Mahim Social Worker Irfan Machiwala Suggest Smart Manhole Monitoring Pilot Project in Mahim West to Prevent Sewage Overflow

Mahim Social Worker Irfan Machiwala Suggest Smart Manhole Monitoring Pilot Project in Mahim West to Prevent Sewage Overflow

Urges BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde to Introduce Technology-Based Monitoring in Wards 182 and 190

Mumbai: Mahim social worker Irfan Machiwala has suggested that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde introduce a Smart Manhole Monitoring Pilot Project in Mahim West, covering manholes in BMC Wards 182 and 190.

Machiwala said that the BMC should adopt modern technology to monitor sewerage and drainage conditions in real time and identify potential problems before they develop into major public issues.

Smart Manhole Monitoring is a technology-based system that uses sensors installed inside or near manholes to continuously monitor drainage conditions. It can alert the concerned BMC ward office whenever water levels rise abnormally or a manhole approaches the risk of overflowing.

How Would Smart Manhole Monitoring Work?

The proposed system could include the following features:

Water-Level Sensors: Monitor rising water levels inside manholes and identify potential overflow situations.

Automatic Overflow Alerts: Send alerts to the concerned BMC ward office when water levels reach critical limits.

Blockage Detection: Identify abnormal water levels that could indicate blocked sewerage or drainage lines.

Gas Detection: Install specialised sensors to detect hazardous gases such as methane and hydrogen sulphide, helping protect sanitation workers.

Real-Time Monitoring: Transmit information to a central control room or ward office through a digital dashboard or mobile application.

Immediate Maintenance Action: Automatically notify concerned maintenance teams so that affected manholes can be inspected and cleaned promptly.

Benefits for Mumbai and the BMC

The proposed Smart Manhole Monitoring Project could help the BMC:

Prevent sewage from overflowing onto roads.

Reduce waterlogging and drainage-related problems during heavy rainfall.

Detect blocked sewerage lines at an early stage.

Reduce complaints from residents.

Improve the safety of sanitation and maintenance workers.

Strengthen accountability of drainage maintenance contractors.

Enable faster response and corrective action by ward offices.

Proposal to Expand Across Mumbai

Machiwala suggested that Mahim West should be selected as a pilot location, covering Wards 182 and 190. After evaluating the project's performance and effectiveness, the BMC could consider expanding the technology across all 24 BMC administrative wards.

He emphasised that Mumbai needs preventive, technology-driven civic infrastructure rather than relying only on complaints after drainage problems occur.

The objective should be simple: Detect drainage problems before sewage overflows onto Mumbai's roads.

Machiwala appealed to BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and Mayor Ritu Tawde to examine the proposal and direct the concerned departments to explore the feasibility of implementing this pilot project in Mahim West in the larger public interest.