DNA IMPACT: BMC asks railways to clean Bandra land

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)'s H/East ward office, on Thursday, wrote to Western Railway (WR) asking them to initiate work for cleaning up all the garbage from their plot of land, located adjacent to Bandra (east) railway station.

The action by BMC comes on the day that DNA reported — 'Stinking truth: Swachh Mumbai remains a far-fetched dream' about how an open plot belonging to Western Railway (WR) has over a period of time become a functional dumping ground of sorts for illegal slums including Garib Nagar. DNA has been following the story since May this year and earlier even reported on the frequent fires being set up in the garbage, which threaten railway premises and even commuters moving on the foot overbridge (FOB), which is located directly above this plot.

Speaking to DNA, Ashok Khairnar, assistant municipal commissioner, H/East ward said, "On Thursday we have sent a letter to WR asking them to remove the garbage from the land as it belongs to them and hence maintaining it was also their responsibility. Since we both are government bodies we are also ready to help WR and will wait for their response," he said.

The entire plot of land which is full of debris is now covered with garbage. Huge mounds of plastic along with fabric waste generated from multiple units operating inside Garib Nagar slums are dumped in the plot along with household and other waste.

Commuters have been claiming that if the garbage is not cleared before rains take over the city, the plot will become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other vectors carrying diseases.

The plot was earlier encroached upon by slums, which were demolished by BMC in 2017 and a boundary wall was constructed. However, BMC officials alleged that the current condition of the plot is due to the complete ignorance of the plot by WR itself. However, WR has alleged that the plot has become a garbage dumping ground as BMC has failed to provide waste management facilities in the slums.