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Mumbai: ‘No time now to ensure clean-till-bottom nullahs’
Updated On: 22 May, 2023 07:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta Kasale
Former engineers say timeframe to toe line on Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s new diktat is too short; activists call directive a political gimmick
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CM Eknath Shinde inspecting the cleaning of a nullah. Pic/Prajakta Kasale
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, during a visit on Friday to inspect pre-monsoon work in the city, instructed the BMC to desilt nullahs so thoroughly that the bottom of the waterbody is reached. However, former engineers have expressed scepticism, stating that the timeframe is too short, while activists criticised the move as a political gimmick and have called for clean nullahs year-round, not just before the monsoon. The cleaning of nullahs and roadside gutters is an annual task for the BMC, starting in the second week of March. As of May 21, approximately 9.25 lakh metric tonnes of silt have been removed, accounting for 95 per cent of the target quantity before the monsoon.
An ex-engineer from the stormwater drain department of the BMC explained that the corporation determines the silt removal quantity based on past experiences, assuming that removing around 10 lakh tonnes of silt (approximately 20 to 30 cm of silt) yields satisfactory results in the monsoon. However, no comprehensive study has been conducted. Field experiences indicate that the actual silt volume reaches rock bottom, which is approximately three times the current target. Increasing the quantity may lead to allegations of corruption as the tender amount is linked to the quantity.
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