Mumbai may go under water this year as well

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.