Rs 10 lakh fine on 4 mini pumping station operators for waterlogging after Mumbai rains

Mumbai: The Mumbai civic body has imposed a penalty of Rs 10 lakh each on the operators of four mini pumping stations for failing to install and operate pumps to clear the water accumulated at key junctions here following heavy rains. Mumbai witnessed heavy rains on Monday, which caused waterlogging in several low-lying areas and led to the suspension of suburban train services on some routes. Vehicular traffic was affected due to waterlogging in areas like King's Circle, Mantralaya, Dadar TT East, Parel TT, Kalachowki, Wadala, Hindmata, Kemps Corner, Churchgate, Chinchpokali and Dadar. In a release issued late Tuesday evening, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said mini pumping station operators at four points -- Hindmata, Gandhi Market, Yellow Gate and Chunabhatti -- all located in low-lying areas prone to waterlogging, were penalised Rs 10 lakh each.

As per the tender conditions, the operators must have set up mini pumping stations at these locations and made them operational before May 25 as part of the city's pre-monsoon preparedness plan, it said. "As per the monsoon planning made by the BMC, the operators of the mini pumping stations appointed to pump water from low-lying areas failed to set up the system as per the terms and conditions and did not operate it with full capacity," the release said. The civic body has set up 10 mini pumping stations across Mumbai to address waterlogging issues, especially in flood-prone low-lying areas with operations contracted out to private agencies, it added. However, during the "record rainfall" on May 26, with several areas receiving up to 250 mm rain within 13 hours, the pumping systems at these locations failed to operate effectively, leading to waterlogging and traffic disruptions, it said. The failure to timely and adequately drain water affected vehicular movement in some areas and briefly disrupted suburban train services near Masjid station, according to the BMC. It said Chunabhatti received comparatively less rainfall, but pumps there were not functioning at full capacity, prompting the civic body to include the site in the punitive action. Any negligence or lapses in monsoon management will not be tolerated and will invite strict action, the BMC said.