BMC to use advanced technology for its new nullah cleaning work

The civic body will use camera to check and also procure robotic suction jetting machine for cleaning of nullahs

After drawing much flak in nullah cleaning work the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now decided to adopt modern technology to ensure that taxpayers money is not fraudulently misused.The corporation will use a camera to inspect nullah cleaning work to avoid any fraud. In addition a robotic suction jetting machine will be procurred to clean the nullahs for unmanned cleaning of drains and manholes useful especially during monsoon preparations.

However, due to the introduction of Good and Services Tax (GST) last year the purchase of robotic suction jetting machine delayed and unfortunately BMC Strom Water and Drain Management (SWDM) department will not be able to use this machine this monsoons, said a senior civic official who did not wish to be named.

The proposal for purchase of machine was approved in the month of February last week in the Standing Committee meeting. Therefore, the machine procurement process will begin now and it will take another seven to eight months. The machine is being procured from foreign country Italy and costs approximately Rs six crore.

The highlights of the robotic suction jetting machine is that in-between two manholes where box drain which is in rectangular shapes or in circular pipeline of more than 1,000 diameter where a human being cannot go, this robot can easily get inside and clean the missed part. The robot will give the command and the pipe will suck the silt of stormwater drains. The current jetting machines cannot clean the silt between the two manholes completely, added the civic official.

Though robotic jetting suction machine will not be available this year, the corporation has decided to use the camera on experimental basis for inspection of nullahs.

The civic officer remarked, “For the first time BMC will also not rely on workers or contractors but will use the camera to check whether the nullahs are being cleaned or not properly. the camera on the jetting machine will help to know the cause of blockage in the drain. Along with ordinary city nullahs, the railway culverts will also be inspected with a camera.”

The machine procurement process will begin now and it will take another seven to eight months. The machine is being procured from foreign country Italy and costs approximately `6 crore