Mumbai’s plush Cuffe Parade locality was brought to a standstill on Monday morning after torrential downpours triggered heavy waterlogging—just hours into the city’s first significant rainfall of the 2025 monsoon.
The deluge exposed the fragile state of the city’s civic infrastructure, with residents squarely blaming the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for failing to prepare in advance despite repeated warnings.The early monsoon spell that hit Mumbai overnight brought intense rain across the southern part of the city. Nariman Point recorded a staggering 104 mm of rainfall within an hour, while neighbouring areas like Colaba and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) received 83 mm and 80 mm respectively. Yet, it was Cuffe Parade—an elite residential and commercial neighbourhood—that found itself submerged, its roads reduced to makeshift canals.
Residents allege that the flooding was entirely preventable and resulted from BMC’s refusal to act on multiple complaints about clogged drains and stormwater lines. For over two months, members of the Cuffe Parade Residents’ Association (CPRA) claim they submitted letters, held meetings with civic officials, and raised public alerts over the worsening condition of local drainage systems. Their warnings, however, went unheeded.“This is a pattern we see every year—lip service from the authorities and no real action. We are not just facing inconvenience but repeated civic failure in one of Mumbai’s most high-taxed zones,” said a long-time resident, visibly frustrated by the situation.
Dr Laura Dsouza, a medical professional and president of CPRA, was vocal about the public health implications of the flooding. “This is not just water accumulation. It’s a breeding ground for disease. With dengue, malaria, and leptospirosis on the rise every monsoon, why is BMC still not prioritising basic sanitation and drainage clearance?” she asked.She further added that stagnant water can have devastating ripple effects, especially for senior citizens, children, and those with compromised health. “Flooding isn’t an annual surprise. It’s expected. And yet, BMC responds as though they’re caught off guard every year,” Dsouza said.
The association has also highlighted that illegal encroachments over stormwater drains have worsened the situation, restricting water flow and leading to severe bottlenecks during high rainfall. Despite repeated requests, no visible action has been taken to clear these blockages or restore the natural drainage gradient.The civic authority, meanwhile, is yet to issue a formal statement addressing the complaints raised by the residents or outlining any immediate mitigation measures. With heavier showers predicted in the coming days, Cuffe Parade residents fear that the situation could escalate without urgent intervention.
Experts believe Mumbai’s drainage and monsoon management systems are still largely reliant on British-era planning, now ill-equipped to handle the increased rainfall intensity linked to climate change. As global weather patterns grow more erratic, the city’s failure to build resilience into its urban infrastructure continues to endanger both property and public health.
The Cuffe Parade flooding may be seen by some as a local inconvenience in an elite neighbourhood—but it represents a broader systemic collapse in civic accountability. Without meaningful investment in pre-monsoon preparedness and proactive maintenance, even Mumbai’s most privileged enclaves remain vulnerable to avoidable flooding and public risk.
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