Mumbai extends lifeguard contract to avoid beach safety gaps
Mumbai’s beaches will keep their current lifeguard service after the city failed to appoint a new contractor. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) extended its existing agreement with Drishti Life Saving Pvt. Ltd., citing delays in the tender process. Officials stressed the move was necessary to maintain safety along the coastline. The BMC’s standing committee approved the extension to avoid gaps in beach safety. The previous contract with Drishti Life Saving, signed in 2022, was set to expire on June 30, 2025. However, the earlier agreement had already lapsed in June 2023, leaving the city without a permanent solution for over a year.
Only two agencies responded to the latest tender for lifeguard services. With limited options, the BMC opted to extend the current contract rather than risk a shortage of trained personnel. The decision ensures continued coverage at high-risk beaches, including Girgaon, Dadar, Juhu, Versova, Aksa, and Gorai.
These locations are classified as dangerous due to strong tidal currents, uneven terrain, and high visitor numbers. To improve safety, the BMC currently deploys 93 lifeguards alongside 11 civic staff. Plans are in place to increase the team to 137 once a new agency is finally appointed.
Under the extended agreement, lifeguards will work in two shifts. This adjustment aims to provide round-the-clock surveillance and faster emergency responses along Mumbai’s busy shoreline. The contract extension keeps Drishti Life Saving in charge of beach safety for now. Lifeguards will remain on duty in two shifts, covering all high-risk areas without interruption. The BMC continues to seek a long-term solution while ensuring no lapse in protection for beachgoers.
