Mumbai: In a major push towards smarter and more transparent governance, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has introduced artificial intelligence (AI) in its annual drain desilting operations. A high-tech ‘War Room’ has been established at the BMC headquarters to monitor, analyze, and ensure real-time supervision of desilting work across the city.
The initiative aims to improve effectiveness and accountability as Mumbai gears up for the monsoon. The War Room will function daily in two shifts from 8 am to 11 pm, enabling live tracking of work sites, vehicle movements, and silt disposal. Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani visited the War Room on April 29 to review the setup.
To enhance transparency, BMC has made it mandatory for contractors to submit 30-second video clips and photographs of desilting activities. For smaller drains, CCTV footage before and after cleaning is compulsory. All visuals are streamed directly to the War Room.
The integration of AI is a game-changer. The system is trained to scan thousands of minutes of video footage, flag irregularities, and detect anomalies such as repeated footage, unremoved tarpaulins on vehicles, or suspicious route deviations. The AI also cross-verifies GPS data with georeferenced maps of major drains and the Mithi River to ensure silt is being transported and dumped as per protocol.
Moreover, any unusual weight patterns in silt-carrying vehicles will be flagged automatically for further investigation. Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are also being used to analyze the massive datasets generated, enabling quicker data insights and predictive analytics.
Citizens, too, can monitor the progress in their neighborhoods via a public dashboard available at https://swd.mcgm.gov.in/WMS2025/#/predashboard. Daily updates, including before-and-after visuals, will be accessible to all.
By combining AI technology with civic vigilance, BMC aims to prevent corruption, improve efficiency, and prepare Mumbai better for the upcoming rains.
