Page 6 - Bmc

Mahanagar Gas to set up Rs 500-cr biogas plant in city, signs MoU with BMC

City gas distributor Mahanagar Gas on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to set up 1,000 tonnes per day (TPD) compressed biogas (CBG) plant in the megapolis at an investment of around Rs 500 crore. The proposed plant will process up to 1,000 TPD of deep segregated food and vegetable waste that will be supplied by the civic body, the utility company, which is a subsidiary of gas major Gail, a statement said. The waste, also known as CBG feedstock, will be collected from hotels, restaurants, banquet halls, and large vegetable markets/mandis in the city. The feedstock supply will be managed by BMC and will include collection, segregation and delivery. The plant on completion will provide a three-in-one solution, functioning as a biomass waste treatment plant, an organic fertiliser production plant and a green fuel production unit. The compressed biogas produced by the plant will be consumed within the city, it said without disclosing

Ahead of monsoon, BMC scoops a million tons silt from city gutters

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cleared nearly a million tons of garbage and silt from the network of Mumbai's gutters and drains

G20 disaster risk group meeting begins in Mumbai; delegates visit BMC

The G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group (DRRWG) meeting began on Tuesday, with the delegates visiting the Emergency Operations Centre at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters. The delegates to the three-day meeting appreciated BMC's preparedness to handle various disasters and lauded the prevention and mitigation measures of the civic body, an official release said. They also appreciated the magnificent and spectacular architecture of the 128-year-old BMC headquarters. The BMC Disaster Management Department is preparing a multi hazard vulnerability and risk assessment plan and is also in the process of developing various predictive/early warning system modules of various hazards for early action.

BMC announces ban on two-wheelers on Parel TT flyover from June 1

Two-wheelers and heavy vehicles, including public transport buses, will not be allowed to ply on Parel TT flyover in central Mumbai from June 1, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced on Monday. The BMC in a release said it has received a no objection certificate from the Mumbai traffic police to ban heavy vehicles on this decades old bridge on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marg, which serves as one of the major corridors in the city. The civic body plans to install height barriers of 2.5 meters and hence, no heavy vehicles, including BEST buses, will be allowed to use the bridge from June 1, Ulhas Mahale, deputy municipal commissioner (Infrastructure) told PTI. The BMC has started filling potholes on the road to avoid inconvenience to citizens during monsoon. Heavy vehicles cause potholes on the road every year. Hence, the traffic police requested the BMC's bridge department to take measures to ban heavy vehicles on the flyover, the release stated. Citizens have, however,

Citizens in Mumbai to receive weather updates on phones during monsoon: BMC

Citizens in Mumbai will receive weather updates on their mobile phones through SMSes during monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Tuesday. "An SMS alert will be sent to citizens during an emergency," the BMC said. BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Tuesday chaired a meeting with various agencies on disaster management as monsoon preparedness. Officials of BEST, MMRDA, MSRDC, PWD, Mumbai Metro, Railways, NDRF, IMD, MHADA and other agencies along with the civic officials attended the meeting. The District Disaster Management Department has set up a control room to provide timely alerts about weather conditions and it has a mechanism to provide real-time weather alerts. Chahal directed all departments and agencies to expedite coordination to mitigate the possible challenges during the monsoon, the release said. For the smooth operation of suburban trains, which are used by more than 70 lakh people daily, Chahal directed the BMC's garden department to comp

Benefits of technology should be made available to senior citizens: HC

The Bombay High Court has said that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should ensure that benefits of modern technology are made available to the public, especially senior citizens, to make commuting in the city "easier and more comfortable". A division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and R N Laddha was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) about the non-availability of a foot-over-bridge (FOB) connecting Bandra (East) railway station with the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) office-end. Disposing of the PIL on Monday, the court said the BMC should consider whether a part of the sky-walk can be a mechanized walkway so that it becomes useful to senior citizens and persons with disabilities. "The Central and Western Railways as also the Metro Rail have provided such mechanisms at several railway stations including escalators," the court said. Benefits of modern technology should be made available to commuters to make their commuting life in ..

BMC launches demolition drive against illegal film studios in coastal area

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday undertook a demolition drive against five unauthorised film studios in Madh, Erangal and Bhati areas in the Western suburbs. These studios, located in the P-North ward of the city, fall in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and the demolition would be completed within two days, the civic body said in a statement. A day before, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had tweeted about likely action by the BMC while claiming that dozens of unauthorized studios worth Rs 1,000 crore had come up there in 2021 when the Uddhav Thackeray-led government was in power in Maharashtra. After receiving complaints, officials of the P-North ward conducted inspection and served legal notices to studio owners, it said. Of 11 film studios operating illegally in the area, four were dismantled by their owners after getting the notice, two studios obtained required permissions and five studios had secured stay orders. On April 6, the National Green Tribunal ...

CAG report flags non-sharing of Covid expenditure records in Maharashtra

A report prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on the functioning of Mumbai's civic body has highlighted the lack of transparency and planning as well as careless use of funds and flagged non-sharing of COVID-19 management expenditure records. The CAG report, which was tabled in the Maharashtra Assembly on Saturday by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, scrutinized expenditure of Rs 12,023.88 crore made by nine departments of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation between November 28, 2019 and October 31, 2022. Several works were awarded without tendering or choosing proper contractors, including one case of an influent pumping station in which, the report said, malafide intentions cannot be ruled out. The CAG report also stated that records relating to the expenditure for the management of COVID-19 pandemic were not produced despite repeated requests to the civic body by the Office of the Accountant General (Audit)-I, Maharashtra. The non-production o

BMC constitutes 7-member committee to control Mumbai's air pollution

The decisions have come in the wake of G20 meetings, scheduled to be held in Mumbai at the end of March 2023

Litigations delaying Metro car shed project, causing losses: Bombay HC told

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that the construction of the car shed at Aarey Colony was getting delayed and causing loss of public money due to litigations, defending its plan to cut more trees at the site than earlier proposed. MMRCL, a nodal agency, told the HC that due to the court cases, it could not cut down trees in 2019 and this has now led to an increase in the number of trees that are required to be cut for the project at suburban Goregaon. In 2019, the MMRCL had sought permission from the tree authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to chop 84 trees. However, due to petitions filed in HC and later in the Supreme Court, a status quo was ordered. After the SC gave the green signal to cut trees, the MMRCL filed an application before the tree authority to cut down 177 trees. As per the MMRCL, the number of trees at the Metro car shed site has increased in the past four years. An activist, Zoru Bhath

BMC budget crosses 50,000 cr-mark in a first, 14.5% higher than last year

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the richest civic body in the country, on Saturday presented Rs 52,619.07 crore budget for the year 2023-24, with the budgetary estimates crossing the Rs 50,000 crore-mark for the first time. The budgetary estimates this time are 14.52 per cent more than the 2022-23 amount of Rs 45,949 crore. The BMC administration presented the budget to municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, who was appointed as the civic body's administrator by the state government in March last year after the five-year term of corporators ended. "The budget estimates for the financial year 2023-24 are proposed at Rs 52,619.07 crore, which exceeds the budget estimates of 2022-23, that is Rs 45,949.21 crore, by 14.52 per cent," the budget document said. This is for the first time after 1985 that the administration of the richest municipal body in the country presented the budget to an administrator. Addressing a press conference after the budget presentation, ...

Will file complaint against BMC public utility: Somaiya on 'Covid Ki Kamai'

"COVID ki KAMAI" Exposing One more scam of BMC today. 2.30 pm today, I will be meeting Labour Minister Suresh Khade at Mantralaya Mumbai to submit a detailed complaint," the BJP leader said in a tweet

Pollution control, better health system should be in BMC budget: Maha CM

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde on Thursday directed the BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal to prioritise pollution control, strengthening of health system, administration transparenc

Will expose BMC's 'Covid Ki Kamai' today, says BJP leader Kirit Somaiya

Hitting out at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya on Wednesday said he will expose "one more scam of the BMC" later in the day

Industrialists in Chhattisgarh freed from a hefty 'unwarranted' tax

Owners of the facilities located in the Urla Industrial Growth Centre - on the outskirts of capital Raipur - were in a fix over the huge penalty imposed due to a reported administrative error

Remdesivir scam: BMC cleared, govt urges to legislate against drugs' misuse

Simultaneously, the Lokayutka, Justice V.M. Kanade, has urged the Maharashtra government to enact suitable legislation to ensure availability of life-saving drugs at reasonable prices

Covid-19 centre contracts probe: BMC chief at ED office to record statement

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Monday went to the Enforcement Directorate's office here in connection with its probe into the alleged irregularities in award of contracts for COVID-19 care centres. The ED had summoned Chahal to record his statement in the matter. Chahal was seen entering the ED's office at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai at around 11.40 am. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya had alleged irregularities in the COVID-19 centers set up by the BMC. He had also filed a complaint at the Azad Maidan police station, based on which the police registered an FIR against a hospital management firm and some persons for allegedly submitting fake documents to obtain contracts of COVID-19 care centres.

After Sena ruckus, BMC seals all political party offices in civic building

In an unprecedented move, the BMC administration has sealed the offices of all political parties in the civic headquarters, triggering protests by different outfits, here on Thursday

Covid concerns: Working on 26 aspects to tackle any situation, says BMC

Amid the fear of a surge in COVID-19 cases, Mumbai's civic body on Monday said it was gearing up by creating special wards and replenishing medicine stocks as well as oxygen facilities. Nations like China, Japan and the United States of America are seeing a spike in cases, believed to be caused by BF.7, a sub variant of Omicron. A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation statement said it was working on 26 different aspects to tackle any emergency. "These include preparation of oxygen beds, ventilators, medicines, ICU beds, training of nurses and paramedical staff and maintaining sufficient stock of medicines," it said. "There are more than 2,100 beds ready in government and private hospitals where COVID-19 patients can be treated immediately. These include 1,049 ventilator beds and 579 ICU beds. There are 3,245 doctors, 5,784 nurses and nearly 200 ambulances as well," it said.

BMC prohibits staff from addressing media to counter fake information

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a circular that only the civic chief and additional municipal commissioner will be authorised to speak to the media henceforth. In a circular issued on Monday, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Chahal has instructed all other officers and staffers not to speak to the media. Only the municipal commissioner and concerned additional municipal commissioners will be the "competent authority" and they will be authorised to speak to the media, the circular said. Other officers and employees below the additional municipal commissioner rank are not authorised to speak to the media," it stated. The circular was issued after it was found that the department heads often shared information, including policy matters, with the media without the municipal commissioner's order, it said. Contradictory information was getting disseminated most of the time, which affected the civic body's image among the public, the circular said.