BMC trains 2 lakh people in disaster management for risks like earthquake, tsunami

Mumbai, Oct 8 (PTI) Facing the potential risk of a 6.9-magnitude earthquake and tsunamis, the Mumbai civic body has stepped up its preparedness by training over 2 lakh citizens in disaster management and integrating AI into its surveillance network to strengthen real-time response capabilities, an official said.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is also conducting a multi-hazard risk assessment, noting that Mumbai faces 21 to 22 potential hazards, as identified by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Chief Officer, Disaster Management Department, Rashmee Lokhande, said the BMC has been conducting year-round training for people on disaster management basics, first aid, and search and rescue operations.

“We are training civil population continuously in view of Mumbai’s disaster threat perception. So far, over two lakh people have been trained in disaster response,” Lokhande told PTI.

As part of its ongoing digital transformation, the BMC has identified 500 CCTV cameras that will be upgraded with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning systems to automatically detect incidents like fires, building collapses, or water pipeline bursts and alert the control room instantly, she said.

The official said, "Mumbai, identified by the NDMA as facing over 20 types of hazards, lies in Earthquake Zone III, with potential tremors up to 6.9 magnitude." "Mumbai has been fortunate to avoid major calamities so far, but we must be ready for future challenges such as cyclones, earthquakes, and floods,” she said.

Taking inspiration from Japan’s disaster-preparedness model, the BMC aims to ensure Mumbaikars are ready to respond effectively during emergencies.

“In any disaster, citizens are the first responders, and their preparedness is crucial. Our focus is on prevention and mitigation, which can reduce the need for response, relief, and rehabilitation,” Lokhande said.

To institutionalize disaster education, the BMC has set up the City Institute of Disaster Management (CIDM) at Parel—making Mumbai the first urban local body in India to have such a facility.

"The CIDM includes a 3D auditorium showcasing films on earthquakes, cyclones, and tsunamis, and an interactive gallery that educates visitors, especially school children and corporate groups, on disaster phenomena and safety measures," she said.

Training is provided free of cost to school students, workers and BMC employees, while external participants can enroll in a diploma course in disaster management, certified by the University of Mumbai.

"BMC has also developed a comprehensive disaster response manual detailing safe zones, evacuation plans, volunteer teams, and area-wise coordination mechanisms," Lokhande said.

Several colleges here have already made disaster management training mandatory for students before graduation, and mock drills are being included in school curricula, she said.

“We are trying to make disaster education compulsory in schools and colleges so that preparedness becomes a part of daily life,” she added.

Mumbai, with a population of 1.5 crore and an additional floating population of over 70 lakh people during the day, faces unique challenges in evacuation and response during large-scale emergencies, she said.

"The city’s coastal geography exposes it to tsunami risks and rising sea levels, while an active fault line nearby makes it moderately prone to earthquakes," the official said.

A group of journalists from Jammu and Kashmir visited the BMC’s disaster management facilities this week to study its infrastructure, digitization, and response mechanisms for preparedness, prevention and rehabilitation.

The BMC has identified 500 CCTV cameras that will soon be upgraded with AI-based systems to strengthen real-time disaster monitoring and response.

The move is part of BMC’s broader plan to integrate AI and Machine Learning into Mumbai’s disaster management framework. Once activated, the system will allow control room operators to receive live alerts and initiate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) within seconds, ensuring quicker on-ground action by emergency teams, the official said.

The pilot project involving the 500 cameras will be evaluated for effectiveness before extending the AI-enabled system to the city’s entire network of over 12,000 surveillance cameras under the City Surveillance Programme, the official said.

The BMC has implemented a comprehensive SOP for all incidents reported to its central command centre, ensuring swift and coordinated emergency response across the city.

Under the new system, every incident is logged through GIS-based technology, which automatically activates emergency units in affected areas and connects them with the central control room, eliminating manual intervention. "Automated alerts and messages are also sent to citizens during emergencies," Lokhande said.

“All major agencies — including hospitals, police, the army, and other stakeholders — are integrated through our disaster response network,” she said.

To ensure uninterrupted communication, the department has established dedicated mobile networks linked with 63 agencies, along with a Ham radio network of over 1,000 trained volunteers and supporting NGOs for backup during crises, she said.

"In the industrial eastern suburbs, three National Disaster Response Force teams specializing in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) emergencies are stationed for immediate deployment, aided by traffic police creating green corridors," she added.

The BMC coordinates 108 agencies under 14 Emergency Support Function (ESF) units — with the civic body overseeing communication as ESF-1 and Mumbai Police managing law and order as ESF-2, the official said.

The first phase of a GIS-based early warning system has been completed, while the second phase will be operational by December, enabling real-time evacuation and logistics coordination, she said. PTI AB GK