BMC work goes down the nullah

After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) decided to widen a clogged nullah at Pandurang Wadi in Goregaon (east), the residents are far from being relieved. They, instead, are now complaining about the inconvenience caused by the repair work. The sewer near Saint Thomas High School that runs below the railway line and has not been cleaned for years, is being widened by the BMC since April 15. The work required that MD Deshmukh Road in Pandurang Wadi be dug up, reducing a 30-feet road to half. As a result, the traffic plying on the road has been inconvenienced since the two-way road is functioning with half the space. "This work troubles us, especially during peak hours in the morning and evening, as rickshaws and cars get jammed on the road," said Rajeev Sawant, a Goregaon resident. The work to widen the nullah will continue till May 31.

The sewer near Saint Thomas High School in Goregaon (east) Pic/Nimish Dave

It's not just the traffic but utility services like telephone lines and gas connections that were recently disrupted in the area. A Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd official examining the damage said, "The BMC did not inform us before they started the work. We could have transferred our telephone lines above the ground on a temporary basis. We could have avoided inconveniencing our consumers, too." A supervisor of the Mahanagar Gas line overseeing the of the gas pipeline said, "We have temporarily connected gas supply to the area from the other side of Goregaon. The gas connections will be restored within a day."

However, Laxman Vhatkar, chief civic engineer, Storm Water Drain department, said, "We always inform all utilities agencies before commence our work. This is just a way of playing the blame game." He urged residents to look at the bigger picture. Since Goregaon is a low-lying area, rainwater has caused water-logging up to three feet in the past. "Every monsoon, we have to walk through two-three feet of rainwater. Hopefully, the BMC's work will bring some relief this year," said Vipul Shah, a resident of the area. u00a0