The BMC administration has instructed all assistant commissioners and ward-level officers to immediately report to the police any unauthorised digging in the area under their supervision. The direction comes after thieves dug up a footpath in Matunga and stole copper phone cables.

A few days ago, robbers stole the wires installed along a nearly 200-metre-long stretch of footpath on Babasaheb Ambedkar Marg. “The property of BMC and MTNL was damaged due to this unauthorised digging. The corporation lodged a complaint with the police on May 17 and MTNL filed a case at Matunga police station on May 30,” said a BMC official.