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Ward officials, contractors, PWD face action over new flooding spots

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Many ward officials, contractors, including J Kumar, and staffers of the public works department of the state government are in a spot of bother over new flooding sites in the city this monsoon. Municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte has directed strict action against them for negligence.

A spell of heavy showers on July 2 had brought Mumbai to a grinding halt, leading to a spate of complaints about waterlogging. Following a detailed analysis, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) found that 17 new flooding spots had emerged this year.

Officials said Kunte, who heads the disaster management authority of the BMC, has the power to take action against people under section 51 of the Disaster Management Act (DMA). The section states that a person obstructing a government agency or officials can be jailed up to one year and/or fined.

Some of the new flooding spots identified were VM Road junction (Andheri), Maitri Park (Goregaon), Ashok Nagar and Safed Pul (Kurla), near the Juhu bus depot, Iraniwadi (Kandivali) and Bahar Junction Vile Parle (East).

Sources said a notice has been sent to the chief engineer (PWD) under DMA for not carrying out proper desilting of the Mega City nullah along the Eastern Express Highway that had led to flooding in Postal Colony and Thakkar Bappa colony.

In K-west ward, which covers Juhu, Vile Parle and Andheri, BMC officials have been held guilty for allowing unauthorised construction of a wall in a low-lying spot. The wall blocked flow of water, sending the VM Road and Juhu 10th Road junction area under water on July 2. The owner of the premises will be prosecuted under the town planning act.

Sources said Vishwas Shankarwar, assistant commissioner of the ward, too will be issued a warning over shoddy cleaning of water entrances. While the drainage assistant, and a local NGO that reportedly supplied supply manpower for the job, will be punished, all deployment shown against this work will be deemed to be bogus billing.

Agencies like the Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority too have been served with notices for floodings outside many Metro stations. The BMC report says these agencies did not connect their station stormwater drain (SWD) to the municipal SWD despite repeated instructions.

A senior civic official said notices have been served to the authorities concerned under DMA, including the PWD. "We have also asked wards to ensure that the mistakes are not repeated."

The civic chief has also recommended action against J Kumar, which constructed the flyover near Kherwadi, for its inability to make proper provision for drainage of water.

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