Thackeray has alleged corruption in the road concretisation projects, claiming that a few contractors were favoured. We are seeing absolute absence of governance in Maharashtra today. Mumbai has collapsed in the rains, and it's only May. Last week, it was Andheri Subway and Saki Naka that was flooded. Today, it is South and Central Mumbai facing the brunt of the BMC being controlled by bjp… — Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) May 26, 2025 'The State Government MUST initiate a fair probe into this incompetence,' he added. However, speaking to the media Wednesday, BJP leader Shelar said the Thackerays were responsible for the current conditions, claiming that they misruled Mumbai through the BMC for 25 years. 'Where has the money gone that was used for the BRIMSTOWAD (Brihanmumbai Storm Water Drain System project) to protect Mumbai from flooding? Why are you fooling the people of Mumbai?' asked Shelar. The BRIMSTOWAD project, which began in 2005 to improve the city's storm water drainage system, has been ongoing ever since. It included the rehabilitation and augmentation of drains, widening and deepening of nullahs, and construction of pumping stations. (Edited by Sanya Mathur) Also Read: Big win for citizens' campaign as BMC set to finally clean up Powai lake after years of govt inaction
Time of India
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- Time of India
New Urban Coalition Targets Heatwaves, Climate Resilience in Delhi
The Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) and Praja Foundation have jointly launched the Alliance for City Transformation (ACT) — a multi-sectoral coalition dedicated to enabling citizen-led, accountable, and future-ready urban governance in Delhi. Heatwaves Top the Agenda ACT's first priority is addressing heatwaves, an increasingly urgent issue as parts of Delhi recorded temperatures as high as 49°C last year. This April, the Safdarjung weather station — Delhi's base observatory — recorded three heatwave days, although none were recorded in May due to frequent rainfall. In contrast, Delhi saw six heatwave days in May 2024, with maximum temperatures exceeding 45°C. A Call for Collective Action Aparajita Bharti, Co-founder of YLAC, emphasized the need for collaborative solutions in the face of growing climate challenges. "There is an urgent need to improve the quality of life for all citizens, especially given climate change, pollution, and extreme weather events. We hope ACT becomes a platform where policymakers, businesses, philanthropists, and citizen groups work together to respond to local challenges. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Build The Thrill Event - Until 31 May Legoland Book Now Undo Such collective action has transformed cities globally," she said. Milind Mhaske, CEO of Praja Foundation, echoed the urgency: "As climate change intensifies and Delhi faces rising heatwaves and environmental threats, strengthening urban governance has never been more important. We need resilient, transparent, and participatory systems to respond effectively." Voices from the Ground At the launch event, Shakira Ben, a participant, shared the harsh realities faced by daily-wage labourers: "We work in extreme heat without access to cold drinking water or proper shade. Dispensaries offering heat-related treatment are often far from work sites. We need proper cooling measures from the government to protect us." What's Next for ACT? ACT aims to roll out: A public series of panels and dialogues on pressing urban issues. Joint representations and policy recommendations to government bodies. Multi-stakeholder partnerships to pilot innovative local solutions. By fostering collaboration across sectors, ACT seeks to build a more resilient and inclusive urban future for Delhi.
