BMC considers June 15 each year as the onset of monsoon, and all pre-monsoon works are to be completed accordingly.
Mumbaikars may have to once again brace for monsoon woes as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) seems to be struggling with cleaning of drains, crucial to prevent flooding during monsoons.
Barely 48 days from the onset of monsoon, the civic body has, until now, cleaned only 6.95 per cent of major drains and 8.83 per cent of the Mithi river. BMC is also finding it difficult to clean minor drains as contractors were unwilling to take up the work.
BMC considers June 15 each year as the onset of monsoon, and all pre-monsoon works are to be completed accordingly.
This year, despite the civic body floating tenders four times, no contractor has shown interest in cleaning minor drains in the city. Failing to get any response, the civic body has now decided to ask ward level officials to initiate the cleaning of minor drains by taking the help of NGO workers at the level of every ward. Last year too, the civic body took up cleaning of minor drains through NGOs. This was after contractors had quoted very high rates for cleaning major drains and the Mithi river.
While contractors have shown interest for the cleaning of major nallahs across Mumbai which span across 251 kms, and tenders worth Rs 60 crore were floated, the work of cleaning minor nallahs is expected to be worth Rs 29.62 crore.
Civic sources claimed that the poor response was the outcome of strict action the BMC had taken against errant contractors in the de-silting scam which came to light in the year 2015.
At least 32 contractors were named in the de-silting scam, in which they were found guilty of irregularities in 23 different works. The civic administration has blacklisted these contractors, and these 32 contractors cannot participate in any kind of bidding process for the contracts awarded by BMC for next five years.
Desilting of drains
City (major nallah) - 8.66%
Western suburbs (major nallah i.e. Dahisar river, Poisar river, Walbhat river, Oshiwara river etc.) - 6.78%
Eastern suburbs (major nallahs) - 6.77
Average - 6.95 %
Desilting of Mithi River
City - 14.87 %
Western suburbs - 3.28%
Eastern suburbs - 7.49 %
Average - 8.83 %
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