The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed installing 20 additional floodgates across Mumbai’s island city and suburbs to mitigate flash floods during heavy rain and high tides.

Floodgates regulate the flow of water, typically in rivers or drainage systems, by opening vertically or horizontally. They are closed during high tide to prevent seawater from entering the city, while remaining open during low tide.

These new floodgates will supplement the 30-plus gates already functioning in low-lying areas. The plan follows the severe flooding on 26 May, when Mumbai received 250 mm of rainfall in just three hours, paralysing daily life.

A civic survey is underway to identify suitable sites for the floodgates, including flood-prone locations like Colaba, JJ Flyover, and Metro Junction. New gates are expected to be installed in key areas such as Worli, Mahim, Colaba, and Dharavi, where seawater easily enters during high tides due to lack of barriers.

Alongside the gates, the BMC plans to deploy more dewatering pumps to divert rainwater to holding tanks, outfalls, or directly to water bodies. Ahead of the monsoon, over 400 pumps were installed; this number has since increased to 540 to support faster drainage.