**Mumbai BMC Floats Tender to Enhance Lifeguard Services Along City Beaches**
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has floated a tender to appoint a private agency responsible for the manning, operation, and maintenance of lifeguard services under the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) for a period of three years. This move comes as part of efforts to enhance visitor safety, given the consistently high footfall on city beaches.
### Increase in Lifeguard Strength
Currently, 93 lifeguards are deployed along Mumbai’s coastline. However, with growing numbers of beachgoers, the BMC has decided to boost this number to 137 lifeguards. This increase aims to provide better coverage and quicker rescue responses across Mumbai’s busy beaches.
### High-Risk Beaches Identified
Mumbai, bordered by the Arabian Sea on three sides, boasts a 149-kilometer-long coastline. After assessing factors like visitor footfall, sea currents, and beach terrain, the Mumbai Fire Brigade has identified six high-risk beaches prone to drowning incidents:
– Girgaon
– Dadar
– Juhu
– Versova
– Aksa
– Gorai
These beaches attract lakhs of visitors annually, especially during the monsoon season when tourists flock to witness the high tidal waves. Unfortunately, many visitors often venture dangerously close to rough seas, increasing the risk of accidents.
### Lifeguard Deployment & Emergency Preparedness
Traditionally, the BMC and MFB deploy 93 lifeguards throughout the year through a private agency. There is also a standby team of 11 personnel from the civic body who remain on alert and are mobilized in case of major drowning incidents.
A senior fire official stated, “We have observed a steady rise in the number of beachgoers, particularly youngsters who often ignore warning signs and venture into rough seas, putting their lives at risk. Compared to the growing number of visitors, the lifeguard strength is insufficient. To ensure a quicker response and reduce the burden on existing staff, we are increasing the number of lifeguards.”
### Private Agency Contract for Three Years
The appointed private agency will supply 137 lifeguards under a three-year contract from 2025 to 2028. “To ensure round-the-clock vigilance and enable quicker response during emergencies, the lifeguards will be deployed in two shifts across the city’s beaches,” added the fire official.
In addition to trained personnel, the deployment will include essential rescue equipment such as:
– Seven jet skis
– Floating stretchers
– Rescue boats
– Lifebuoys, tubes, and ropes
### BMC Plans to Introduce Robotic Buoys
To further strengthen rescue operations during drowning incidents, the BMC has recently invited tenders for procuring six robotic life-saving buoys. These advanced devices aim to assist lifeguards and enhance safety measures along the coastline.
An official noted, “Ideally, there should be one lifeguard stationed every 100 meters. However, in reality, several stretches along the coastline lack adequate coverage, with no lifeguards present for kilometers—posing serious safety concerns.”
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https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/bmc-to-deploy-137-lifeguards-across-mumbai-beaches-private-agency-tender-floated-for-3-year-contract