Chief Minister Eknath Shinde conducted an inspection at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday evening to evaluate the city's preparedness ahead of the monsoon season. During the visit, he underscored the collective dedication of all relevant agencies in Mumbai towards ensuring the success of the 'Zero Casualty Mission'.
Shinde held a meeting with the Disaster Management team of BMC, joined by civic chief Bhushan Gagrani, MMRDA chief Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee, representatives from the railways, navy, army, police commissioner, and other officials. Following the session, Shinde reaffirmed their commitment to preventing casualties during the upcoming monsoon season. "All agencies have been instructed to collaborate closely to ensure not a single casualty occurs," he stated. Shinde highlighted the identification of high-risk areas and ongoing measures to address them.
Earlier, BJP Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar raised concerns about the efficacy of desilting efforts and called for transparency through a white paper on the status of desilting operations. Shelar conducted inspections at various sites including Gazdar Bandh Junction, South Avenue, North Avenue, and SNDT nullah in the western suburbs. He contested BMC's claim of 75% completion, alleging that only 40 to 45% of the work had been done. Former Leader of Opposition Ravi Raja echoed similar sentiments.
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Shinde stressed that the ongoing silt removal from drains is prioritizing reaching the drain's hard base to ensure effective water flow. "Waterlogging indicates inadequate desilting," he noted, underlining BMC's commitment to serving as the nodal agency throughout the monsoon season.
The issue of waterlogging will be effectively addressed during the monsoon season. Shinde highlighted BMC's construction of 13 holding ponds aimed at preventing water accumulation in flood-prone areas. Additionally, heavy-duty pumps will be strategically placed in these areas and operated round the clock to mitigate any instances of waterlogging.
To tackle potholes amid the rains, the civic body will employ mastic asphalt for road and junction repairs. BMC has been utilizing this material for several years, citing its efficacy and durability as key advantages.