31 May,2015 07:35 AM IST | | Tanvi Deshpande
With almost 91 per cent of the de-silting of the major and minor nullah of the city already done, the civic body is hoping for a flood-free monsoon this year
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has claimed to have met all targets related to de-silting of nullahs before the monsoon. So, Mumbaikars can expect a flooding-free season this year.
According to the BMC, they have completed 92 per cent de-silting work of major and minor nullahs and 91 per cent work of de-silting the Mithi River.
Municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta and other officials inspecting one of the nullah de-silting sites. file pic
When new municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta took charge of the civic body, he had listed monsoon preparedness as his top priority. He met officials of the disaster management cell and has been visiting de-silting work sites in the city. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, too, has been taking a keen interest in the matter, visiting the sites himself.
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According to a statement issued by the BMC, the civic body has taken out 3,23,619 cubic mts of silt from major and minor nullahs across the city of the targeted 3,59,644 cubic mts. Thus, the BMC has finished de-silting of 92.72 per cent of the major and minor nullahs of its target of 93 per cent. This means that the nullahs will not choke this monsoon and rainwater can be disposed of into them, preventing flooding.
The civic body was supposed to remove silt from Mithi River and it has removed 55,290 cubic mts of silt in the island city, 40,100 cubic mts in the Western suburbs and 64,500 cubic mts in the Eastern suburbs so far. Thus, the civic body claims to have completed 91.40 per cent of the job instead of the targeted 93 per cent till May 27.
"We have completed most of the work before our deadline of May 31 and are ready for monsoon," said a senior civic official.
"If the BMC has actually cleaned nullahs, that's good. I hope the drains won't overflow this year in low-lying areas. But some areas of the city like the Malad Subway are prone to flooding. I hope they have taken care of those as well," said Roma Briganza, a resident of Malad.
