Mumbai: To prevent landslides and ensure public safety, especially during the monsoon, ₹57 crore has been allocated for reinforcing 261 landslide-prone sites in Mumbai’s suburbs. This decision was taken during a District Planning and Development Committee (DPDC) meeting held on Monday and approved by the Mumbai Suburban District Collectorate. The meeting was chaired by Mumbai suburban guardian minister Ashish Shelar.
The 261 vulnerable sites are part of 299 locations identified annually by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) for precautionary measures. The remaining 38 sites fall within the island city. Mumbai suburban district collector Rajendra Kshirsagar stated that the government will collaborate with the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) to implement effective solutions.
Landslides are common in areas with informal settlements, particularly slums, where heavy rainfall loosens soil and rocks, leading to dangerous mudslides that cause significant damage to homes and loss of lives.
District planning officer Sanjay Shinde highlighted that several locations, including Saki Naka, Bhandup West, Mulund West, Ghatkopar West, Asalpha, Chandivali, Gilbert Hill, Chembur (Lal Dongar), Anushakti Nagar, Kurla, and hilly regions near Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), are particularly prone to landslides. He further said that experts from IIT-B will be consulted for suitable preventive measures, such as constructing retaining walls. In some areas, like Goregaon, conventional methods proved ineffective, leading to the use of netting to curb landslides.
Gilbert Hill, a unique basalt rock formation in Andheri and a designated heritage site, is among the locations secured with netting to minimize risks.
Apart from landslide mitigation, the DPDC meeting also sanctioned ₹943 crore for various development projects in the Mumbai suburban district for 2025-26. Among these, ₹30 crore has been earmarked for tourism development, while police stations and police housing colonies will also be upgraded.
Additionally, joint suburban district guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha instructed authorities to curb illegal entry of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas and to restructure the committee overseeing this issue. He also directed the housing department to take action against unauthorized encroachments in Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) buildings. The government also plans to establish more SETUs, or Citizen Facilitation Centres, to simplify access to essential services such as certificates, permits, affidavits, and other documentation.
