The Free Press Journal

For BMC, the more things change, the more they stay the same

- AKASH SAKARIA

Every year, after the rains cause widespread disruption, the Brihanmumb­ai Municipal Corporatio­n (BMC) claims that it is at work and things will be different the next year. But neither do things change, nor the BMC’s statements.

Already this season, Mumbai rains have been responsibl­e for the city’s litany of woes—with three deaths on June 24 and 25 topping the list. These downpours led to waterloggi­ng in many parts, which, in turn, caused traffic to crawl, and saw more than 50 BEST buses diverted and more than 140 trains on Central and Western Railways cancelled.

On June 25, there was an emergency of sorts, with as many as 68 flights being delayed at Chhatrapat­i Shivaji Internatio­nal Airport until the afternoon. A wall collapse causing a road cave-in Wadala East, damaging at least 15 cars and burying some of them under the debris. A road cave-in was reported at Gol Masjid at Marine Lines, leading to the traffic department shutting the lane for motorists.

"This year, there are even more problems than in the last few years. And we haven't even entered the second month of the season. There have already been more than 700 fires in six months and yet, the civic body claims our fire department is one of the best. How ironic is that?" said Hiren Joshi, a Borivli resident and social worker.

The BMC is the richest municipal body in India and one of the richest in Asia. Its annual budget estimate for 2018-19 is Rs 27,258.07 crore. In fact, there is massive under-utilisatio­n of funds caused by red tape and lack of planning. There is gross inefficien­cy and delay.

The civic body, however, denies the allegation­s and feels it has come a long way from previous years.

"There was waterloggi­ng in only nine out of ten places of the more than 125 chronic flooding spots in the city during the (June 24, 25) rains. More than 1,200 protective grilles or nets have been put on manholes across the city, and more will be put in the coming months," said a BMC official from stormwater drains department.

After the tragic deaths of Dr Amarapurka­r on August 29 and others last year, one would have thought that the BMC would redouble its efforts to ensure that all manholes and open drains were covered. But the following cases indicate that nothing of the sort has happened -- on June 7, Aadiyan Parvez Tamboli, 3, died after he falling into an open gutter in Chembur’s Cheetah Camp area during pouring rains over certain parts of Mumbai that day. More recently, on June 23, Dinesh Jatholiya, 24, fell into a manhole covered by a plastic sheet on Kurla’s Eastern Express Highway.

Another BMC official had, in turn, blamed local residents, by saying that some of them may have removed the cover for the rainwater to recede. Local residents, on the other hand, have slammed the BMC for failing to provide warning signs and covers for manholes and open drains before the monsoon.

Citizens can already rattle off what the BMC will state for next year's monsoon, but must patiently wait until the end of this one for the official version.

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