JOIN USMumbai citizens to get weather updates on mobile phone during monsoon: Civic body
In a bid to make the rainy season trouble-free in the country's financial capital, Mumbai, the city's civic body has decided to send real-time weather updates to citizens during the monsoon through SMS.
A special control room has been set up at the Disaster Management Department of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The decision was taken at a high-level review meeting chaired by BMC’s Commissioner and Administrator Dr Iqbal Singh Chahal, which reviewed the monsoon preparedness in Mumbai.
“The Disaster Management Department has set up a control room to provide timely alerts about weather conditions. The department also has a mechanism to provide real-time weather alerts. Furthermore, citizens will receive updates via SMS during the monsoon. This sachet system will provide citizens with access to messages containing important information regarding local weather conditions. It will be useful during critical situations related to the weather,” BMC officials said on Wednesday.
An SMS alert will be sent to citizens during an emergency situation.
The top brass of Central Railway, Western Railway, National Disaster Response Force, Indian Meteorological Department, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, MHADA, Mumbai Metro, Public Works Department of the State Government, and power distribution companies, were present during the meeting.
BMC’s Director of Disaster Management Mahesh Narvekar made a detailed presentation regarding the monsoon preparedness.
“To ensure the smooth operation of suburban train services, the Railway and BMC successfully coordinated during last year's monsoon. Micro-tunneling and cleaning of culverts within railway limits were carried out effectively. Additionally, measures were taken to prevent waterlogging at vulnerable areas, including underground water storage tanks. As a result, there was no disruption in railway and road traffic,” the officials said.
Each Ward will now have arrangements for five schools in case of emergencies like heavy rainfall to provide shelter to citizens.
The BMC has reserved a total of 3,000 beds to accommodate patients with monsoon-related diseases.
Arrangements for collecting samples for testing water-borne diseases have also been made. A meeting for malaria and dengue control was recently held, and the officials from the Health Department said that public awareness activities will also be carried out.