DNA Micro Edit: City stares at another season of water-logging

With the city expecting pre-monsoon showers anytime after May 24, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been dealt a double whammy as it struggles to complete two major pre-monsoon works — road repairs and cleaning of drains.

While contracts for cleaning major drains have been grabbed by contractors, minor drains have been left untouched. Civic wards had to shoulder the responsibility of cleaning minor drains at the local level, but this has failed to take place due to unavailability of labourers.

In the case of roads, arterial roads and important stretches have been accorded priority, while smaller roads and by-lanes have been ignored. This will once again lead to major traffic snarls in the city during the monsoon.

Each year, BMC assures smoother rides for citizens and respite from water logging, but the civic body has disappointed tax-payers time and again. This year seems no different.

Road works are stalled as contractors say raw materials are unavailable as quarries in Navi Mumbai are shut. Despite availability of stone chips for road works in Raigad, instead of asking civic contractors to procure the material to fulfill their contractual obligations, the BMC has taken a bizarre decision of procuring material for them. The civic body should have sent out a stern message well in advance, instead of waiting for the issue to escalate and allowing contractors to hold the city to ransom.

With the BMC completely on the back foot, Mumbaikars will again have to brace for water logging and overflowing drains during this monsoon.