E-eyes to monitor Mumbai floods

MUMBAI, INDIA: For the first time in its 148-year history, electronic eyes will monitor floods and flood-prone areas of Mumbai, courtesy 100 CCTV cameras put up at strategic locations, an official said Wednesday.

Mayor Sunil Prabhu said the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) had installed 16 CCTV cameras while the Mumbai traffic police had set up another 84 CCTV cameras at various locations in the city.

"All these have been directly linked to the Mumbai Disaster Management Cell at the MCGM headquarters. As soon as there is flooding in any area, the DMC will view it and initiate real-time measures to tackle it," Prabhu said.

He was speaking with mediapersons after taking stock of the pre-monsoon preparations for Mumbai along with Standing Committee Chairman Rahul Shewale and other senior officials.

Prabhu promised that people would not be inconvenienced during heavy rains, which normally leads to floods in many parts of the city as well as its suburbs.

The MCGM has installed 220 pumps at 185 chronic flood prone areas around Mumbai to pump out water.