299 LANDSLIDE-PRONE SPOTS IN SUBURBS

In its preparations for the monsoon, the Mumbai civic body has identified 299 spots across the city that are prone to landslides. The highest number of such spots have been identified in the hilly parts of Bhandup, followed by Ghatkopar.

As per the survey conducted by the Geological Survey of India, 161 spots in S-ward (it includes Bhandup) and 32 in Nward (it includes Ghatkopar) are prone to landslides during the monsoon. These areas are mostly slum pockets located on hill slopes on JM Road, Shivshakti society and areas near Gaodevi Tekadi. Another 20 are in ‘most vulnerable’ locations and 40 others are at ‘moderate to high risk’, revealed data from the survey. It identified 62 spots as ‘no risk’ areas.

As part of its standard operating procedure, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issues warnings and notices to hutments and slums in hilly areas that are vulnerable to landslides and house collapses. Depending on ownership of land, alternative accommodation and rehabilitation are provided to families, either by the BMC or the collectorate.

A senior BMC official said, “We have built retaining walls at half the locations in Ghatkopar (West), and put up caution notices everywhere. The land belongs to the collectorate, so we cannot evacuate and rehabilitate.”

In the past two years, the BMC has identified 15 new landslide-prone locations in Ghatkopar, Kurla, Malabar Hill and Tardeo, among other places. A senior civic official from the disaster management department said they would do a recce of 45 spots soon.