Mumbai, May 26 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Mumbai Police in separate appeals on Monday urged the Mumbaikars to stay at home and venture out if necessary, especially after the heavy rains lashed the metropolis.

Shinde visited the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) control room and took stock of the situation, and appealed to the Mumbaikars to take due care.

“The rains in Mumbai have broken a 69-year record. The rains have caused misery to Mumbaikars on the first day. However, BMC and various other government agencies, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, SDRF and NDRF, are working together as a team in disaster management and relief work,” he claimed.

Shinde is also the Mumbai district guardian minister.

“We have seen all the spots from the control room. The water has receded from the Milan Subway, Hindmata, Andheri, and Sion. Pumps have been arranged there to drain the rainwater. As the rain generally arrives on June 10, the administration was preparing for that, but the rains hit Mumbai quite early this year. Nariman Point received 252 mm of rain and 214 mm around the municipal headquarters. In areas in places where 50-50 mm of rain was expected, they witnessed heavy rains. The situation is reviewed from time to time, and necessary steps are being taken to step up relief work,” he further claimed.

He said that drain cleaning is also underway, adding that artificial intelligence has been used for drain cleaning.

“Cleaning is being done with the help of robots. A system has also been started for people to upload videos immediately. Wherever there is water and drain cleaning has not been done, videos can be uploaded immediately, and the municipal corporation will take note of it,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Disaster Management, Girish Mahajan, also reviewed the emergency situation in the wake of heavy rains in the state. He visited the State Emergency Operations Centre and obtained information from the concerned officials.

“The system is ready 24/7 to efficiently handle the emergencies arising due to heavy rains in the state. For the first time in the state, pre-monsoon rains have started in such large amounts in May. Orders have been given to all Divisional Commissioners, District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners to take necessary measures and precautions in the situation created in the state due to heavy rains. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a rain alert for three more days in the state. Due to pre-monsoon rains, the water level of rivers and streams is suddenly increasing,” said Mahajan.

Considering the possibility of road closures in such a situation, he has appealed to the citizens not to leave their homes except for work and to be vigilant and careful while going to waterfalls and other places for monsoon tourism.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed to help citizens in emergency situations.

NDRF teams were sent to Baramati and Phaltan on Sunday to shift citizens to safer places, he said.

–IANS

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