Getting the works done is the main challenge before Navi Mumbai civic officials

With the code of conduct in force ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, no new proposals can be taken up. However, the main challenge ahead of civic officials is to get the works that were cleared by the standing committee and general body completed within the next few months. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), during its meetings last week, cleared proposals worth Rs800 crore that mostly included works pertaining to road repairs and drainage.

Sources say, "Now that the code of conduct has come into force, we will be concentrating on completing projects that received a go-ahead during civic meetings. The challenge will be to get the road works done before the monsoons. The civic body is committed to give Navi Mumbaikars a pothole-free ride during rains."

The official added, "In line with the commitment given to the Bombay high court, we started road works in various sectors of Navi Mumbai and are confident these will be completed before the monsoons."

Also, various works like construction of community and multi-purpose halls, too, are expected to begin during this period. However, a few residents have their doubts on how the works will be monitored, since NMMC is short-staffed. "Considering the number of works, does NMMC have so many junior engineers to monitor the work? If there is no supervision, the contractor will try to do inferior quality work," said a resident from sector 6 in Belapur.

Meanwhile, civic officials, right upto the level of deputy municipal commissioners, will be posted on election duty during the coming Lok Sabha polls. "We will have to go an election duty and will soon get the schedule," said a civic official.