44 Vulnerable Mumbai Landslide Spots Unattended After Kurla Landslide

A landslide struck Kurla in the early hours of Wednesday, raising fresh concerns over hillside safety as at least 44 highly vulnerable landslide-prone locations across Mumbai remain completely unattended.

The site of Wednesday's landslide in Kurla had not been identified as a highly vulnerable zone in prior official assessments. However, dozens of officially recognized high-risk spots across both the suburbs and the island city continue to await critical safety measures, leaving hundreds of citizens exposed to potential hazards.

The unattended locations were documented as part of a citywide survey conducted by the Geological Survey of India in 2018. That assessment identified a total of 249 landslide-prone locations across Mumbai.

The Geological Survey of India categorised the 249 identified spots into three distinct risk levels. The survey designated 46 spots as highly vulnerable, 74 as vulnerable, and 129 as low-risk areas.

Out of the 46 spots classified in the highest risk category, 44 locations remain unattended. These unresolved high-risk spots include 38 locations situated across Mumbai's suburban areas and six located within the island city.

Required slope-stabilisation work across these vulnerable locations continues to be delayed. The necessary engineering and safety projects have been stalled primarily due to persistent funding issues and ongoing challenges related to resident rehabilitation.