BMC Saves ₹15 Crore Using AI To Monitor Stormwater Drain Desilting, Enhances Transparency

Mumbai: Last year, the BMC saved around Rs 15 crore by using the Artificial Intelligence (AI) model exclusively to monitor stormwater drain (SWD) desilting work performed by contractors. Since last year, contractors have been required to upload photos and videos before, during, and after the desilting and silt dumping, along with the live site location. The AI platform was generated by the BMC-appointed agency at a cost of around Rs 25,00,000. “The AI has been introduced to minimize human interference in SWD desilting entries and enhance monitoring and transparency,” said additional municipal commissioner Abhijit Bangar.

Contractors Not Paid for Trips Where AI Fails to Verify Uploads

“If the photos/videos are not uploaded, or the AI does not verify it, the trip is considered incomplete, and the contractor is not paid for it. The AI does not accept photos/video ghosting. When this was highlighted to the contractors, they did not object to it either, and they haven’t been paid for such trips. More or less, these violations were found across 24 wards,” Bangar said.

The officer added that several systems were observed to have been active, collectively concentrated at specific sites, which was found to be fishy. It was later learnt that the engineers/contractors uploaded photos/videos from their office, when it was mandated to do so from the site. “The silt dumping grounds are geo-tagged as well. The AI model is better trained this year, and we expect 80 to 90% of efficacy.”

Full-Fledged Pre-Monsoon Desilting to Begin April 4, Live Dashboard Available

The BMC administration said last week that full-fledged pre-monsoon desilting, including the Mithi River, will begin on April 4. It aims to complete 80% of the desilting pre-monsoon, 10% during the monsoon, and 10% post-monsoon. The civic administration has informed that, similar to last year, a live SWD dashboard will be available for citizens to track desilting progress this year too.

The commencement of the desilting work has been delayed this year after the two contractors were blacklisted last monsoon, necessitating a retender to appoint new contractors. For the Mithi river, against the backdrop of the inquiry by the Mumbai police’s Economic Offenses Wing against the contractor and civic staff in the desilting scam, the BMC had a tough time attracting bidders to work on Mithi. However, both minor and major SWD desilting have now begun.

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