Mumbai: ‘Our roads are filled with sewage, this has to end permanently’

Atmaram Kamble outside his general store in Kannamwar Nagar

Choked sewage lines in Vikhroli's Kannamwar Nagar have made the area's residents miserable. The sewage is spreading onto the roads and spreading its stench in the area. Residents claimed that increasing redevelopment has led to this situation.

Nasir Deshmukh, who resides in Janta Market, told mid-day, "This issue began a few years ago. We had filed a complaint about the choked drain with the BMC's S ward and their team has cleaned them. The respite lasted for two to three days before the sewers got choked again. We are fed up with this." Deshmukh added that the problem is occurring between three manholes.

Sewage spills out of three manholes and collects on the road in Kannamwar Nagar

Resident Atmaram Kamble, who runs a general store, said that the issue probably arose due to the redevelopment of buildings. "This colony developed after 1960. The buildings then were three- to four floors high. The sewage lines were designed to serve those buildings. In the last few years, however, redevelopment has replaced the old buildings with tall towers. Even now, around seven buildings are being redeveloped. But the sewerage remains old, which is probably causing the system to clog," Kamble said.

Resident Vinayak Naik said that sometimes, sewage water spreads over a 30-40 meter road near Durga Naka, making it difficult to walk on the road. "We already have to deal with problems because of the dumping ground in Kanjurmarg. At night and early in the morning, there is always a stench. Now we also have to deal with the sewage. The sewage overflows usually in the morning and evening," Naik said.

Local residents Vinayak Naik, Nasir Deshmukh and Rahul Jaiswal

Naik added that cleaning has been carried out by the BMC multiple times in response to complaints. "There is a need to upgrade the sewage network to conclusively resolve this issue," he said. Rahul Jaiswal, who owns a shop in the area, said, "We are really tired with this. No one is looking for a permanent solution. The BMC should fix this for good instead of just cleaning the drain."

‘Area under MHADA'

An official from the BMC's S Ward told mid-day, "The planning authority for Kannamwar Nagar is the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). We clean the sewerage whenever we receive complaints from residents. But the network's responsibility is with MHADA."

An official from MHADA told mid-day, "The sewage network of Kannamwar Nagar was indeed developed during the 1960s and it needs to be upgraded now. We keep cleaning the drain. The process of handing over the area's layout to the BMC is ongoing. However, according to a 2021 order by the state government, maintenance of basic facilities in the city is the BMC's duty." With the BMC and MHADA considering the other responsible for the work, Deshmukh said, "Do we have to suffer because the authorities are in the middle of a tussle? We just want a permanent resolution and clean drains."