Following Monday’s heavy rains, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) fined the owners of four small pumping stations Rs 10 lakh each for neglecting to build and run pumps to remove the water that had collected at strategic intersections in the city. The rains resulted in the suspension of suburban rail services on some lines and waterlogging in a number of low-lying regions.

In places including King’s Circle, Mantralaya, Dadar TT East, Parel TT, Kalachowki, Wadala, Hindmata, Kemps Corner, Churchgate, Chinchpokali, and Dadar, waterlogging had an impact on vehicular traffic. According to a statement released late Tuesday night, operators of micro pumping stations at four locations—Hindmata, Gandhi Market, Yellow Gate, and Chunabhatti—all of which are in low-lying regions vulnerable to waterlogging, were fined Rs 10 lakh each.

As part of the city’s pre-monsoon preparation strategy, the operators were required under the tender requirements to have installed micro pumping stations at these sites and make them operational by May 25. “As per the monsoon planning made by the BMC, the operators of the mini pumping stations appointed to pump water from low-lying areas failed to set up the system as per the terms and conditions and did not operate it with full capacity,” the press statement said.

With operations farmed out to commercial organizations, the city body has established ten micro pumping stations around Mumbai to manage waterlogging concerns, particularly in low-lying regions that are prone to flooding, it noted. The pumping systems at these places, however, malfunctioned during the “record rainfall” on May 26, when many localities received up to 250 mm of rain in 13 hours, causing waterlogging and traffic jams, the report said.

The BMC claims that the inability to promptly and sufficiently drain water had an impact on traffic flow in some locations and momentarily interrupted suburban train operations close to Masjid station. The municipal committee decided to include Chunabhatti in the punitive action because, while it had relatively less rainfall, the pumps there were not operating at full capacity. According to the BMC, any carelessness or shortcomings in monsoon management would not be accepted and will result in severe consequences.