Mumbaikars to receive weather updates on mobile phone through SMS during monsoon

Citizens in Mumbai will receive weather updates on their mobile phones through SMSes during monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has said.

District Disaster Management Department has set up a control room to provide timely alerts about weather conditions and it has a mechanism to provide real-time weather alerts, the BMC said in a release.

An SMS alert will be sent to citizens during an emergency, it said. BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Tuesday chaired a meeting with various agencies on disaster management and monsoon preparedness.

Officials of BEST, MMRDA, MSRDC, PWD, Mumbai Metro, Railways, NDRF, IMD, MHADA and other agencies along with civic officials attended the meeting. Chahal directed all departments and agencies to expedite coordination to mitigate the possible challenges during the monsoon, the release said.

For the smooth operation of suburban trains, which are used by more than 70 lakh people daily, Chahal directed the BMC’s garden department to complete the trimming of trees in the railway premises by May-end.

De-watering pumps will be installed at 480 locations in Mumbai where waterlogging may occur during heavy rainfall and these pumps will also have CCTV camera surveillance.

After May 15, no permission will be given for the digging of roads in Mumbai except for emergencies, the civic body said. The BMC has reserved 3,000 beds to accommodate patients with monsoon-related diseases, it said, adding each ward will now have arrangements for five schools in case of emergencies like heavy rainfall to provide shelter to citizens.

In accordance with this, Municipal Commissioner Chahal instructed to coordinate properly at the district collectorate level and to take necessary measures. He also asked to formulate the policy for the construction of protective walls, the civic body said.

BMC was informed that the NDRF has formed three teams for monsoon-related emergencies in Mumbai. Additionally, an extra team will be stationed in the eastern suburbs.