Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeTop NewsBMC crores go es in water

BMC crores go es in water

- Advertisement -

The civic body fails to learn any lessons from the past as the city comes to a standstill in the very first rains of the season.

BMC-crores-go-es-in-waterThe heavy rainfall which has disrupted normal life in Mumbai raises questions about the manner in which the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) functions. Prior to the arrival of monsoon season, the civic body had claimed that cleaning of sewage has been done amicably. However, continuous rainfall witnessed by the metropolis since Thursday has proved that the BMC has failed to learn any lessons from the past as citizens had to face huge hardships due to water logging, cancellation of trains and traffic jams.

On the Western Railways suburban section trains were only plying from Virar till Andheri in the afternoon thereby leaving commuters stranded on stations. The BMC had installed Love Grove pumping station by incurring Rs 116 crore and Cleveland Bunder pumping station costing Rs 112 crore, which was expected to pump out rainwater from Dadar, Elphinstone Road, Parel and Naigaon areas during high tide and heavy rainfall. However, heavy water logging was witnessed in these areas. Thus the tax-payers hard earned money has not been effectively utilized for development work.

These incidents only show the lackadaisical attitude of the BMC officials who have failed to complete the pre-monsoon work as per schedule. Roads and railway tracks were submerged while many households have complained of flooding. Some flights were diverted to nearby airports.

The Congress criticized the BMC for its failure to tackle water-logging issues in several areas of the city. Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam took this ‘opportunity’ to blame the BJP and Shiv Sena-led government by attacking the BMC saying that their machinery has completely failed ever since the BJP came to power. He said, “Problem is with the BMC. Most of the money required for the development work is siphoned off by the corporator. The BMC has completely failed to discharge its duties.”

Maharashtra Education Minister, Vinod Tawde said, “We should not blame the BMC for the flooding incidents occurring in the city. If the work of cleaning the sewage has not happened prior to monsoon then a probe must be conducted. Action should be taken against the erring officials responsible for it.”

Rahul Narvekar, NCP leader said, “Time and again they have fooled the people by giving false assurances. Every year the civic body claims that it is monsoon ready but citizens have to face huge hardships due to waterlogging and cancellation of trains.”

MPCC spokesperson, Sachin Sawant said, “The BMC had made tall claims about Mumbai ready for monsoon but heavy rains have already exposed them. They had also posted pictures pertaining to the cleaning of nullahs on social networking sites. Thus Sena has been misleading Mumbaikars.”

Shiv Sena MP, Arvind Sawant said, “Mumbai is an island city. When there is heavy rain the high tide is witnessed in the metropolis. We have installed two pumping stations for clearing the water logged areas which will take time. The city has been witnessing heavy rains for the past 30 hours which has been hampering the rehabilitation work.”

Opposition leader in Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said, “There’s a huge scam in pre-Monsoon preparedness work including nullah cleaning works. The scam amounts to Rs 4,000 crore in last 10 years.”

“Where have the 150 crore spent on nullah cleanliness this year gone,” Munde added.

“It is a huge embarrassment that the financial capital comes to a standstill in the very first rains of the season,” he said.

Even Bollywood celebrities took to social networking sites to express their displeasure of this issue.

Farhan Akhtar posted, “I think the Mumbaikar tax-payers money is used to block the city’s drainage system. #everyyearsamestory.”

Kunal Khemu, “Driving to shoot hoping don’t need a motorboat on the way back #MumbaiRains.”

Neil Nitin Mukesh, “I believe it’s raining heavily in Mumbai. The rains have picked up here in Karjat since last night. It’s just so beautiful !!!”

Services on all three railway lines–Central, Western and Harbour–were cancelled, and harried commuters rushed to catch buses, taxis or any other mode of transport available to reach their destinations, which resulted in massive traffic jams at many places.

With Central Railway cancelling its services on CST-Thane section on the main line and Harbour line as well, commuters got stuck at suburban platforms.

The Western Railway services which were initially running late by 10 to 15 minutes, were later cancelled.

The rains caused water-logging in almost all low-lying areas of Mumbai and its suburbs including Kurla, Chembur, Tilak Nagar, Andheri, Parel, Lower Parel, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Dombivili.  BEST bus services were affected in most areas  because of the waterlogging and  many staff members could not report for duty.

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Latest

Must Read

- Advertisement -

Related News