Mumbai: BMC orders urgent action on contaminated water complaints

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has directed its water engineering officials to prioritise and immediately address complaints of contaminated water supply amid rising concerns reported from several parts of the cityThe directive was issued by Additional Municipal Commissioner Projects Abhijit Bangar during a review meeting held at the civic headquarters on Thursday Officials were instructed to treat such complaints with urgency and ensure timebound resolution while also strengthening onground monitoring systemsFocus on Complaints Amid Rising ConcernsWhile the BMC has long maintained that it supplies potable water across Mumbai and has received recognition for its services officials acknowledged that recent complaints related to water quality low pressure and irregular supply have surfaced in certain localitiesBangar directed that all grievances be taken seriously with a clear emphasis on prioritising cases involving contaminated water due to potential public health risks Civic officials have been asked to ensure swift redressal and maintain transparency in addressing citizen complaintsLeak Detection and Field InspectionsIn response to reports of leakages in pipelines the administration has ordered the immediate deployment of dedicated teams to identify and fix faults in the water distribution networkOfficials have also been instructed to conduct onsite inspections in areas reporting low pressure or inadequate supply Corrective measures are to be implemented without delay where issues are verifiedSuggested interventions include revising water distribution patterns improving zoning mechanisms repairing leakages and where necessary introducing structural changes or additional water boosting systemsZero Tolerance for ContaminationThe civic body has adopted a strict stance on contaminated water complaints During the meeting Bangar emphasised that any delay in addressing such issues could have serious consequences particularly in densely populated areasOfficials have been directed to immediately trace the source of contamination and initiate roundtheclock corrective work Zonewise special teams are to be formed for rapid response with provisions to deploy additional manpower wherever requiredCoordination Across DepartmentsThe BMC has stressed the need for seamless coordination among various divisions of the Water Engineering Department including supply planning construction and maintenance units Engineers have been instructed to improve communication across subdivisions to avoid delays in project executionSenior officials will extend support in cases where projects face hurdles however the administration has warned that negligence will invite accountability and disciplinary actionInfrastructure Work Impact Under ReviewThe civic body also flagged concerns over ongoing road and infrastructure projects potentially affecting underground water pipelines Officials have been asked to ensure prompt repairs or installation of new pipelines wherever damage occursA wardwise review of water supply planning is expected to be undertaken soon with assistant engineers tasked with submitting updates on ongoing works in their respective jurisdictionsMeeting ContextThe review meeting attended by senior officials including Deputy Commissioner Special Engineering Purushottam Malavde and Water Engineer Dilip Patil comes at a time when Mumbai is witnessing increased water demand due to summer conditions alongside extensive infrastructure works and the approaching monsoon seasonCivic authorities indicated that the measures are aimed at ensuring uninterrupted and safe water supply across the city in the coming months