Despite being a planned city with eight holding ponds designed to prevent flooding, Navi Mumbai's monsoon preparedness was put to the test during Wednesday's rainfall. Several areas, including Sector 10 of Vashi, experienced flooding by evening, with motorists struggling to navigate waterlogged roads.
"Navi Mumbai, dubbed the City of the 21st Century, was designed to avoid flooding through holding ponds built with Dutch technology. However, Wednesday's rainfall contradicted these official claims," environmental groups stated.
"On September 25, Vashi recorded 120 mm of rainfall, while the average across Navi Mumbai was 123 mm. According to the Disaster Management unit of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), the heavy rain resulted in one instance of waterlogging, two reports of fallen trees, one short circuit, and one fire emergency. The high tide, which peaked at 2.91 meters at 5:03 pm, required the closure of flood gates, which may have contributed to the flooding in Vashi."
The holding ponds, equipped with flap gates, are designed to shut during high tides to block seawater from entering, while holding stormwater and gradually releasing it into the sea once the tides recede. However, despite these systems, roads in several areas of Vashi flooded on Wednesday night, primarily due to clogged stormwater drains, according to B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation.
Kumar pointed to the extensive redevelopment activities, especially in Sectors 9 and 10, which have led to heavy digging and debris that flow into drains during rains. "We had raised concerns about debris piling up at various redevelopment sites, and while the Municipal Corporation issued notices to builders, there seems to be a lack of proper monitoring to ensure compliance," he added.
Kumar also noted that wetlands, which act as natural sponges by absorbing floodwater, are under threat from urban development, contributing to flooding in areas like Sanpada. He recalled similar flooding in Sanpada, where knee-deep water was reported on July 21.
Despite the significant amounts spent on cleaning drains and dredging nalas across Navi Mumbai, from Dighe to Belapur by the NMMC, and by CIDCO in other areas of the city, these efforts often go to waste as drains quickly become clogged, a civil engineer explained.
"It is frustrating to see taxpayers’ money wasted like this," activist Madhu Shankar remarked, calling for greater accountability from officials responsible for monitoring the drains.
Advocate and activist Himanshu Katkar echoed these concerns, stating that the flooding has exposed the city's lack of monsoon preparedness. He warned that as redevelopment and new construction projects expand the city, waterlogging could become a recurring issue.