Thane: Civic Chief Orders 24/7 Vigilance as 14 of 34 Flood-Prone Zones Submerge During Light Rainfall

With over a dozen flood-prone zones in Thane known to submerge even during moderate rainfall, Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao on Wednesday personally inspected some of the city’s most vulnerable low-lying areas. The visit comes amid rising concerns over repeated waterlogging in neighbourhoods like Vitawa Subway, Vandana ST Depot, and Chikhalwadi, where pumps have now been deployed — but Rao warned officials that machinery alone won’t prevent flooding unless teams remain on constant alert.

Officials say that 14 of the city’s 34 flood-prone spots tend to flood during even short spells of rain. “We’ve deployed 64 pumps across the city, but that’s not enough unless they’re operated in real time, especially during high tide and rainfall overlap,” Rao told civic engineers at the Vitawa subway. He instructed that two staffers be posted at such critical points 24/7 and asked for coordination with the meteorological department to keep pumps ready when IMD rain alerts and tide timings coincide.

The civic chief’s visit covered multiple high-risk areas, including Pedya Maruti, Masunda Lake, Vandana Talkies junction, Dnyansadhana College zone, Bhanjewadi, and Chikhalwadi — localities that have seen homes flooded in past monsoons. At Pedya Maruti, he ordered cleaning of blocked cross culverts and mandated continuous pump operation during the rainy season.

At Vandana ST Depot — a chronic flood zone — Rao confirmed pump availability but emphasized the need for human supervision during heavy downpours. In Chikhalwadi, he reviewed pump functionality and directed officials to ensure homes remain dry during peak rainfall.

So far, the Thane Municipal Corporation has desilted 300 km of drains and initiated mechanised drainage cleaning. But despite preparations, the presence of 34 flood-prone pockets — nearly half of which flood even during mild rain — remains a cause of concern.

While Rao assured that the corporation’s monsoon machinery is “fully mobilised,” he cautioned departments to stay “proactively alert” to avoid last-minute chaos. “Floods don’t wait for instructions — our response must be immediate, localised and constant,” he reportedly told the inspection team.