A collaborative effort by the Disaster Management Cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), along with the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, and the Mumbai Fire Brigade, conducted a comprehensive inspection of more than 100 sites flagged as susceptible to landslides, hazardous structures, and flood-prone zones. This joint initiative not only aims to inform the public but also involves the implementation of corrective actions by the civic authorities to mitigate risks effectively.
According to the BMC, there are 160 landslide-prone areas under its jurisdiction, of which 74 are considered highly dangerous due to the high likelihood of incidents. "The vulnerability of hilly land or a slope is determined by the potential impact on the population in case of an incident," said an official from the BMC’s Disaster Management Cell. He added that these areas are categorized as high, medium, and low-risk zones.
The Eastern Suburbs have the highest number of landslide-prone areas, many of which are categorized as high risk. "Ghatkopar, Mulund, Vikhroli, and Kurla are areas with high vulnerability," said the official. He added that in the Eastern Suburbs, Ghatkopar alone has 15 such areas, including Varsha Nagar, Ram Nagar, Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, Rahul Nagar, Ganesh Nagar, Khandoba Tekdi, and Azad Nagar. Similarly, Sonia Gandhi Nagar, Prem Nagar, and Anand Nagar are in Vikhroli. Kurla follows with nine identified spots.
In South Mumbai, areas such as Tardeo, Nepeansea Road, Babulnath, and Forjett Hill are also vulnerable to landslides. Mahesh Narvekar, the director of BMC’s Disaster Management Department, informed that a joint inspection was carried out at around 105 of the most vulnerable spots, including landslide-prone areas, low-lying regions, and dangerous buildings, over two days. The inspection team included officials from BMC’s Disaster Management, the Army, Navy, and Mumbai Fire Brigade.
In landslide-prone areas, the team assessed the soil, hazardous trees, condition of houses, number of residents, and shelter arrangements. “There are times when the teams face challenges during rescue operations in narrow lanes and densely populated areas. So a reconnaissance has been conducted to identify the closest escape routes,” said another civic official.
Additionally, the civic body is providing basic training to locals on how to respond, precautions to be taken, providing first aid, and understanding types of injuries and their treatment.