Corporators question BMC's monsoon preparedness claims

Corporators of various parties today raised the issue of water-logging due to rain in the standing committee meeting of the Shiv Sena-headed Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Corporators of the Congress, NCP, Samajwadi Party demanded clarification from civic chief Ajoy Mehta on water-logging in many areas of the city which was lashed by rains.

The standing committee is responsible for approving and allocating the funds required for various projects or works carried out by the BMC.

"We spend hunders and thousands of crores of money on cleaning drains every year. However, every year crores of people have to suffer flooding. Even a small spell of rain throws the city out of gear. We want satisfactory answer from the BMC," leader of opposition BMC Ravi Raja said.

Group leaders of other parties echoed him.

Mehta said, "Civic body has done immense work to flush out the rain water from the low-lying areas and installed pumping machines.

"Besides, the expanding roots of trees also sometime clog drains, which stop the flow of rain water. We are going to set up a special control room at Worli in Central Mumbai, which will monitor low-lying areas and flow of the rainwater".

Growing concretisation and shrinking of open spaces had reduced the capacity of the land to absorb water," he explained.

Questionning the monsoon preparedness of the BMC, the corporators said fresh potholes have come up on city roads.

Rais Sheikh of Samajwadi Party said, "The BMC claims to fill potholes withing 48 hours, but fails to do so even in four days. These potholes are turning as killer potholes. If the civic administration does not pay attention and fill the potholes of E-ward, then I will fill them myself.