Gandhi Nagar market in Sion, one of the chronic flooding spots identified by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is clearly unprepared for the monsoon. Desilting work on a major drain began only on Tuesday, while repair works on a couple of roadside nullahs is currently underway.
According to the civic body, since the area is low lying and the possibility of water logging is quite high in comparison to other areas, they have planned to install adequate number of de-watering pumps. Despite installing de-watering pumps to flush out excess water, the ongoing roadside drain works could lead to flooding during monsoon.
Residents fear that they will have to face water logging again this monsoon, as roadside drain works have not been completed even with an early monsoon prediction this year. "The construction of drain work started long back, but it stopped in the middle. Now, the work has started again just before monsoon," said Rohidas Patil, a leather product shop owner at Gandhi Nagar market.
Gandhi Nagar market houses a number of leather product shops and it also witnesses traffic congestion on most days. Residents claim that water logging at the busy Gandhi Market area in Sion during monsoon is a yearly affair.
Residents say the road that connects flyovers between Sion Hospital and King's Circle acts like a saucer during monsoon, as a result the entire area is prone to water logging.
Meanwhile, silt has been removed from stretches where drain work has completed, drains have been covered with slabs. However, silts have been dumped along the road, and it could go back into the drain if not removed in time.
"If silts go to the drain, there will be water logging. Suction pumps used to clear rain or storm water will not if drains clogged with sludge," said another resident.
A senior official from the BMC's storm water drains department said that the desilting work has already started in the area, and claimed that it would be completed by May 30. However, they said they need more equipment as nullahs are deep.
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