₹57 cr allotted to fix landslide-prone spots
The sum was sanctioned by the Mumbai Suburban District Collectorate after a District Planning and Development Committee (DPDC) meeting on Monday
MUMBAI: A sum of ₹57 crore will be spent on strengthening 261 hillocks and other landslide-prone sites in Mumbai’s suburbs, to prevent accidents and loss of life, especially during the monsoon. The sum was sanctioned by the Mumbai Suburban District Collectorate after a District Planning and Development Committee (DPDC) meeting on Monday. The meeting was chaired by Mumbai suburban guardian minister Ashish Shelar.
The 261 landslide-prone sites are among 299 identified by the Geological Survey of India, in an annual exercise so that proactive steps can be taken at these vulnerable spots. The remaining 38 sites are in the island city. Mumbai suburban district collector Rajendra Kshirsagar said the government will consult the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) on specific measures to be taken.
Areas prone to landslides are typically home to informal settlements such as slums. Landslides usually take place during the monsoon, when rainwater loosens soil and rocks at these spots, sending mud and debris cascading down, flattening slum homes and taking a toll on human life.
Mumbai experienced its deadliest landslides in recent memory, in 2000 and 2005. During these mishaps, more than 70 people died, in Ghatkopar East and Andheri East, respectively.
District planning officer Sanjay Shinde said, “Areas such as Saki Naka, Bhandup West, Mulund West, Ghatkopar West, Asalpha, Chandivali, Gilbert Hill, Chembur (Lal Dongar), Anushakti Nagar, Kurla and some hilly areas along the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) are prone to landslides.”
He said they conducted a survey through the Geological Survey of India and, as is the usual practice, will consult IIT-Bombay. “In some cases, we build retaining walls. In the case of Goregaon, conventional methods were not effective and we had to use netting to prevent landslides.”
Gilbert Hill, for instance, is a heritage site located in Andheri, prone to landslides. With its sheer rock face made of basalt, this small hill, a geological marvel in the midst of the urban sprawl, is now almost entirely covered in netting.
Meanwhile, the DPDC meeting approved other projects for the Mumbai suburban district with an allocation of ₹943 crore for 2025-26. The government will spend ₹30 crore on tourism. It will also upgrade police colonies and police stations.
Mangal Prabhat Lodha, joint guardian minister for the suburban district, asked the police to stem illegal infiltration of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, and restructure the committee in this regard. He has also asked the housing department to take measures against illegal encroachments in buildings of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA).
The government also wants to set up more SETUs, or Citizen Facilitation Centres, to ease the process of securing certificates, permits, authentication, affidavits and other services.
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