Every year the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation makes tall claims about the city being ready for the monsoon. However, the city witnesses heavy waterlogging due to choked nullahs. Mumbaikars also have to face huge inconvenience on account of pot-holed roads. The newly appointed BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi has taken charge and will ensure that the city remains prepared to face any eventuality during the monsoon season. The cleaning of nullahs is happening on a war footing basis as manpower is deployed to ensure that drains don’t overflow due to silt.
The BMC has claimed that this month they would be clearing 2.44 lakh tonnes of 3.49 lakh tonnes of the silt from major nullahs and 2.13 lakh tonnes of the 3.09 lakh tonnes from minor nullahs. The civic body has started the work of uploading the pictures of desilting of nullahs in support of its claim. As of May 14 around 70 per cent of the work has been completed.
“The desilting work of major nullahs have been completed around 70 per cent and that of minor nullahs around 40 per cent. The cleaning of major nullahs will be completed as per schedule and contractors have been asked to speed up the work of desilting minor nullahs,” said a senior official of the SWD department.
The work of desilting of nullahs commences on April 1 of every year and the deadline for completion of the work is May 15. However, the deadline has been extended to May 31 this year. In a meeting with police department, railways, BMC, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking (BEST), Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Indian Navy, Public Works Department (PWD) meteorological department and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials a decision has been taken to fill potholes in the city by May 31, 2019.
During the monsoon season, the city witnesses collapse of dilapidated buildings thereby resulting into death of residents. To avert building collapse tragedy the BMC has asked residents of these structures to vacate their houses. The BMC has listed 398 buildings in the C1 category, a dilapidated condition which needs to be vacated. Of these, 64 are in N ward (Ghatkopar), 51 in Andheri and Jogeshwari (K Westward) and 47 in Mulund (T ward), with 193 cases sub-judice and 46 with the technical advisory committee (TAC).
The classification of buildings is done in three categories namely C1, C2 and C3. The C1 tag is given to dangerous buildings, structures in need of major structural repairs are classified under C2 and those which need minor repairs come under C3 category. The BMC has decided to offer Rs 100 crore to BEST every month until their budgets are merged. BEST also plans to lease 3000 buses during the monsoon season.
