‘Ensure Culverts Under Railway Tracks Are Cleaned Before Monsoon': BMC

The BMC administration has instructed officials to ensure that the culverts under the railway tracks are cleaned before the monsoon. The civic officials have also been told to certify them by June 5. The officials concerned will be held responsible if there is flooding in their respective areas due to choked drains on railway land, said a senior civic official.

The BMC pays for the cleaning of drains on the Western and Central Railway lines. However, when there is water logging in the area due to blocked drains, the civic body faces criticism. This time, the authorities have directed their officials to supervise and certify a culvert in their area that runs under railway property.

“It will be the responsibility of the concerned civic official to communicate with the local railway official and get the culvert cleaned by June 5,” said a senior civic official.

Officials have been instructed to ensure that nullahs are cleaned repeatedly to avoid choke-ups during heavy rain. The civic body has appointed 31 agencies at a whopping cost of Rs249 to unclog all the major and minor nullahs, the drains adjoining the two expressways and the Mithi river. The desilting exercise is carried out throughout the year to remove muck that blocks the smooth flow of water. It slows down the force of water and results in overflowing during heavy rains in the monsoon.

Despite the desilting of nullahs last year, it was observed the city’s drains were choked with garbage, large amounts of plastic, cloth and wooden items. The BMC has appealed to the citizens not to throw garbage or other waste material in nullahs and co-operate with the civic body for flood-free monsoon.