Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): As the monsoon draws closer, the snail pace of nullah cleaning in the city could result in miseries if rains started without the drive being completed. There are around 125 nullahs, including primary and secondary ones in the city, according to officials of Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC). BMC administration has claimed that nullaha in 50 per cent of zones have been cleaned and the rest will be cleaned by June 10.
While the municipal administration has deployed poclain machines to clean major nullah, but for cleaning of nullah in congested slum areas, ‘robots’ or small JCB machines will be pressed. Choked nullahas throw life completely out of gears as rainwater virtually turns roads into rivers especially in slum areas.
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BMC focusing on major nullah
“BMC has so far focused on big nullah but neglected the congested ones which may become problematic for people during monsoon. Similarly, choked drains have not been cleaned. Before the arrival of monsoon, all these nullahs and choked drains have to be cleaned.”
-Guddu Chauhan, Congress corporator
Robots to clean congested ones
“We have one poclain machine at every two zones. So we have taken up cleaning of big nullahs first. For congested nullahs or those in the congested areas we will press ‘robots’ and even manual nallaha gangs will be deployed.”
-RK Singh Baghel, Mayor-in-Council(MIC) member
‘Nullah in 50% zones cleaned’
“Nullahs in 50 per cent zones have been cleaned and the cleaning of those remaining will be cleaned by June 10, the tentative date for monsoon arrival. There are 125 nullah in Bhopal including primary and secondary.”
-Yogendra Patel, deputy commissioner BMC
