What Major Irregularities Were Exposed in BMC's Drain Cleaning Work?

Mumbai, May 9 (NationPress) A meeting led by the Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban District, Ashish Shelar, on Friday uncovered a shocking 40 percent discrepancy identified during the AI-based analysis of the drain cleaning projects managed by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Shelar has issued a stern order to the BMC Commissioner, demanding an immediate and comprehensive analysis of the data to ensure that contractors adhere to 100 percent cleaning standards. He further instructed the civic body chief to conduct personal inspections to promote accountability.

An extensive inspection initiative commenced across the suburbs of Mumbai on Thursday to oversee the drain cleaning progress.

The inspections started at the Laxmi Nagar nullah near the Ghatkopar Bus Depot and continued to locations such as the A.P.I. nullah, Usha Nagar nullah, Mahul nullah, Mahul Creek, and Kharu Creek. Shelar, a proponent of leveraging technology to accurately gauge the volume of silt removed during the desilting process, reviewed the AI analysis closely.

When questioned about the methods used, officials presented videos demonstrating how AI scans the locations where silt is disposed of after each trip.

Upon detailed examination, it was found that over 40,000 trips had been logged, with discrepancies evident in approximately 17,000 of these trips. These discrepancies included inflated silt volume reports, under-reported figures, and instances where debris or soil instead of actual silt was transported.

Alarmingly, in numerous cases, silt still remains in the drains. Minister Shelar underscored the necessity for a complete assessment of the silt billing and discrepancies, pledging to follow up with the BMC Commissioner to ensure contractor accountability and adherence to required standards, as stated in a release from the minister's office.

During the inspections, the API nullah and Usha Nagar nullah in Bhandup were scrutinized. The Usha Nagar nullah, which is located beneath a railway bridge, was slated for demolition and deepening in 2020. However, the demolition process has only recently begun, with merely 15 days left before the monsoon season. This raises pressing questions: When will the bridge be completely demolished, and when will the drain be reconstructed? If these issues are not addressed swiftly, waterlogging between Kanjurmarg and Bhandup railway tracks is inevitable,” stated the release.

Shelar emphasized the critical need to eliminate silt from this drain to guarantee uninterrupted rail operations during the monsoon and assured that he would maintain close oversight with the BMC on this issue.

Additionally, he noted that only 10-15 percent of the cleaning work has been accomplished at Mahul nullah, while no activity has yet begun at Kharu Creek. Large accumulations of silt and plastic waste were observed, and the absence of retaining walls along the nullah was also highlighted. He issued immediate orders for work to commence without further delay at both locations to avert potential disasters during the monsoon.