NMMC to discuss city pre-monsoon work

The meeting is to ascertain the nature of all types of work to be undertaken prior to monsoon; there will also be brainstorming to get all work completed before May 15

Sameera Kapoor Munshi

NAVI MUMBAI: Ahead of the monsoon, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) will have a major coordination review meeting with all the stakeholders.

Municipal commissioner, Abhijit Bangar, will be convening a meeting on Monday to discuss and ascertain the nature of all types of work to be undertaken in the city prior to the onset of monsoon. The meeting will also determine the funds to be appropriated.

The meeting will determine the action plan to be followed in case of disaster. There will also be brainstorming on getting all the work completed before May 15. “Just like the past two years, I have set the deadline to get all pre-monsoon work completed before May 15. To ensure that the work schedule is clearly understood, the coordination meeting is to be held on Monday,” Bangar said.

This meeting is to be presided by representatives from Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, Mumbai Metropolitan

Region Development Authority, Collector’s Office, fishermen organisation, industrial sector and meteorology. To facilitate maximum participation, the administration will be conducting the meeting via video conferencing as well.

Primary areas of discussion will be the repairs and restoration work of the holding pond and drainage channels, identifying trees that are likely to fall, removal of encroachments adjacent to nullah basins, reviewing the condition of city roads, activating the disaster management cell, taking stock of department’s preparedness to tackle fire outbreak, etc.

“First and foremost, the work pertaining to cleaning of drainage channels as well as holding ponds needs to be undertaken. This includes repairing the floodgates. To avert tree fall incidents, tree trimming work needs to be undertaken. Reviews from all the stakeholders concerned will be taken to include other work that needs to be done,” informed the commissioner.

To avert flooding, the administration will be undertaking cleaning work of the culverts on roads. “Last year, we had the culvert at Sion-Panvel highway cleaned. As a result, there was no water accumulation on this stretch. The same model is to be implemented this year as well,” said an official.

Residents are also being asked to keep the administration updated about civic issues that could pose problems during monsoon. Citizens are asked to use social networking platforms, NMMC grievance portal or even send mails addressing to the commissioner.

HT FILE PHOTO NMMC will conduct a meeting on Monday to discuss city’s premonsoon work including restoring drainage channels.