The Bombay High Court stated on Tuesday that residents share responsibility for Mumbai’s frequent flooding from monsoon rains, noting that people have contributed through widespread encroachments and blocked drains. The court made the remarks while hearing a petition on a road-widening project. A bench led by Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad described the waterlogging as self-inflicted and called on citizens to cease blaming the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation alone. Despite the civic body installing drainage, footpaths and other infrastructure, the judges observed that encroachments, waste dumping and illegal use of public spaces for parking and vending have worsened the problem. They noted that even areas near the court have seen such violations. The court added that Mumbai faces inevitable water on roads due to these issues and criticized the pattern of illegal occupations followed by demands for legal protections during removals. The case involves widening Sion-Trombay Road, where the BMC has cleared some encroachments but needs land from the Department of Atomic Energy to proceed further. The court issued notice to the department and adjourned the hearing.
