The Collector's Office has received an update indicating that 37,000 meters of rainwater drains have been cleaned this year under the annual maintenance contract managed by the Municipal Corporation's Construction Department. Despite the code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections, 75% of the city's drains have been cleared. Out of 13,946 chambers, 10,041 have already been cleaned. Ongoing drain and chamber cleaning activities are currently causing disruptions at many intersections in the city, leading to traffic congestion. However, the Municipal Corporation assures that the remaining work will be completed before the onset of the monsoon season.
Each year, the municipality undertakes drain and chamber cleaning as a precautionary measure before the monsoon. This year, the Municipal Corporation allocated Rs 30 crore from the annual maintenance fund for these tasks. Previously, contractors were appointed ward-wise for cleaning sewers, rainwater drains, underground drains, and chambers. However, in recent years, a single tender has been issued for the entire city's annual maintenance. This streamlined approach includes providing JCBs, Poklen, Murum, Cutch, Asphalt, and labor, eliminating the need for separate tenders for drain and chamber cleaning.
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Under the leadership of Collector Jalaj Sharma, the Collector's Office reviewed disaster management preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, including pre-monsoon works. Nashik has faced flooding in recent years, particularly in the Main Road and Sarafbazar areas, due to overflowing sewers and chambers after the first heavy rains. This has led to criticism that the municipal corporation is not adequately cleaning the drains, despite their claims of annual maintenance.
To address these concerns, the Construction Department of the Municipal Corporation submitted a report to the Collector. According to the report, the department has completed 75% of the drain cleaning work. Nashik has a 363,022-meter-long monsoon sewer pipeline with 13,946 chambers, of which 10,041 have been cleaned. The city also has 121,000 meters of drains, with 50,926 meters earmarked for cleaning. As of now, 37,139 meters have been cleaned, and the remaining 13,777 meters are expected to be cleaned by the end of May.
The Municipal Corporation remains committed to diligently preparing the city for the upcoming monsoon season, aiming to prevent flooding and maintain a clean environment for its residents.