Identification of Interruptions in Urban Drainage Systems and Their Sustainable Solutions for Alleviating Flood Risk in Mumbai, an Indian Megacity

Abstract

Indian cities, in recent times, have been grappling with pressing natural disasters such as urban flooding and the dichotomy of acute water shortage. 24x7 water supply is a distant dream for the authorities involved. With an ever-increasing population leading to greater water demands, stormwater is increasingly considered an 'asset,' a resource that needs to be harvested. Mumbai, India's financial capital, being prone to chronic flooding, is a colossal problem for the country's economy. This review paper aims to identify direct and indirect interruptions in the stormwater drainage system of Mumbai, which in turn is leading to chronic flooding issues. This research identifies causative factors for flooding and observes that dilapidated and old-fashioned drainage systems are major hindrances in flood-free Mumbai. The traditional approach to urban infrastructure management needs to be reviewed and re-imagined. The identified interruptions in the drainage system were, thus, studied in detail to finally suggest some sustainable solutions, based on analysis and learnings from international success stories of cities having similar problems.