Mumbai: BMC to impose 10% water cut from July 1 due to delayed monsoon

Mumbai's civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will impose a 10 per cent water cut from July 1 due to delayed monsoon in the city. Usually, the monsoon reaches Mumbai by June 11 but this year, it was delayed by two weeks. 

In the last few days, the city has been receiving good rainfall but the catchment areas have witnessed low rainwater. Currently, Mumbai has 6.97 per cent stock, enough for 40 days, left in the lakes which supply water to the city, India Today reported on Wednesday. The BMC officials said they are being cautious and hence, water cuts have been imposed.

Mumbai has witnessed heavy rainfall at isolated places in the last few days. Heavy rains led to waterlogging in many areas of the city on Wednesday, forcing the closure of the busy Andheri subway.

"Due to accumulation of 1.5 to 2 feet of water, Andheri Subway is closed for vehicular movement. Traffic is diverted towards SV Road," Mumbai Traffic Police tweeted in the afternoon. The civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport or 'BEST' buses on three routes were diverted at Ketki pada in Dahisar East.

In the last 24 hours, there were 26 incidents of tree fall, 15 incidents of short-circuits, and five incidents of collapse or partial collapse of houses, the BMC said. Heavy rains also pounded neighbouring Thane city, leading to waterlogging and incidents of wall and house collapse.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), the central weather forecasting agency, has predicted more showers in Mumbai, with moderate to intense rain spells in isolated places. 

The weather department has issued an 'orange' alert for Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, and Thane City. The 'orange' alert has also been issued for Palghar, Pune, Raigad, Satara Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra.  

South Mumbai, eastern and western suburbs received 12.44 mm, 42.41 mm, and 40.46 mm of rainfall, respectively, between 8 am to 12 noon on Wednesday, as per civic officials. 

IMD Mumbai issued a 'nowcast' warning at 9.30 am, saying "moderate to intense spells of rain very likely to occur at isolated places" in Mumbai along with some other coastal districts.

Municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal visited the Mithi river bank in the Bandra-Kurla Complex area, the under-construction coastal road in Worli, and some other locations in Mumbai to assess the situation in view of the heavy showers.

(With inputs from PTI)