The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has prepared an integrated Rs 13,000-crore Mumbai flood control plan to address monsoon waterlogging through expanded drainage capacity, pumping systems, drain upgrades, improvements to the Mithi River and nature-based measures.
The civic body has invited tenders to appoint a consultant for the project. The consultant will prepare a detailed project report within nine months and will be paid a fee of Rs 110 crore, according to a report by Loksatta – Mumbai.
One component of the plan is the installation of screens along drains to intercept floating waste before it enters the city’s drainage network. The civic body plans to prevent 90% of such waste from entering drains during the 2028 monsoon season.
Mumbai experiences recurring waterlogging during heavy rain, particularly in low-lying areas. The city’s terrain, described in the report as resembling a basin and being surrounded by the sea, limits the speed at which stormwater can drain during periods of intense rainfall. The proposed plan is intended to address the drainage system as an integrated network rather than through isolated interventions.
The plan includes measures to increase the capacity of stormwater drains, strengthen pumping arrangements and expand the capacity of existing drainage channels. It also includes work related to the Mithi River and nature-based interventions. The report does not provide a project-wise breakup of the proposed Rs 13,000-crore expenditure or identify the funding sources for each component.
The BMC had earlier undertaken the Brihanmumbai Storm Water Disposal System, or BRIMSTOWAD, project to improve the capacity of Mumbai’s stormwater drainage system. The new action plan is being prepared as the civic body continues to confront waterlogging despite earlier drainage-related works.
The process for the integrated plan has been under way for about a year. The BMC held its first meeting with the National Disaster Management Authority on 12 March 2025, followed by site inspections and a presentation on the proposed project. The proposal was subsequently presented to Union Home Minister Amit Shah in June, after which it received in-principle approval, according to the report.
The proposal has now been submitted to the Union government and the NDMA. The consultant’s detailed project report will determine the final scope, technical design, implementation sequence and project-level requirements for the flood-control measures. The planned 2028 monsoon target currently relates to the installation of drain-side screens to control floating waste.
