In a pioneering move, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Tajinder Singh Tiwana launched a dedicated 24x7 monsoon disaster control room in Malad on Sunday. The facility, equipped with live surveillance cameras, a team of labourers, and a coordination mechanism with multiple civic agencies, aims to mitigate the impact of monsoon-related emergencies.
The control room, located near Maharana Pratap Garden beneath the Malad Link Road Metro Station in Malad (West), is designed to monitor and respond to incidents such as water logging, traffic congestion, fallen trees, short circuits, and other monsoon-related hazards. Tiwana, who is also a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) standing committee member, stated that the idea for such a control room originated a few years ago when his mother served as the local corporator.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind the initiative, Tiwana recalled an incident from around 2021. "I remember Ram Nagar, a slum pocket in my corporator ward, flooding, and I myself carried a senior citizen out. This area has a nullah running past it which had aggravated the situation. On heavy rain days, I see often that the civic body is so pressurised that they don't end up sending emergency teams on time, and by the time they do, the situation has gotten out of control. So, I decided to keep a team of my own," he said.
Addressing concerns about setting up a pandal on a public road, Tiwana clarified that he had obtained prior permission from the civic body. "I am paying these labourers out of my own pocket, and they have been asked to ensure that they are available 24x7 so that in case of any extreme rain events during the night hours, they are present to take immediate action. We have also equipped them with drain cleaning equipment to clear blockages, tree trimming equipment, and floats," he added.
As part of the initiative, Wi-Fi-enabled surveillance cameras have been installed at six flood-prone locations across the ward to facilitate real-time monitoring. The live feeds are expected to help Tiwana's team identify developing situations and coordinate quicker responses with the BMC, Fire Brigade, police, disaster management authorities, and the electricity department.
Tiwana emphasized that conventional methods alone are insufficient to deal with modern urban challenges and that technology-driven monitoring can significantly reduce the time between reporting an incident and initiating action. This proactive approach aims to enhance the resilience of the ward against monsoon-related disruptions.
