Contour mapping of Mumbai should not be done by private agencies for security reasons, the Ministry of Defence has told the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

"In accordance with the recommendations of the Madhav Chitale Committee, contour mapping of the city has to be done to deal with storm water but the Ministry of Defence has reservations about private agencies doing it," Additional Municipal Commissioner R A Rajiv told reporters in Mumbai on Friday, adding that they were having talks with MoD officials.

When asked why the MCGM could not do the countour mapping itself, its Commissioner Jairaj Phatak said that they were short of staff as they were already handling several projects.

The Chitale Committee had recommended that the contour map survey must be done, recording the contours at intervals of five metres. This was important as a contour map can be helpful in identifying low-lying areas and evacuating people.

The Chitale Committee was constituted to check the reasons behind the flash floods in July 2005.

The ministry has said that only government agencies should do contour mapping as the private agencies can misuse the data, Rajiv said.