“Mumbai is hit yet again by heavy rainfall with IMD forecasting a red alert, a situation that has become increasingly frequent in recent years. Our analysis at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) shows that Mumbai and nearby areas of the Konkan have recorded one of the sharpest increases in heavy rainfall days across India. During the southwest monsoon (June–September), Mumbai has seen as many as 10–12 more days of heavy rainfall per year in the last decade (2012–22) compared to the long-term baseline of 1982–2011. Such a sharp rise puts a strain on drainage systems, overwhelms the critical infrastructure, and exposes citizens, particularly those in low-lying and informal settlements, to repeated flood risks.
The Mumbai Climate Action Plan and the recently launched State Action Plan on Climate Change for Maharashtra is an important step in acknowledging these challenges. Their focus on flood management, green infrastructure, and resilience-building provides a strong foundation. However, the scale of changing rainfall patterns means that implementation must be accelerated. The city now needs to prioritise real-time rainfall and flood management, climate-proofing of transport and housing infrastructure, and protection of natural buffers such as mangroves.”