Little to show for Rs 10.874 crore spent on roads, drainage

The two major issues that are a perennial bane for Mumbaikars are the abysmal quality of its roads and footpaths, and unclean drains that lead to flooding during monsoon. The BMC, during its five-year tenure, has spent Rs 10,874 crore on roads and cleaning of drains, but these problems continue to persist. A major de-silting scam, followed by a road scam, exposed the larger malaise in the system and brought to the fore the need for greater scrutiny of the functioning of the country's richest civic body. Between 2012 and 2017, the BMC spent Rs 8,111.35 crore on building and repairing roads, out of an estimated budgetary provision of Rs 15,684.93 crore for repair and reconstruction of roads. The ruling parties in the BMC have not been able to fulfil the promise of better roads they made in their manifestos for the 2007 and 2012 civic elections. Before the 2012 election, the ruling alliance in the BMC promised that works under the Brihanmumbai stormwater disposal (Brimstowad) project would be completed by 2013. However, after five years, the civic body's Storm Water Drains department says that 30 per cent of the work is yet to be completed.

The BMC has spent Rs 2,763.04 crore to clear drains, of a estimated budgetary provision of Rs 4,658.82 core. Additionally, the civic body spent Rs 2,000 crore on the Brimstowad project.

While the civic body has completed the construction of five pumping stations, with one still under construction, another two pumping stations that were to be constructed is still in limbo.

When the city experienced heavy rains for three continuous days in June 2015, the city was flooded, exposing a major desilting scam within in the BMC. Later, a scam in the Roads Department also tumbled out of the closet after new roads were damaged within a few days after the monsoon's arrival. A strong nexus between contractors, corrupt bureaucrats and corporators played its role in giving the city poor quality roads. The absence of a system to monitor road construction also played a major role, as there was no check on the quality of work carried out by contractors and approvals given by the departments.

There is also a lack of co-ordination between utility agencies and the civic roads department, resulting in constant digging and resurfacing work being taken up even when the roads are newly laid. This ruins the newly laid or repaired roads. In 2016, cases were filed against contractors, civic engineers and civic officials, who were later arrested. A new system for road construction and repairs is being put in place.

Though the civic Standing Committee is under the Shiv Sena's control, the ruling party woke up to a scam after four years. By then, the Shiv Sena-led Standing Committee had already awarded road contracts worth Rs 4,000 crore to six contractors. These contractors were later booked under criminal charges.

While Shiv Sena leaders washed their hands off by saying the contractors connived with corrupt BMC officials, no attention was paid while approving the contract proposals in the standing committee.

The only action the civic body initiated against the six contractors was that their bills would not be paid until the final report, and that they wouldn't bid for any new projects of the BMC.

The BMC is yet to present a final report on the probe into irregularities in civil works contracts related to over 200 roads across the city.

In June 2015, several parts of the city were inundated as contractors had carried out sub-standard de-silting work, putting citizens' lives and properties at risk. BMC members, however, maintained that water-logging was due to heavy rain beyond the capacity of civic infrastructure. For the upcoming monsoon season, the BMC has already appointed de-silting contracts worth Rs 100 crore before the model code of conduct was announced.