The BMC administration had recently claimed that the nullah cleaning work is being taken up on war footing before monsoon hits the city. In reality, only 35% works are being completed in the city and the civic body is not getting contractors to carry out nullah cleaning works in the Wadala, Matunga, Sion, Dadar, Worli, Prabhadevi and Lower Parel areas. The BMC officials admitted this in standing committee meeting held on Wednesday. With this admission, the chances of low lying areas in the city going under water have increased.
The all party members of standing committee raised the question of completion of the nullah cleaning work before May 31. The administration informed them that civic body has not received any tender from the contractors to carry out this work.
Presently, nullah cleaning work is underway in the Mithi river and Eastern and Western suburbs. Works in the F-North and South wards, G-North and South wards are hampered as no contractor has come forward to carry out the work. Hence, it has been given to the NGOs, informed Laxman Vhatkar, project director of BMC’s engineering services.
Vhatkar also informed that small works of nullah cleaning are being undertaken with the help of local NGOs and public societies. The BMC would requires 3.70 lakh man days for cleaning of small nullahs while it will require 2.41 lakh man days for cleaning of roadside sewer lines.