Bhiwandi, June 23: The season's first heavy spell of monsoon rain brought much-needed relief from sweltering heat in Bhiwandi on Monday evening, but it also exposed glaring shortcomings in the city's pre-monsoon preparedness.
A brief yet intense downpour around 4:45 pm left several roads waterlogged and filthy drain water overflowing onto streets, raising serious questions over the Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation's (BNMC) desilting drive despite spending nearly Rs 2.5 crore on drain-cleaning works.
Residents across several low-lying localities complained that clogged storm-water drains and incomplete desilting caused rainwater to accumulate within minutes of the first shower.
In many places, overflowing drains discharged sewage onto roads and outside homes and shops, leaving commuters and local residents struggling through dirty, stagnant water.
Questions Over Desilting Work
According to civic records, the municipal corporation had sanctioned nearly Rs 2.5 crore for drain-cleaning across all five ward committees. Contractors began desilting operations on May 11 and were given around 45 days to complete the work before the arrival of the monsoon.
However, with nearly 43 days already over, several drains remain partially cleaned, while heaps of sludge and garbage removed from drains continue to lie along roadsides.
The first spell of rain washed much of this untreated waste back onto the streets, worsening the situation and disrupting traffic movement. Waterlogging and overflowing drains were reported near Super Bakery at Aam Pada, Nizampura Turn, Banjarpatti Naka, and in Ward Nos. 11, 12 and 14 of Shantinagar.
Several other areas, including Bhiwandi Bypass, Sai Baba Temple (Teen Batti), Bhaji Market, Padmanagar, Gaibinagar, Ansar Nagar, Gulzar Nagar and the vicinity of the city stadium, also witnessed severe water accumulation.
A senior official from the municipal sanitation department, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that several drain-cleaning contracts had been awarded to relatives of former corporators, resulting in poor supervision and negligence in executing the work. The official admitted that incomplete desilting had contributed to waterlogging in several parts of the city.
Residents also pointed out that large piles of silt removed from drains near Parshuram Tower at Dhobi Talao, close to the stadium, had remained unattended for several days. The rainfall washed the waste back into drains and onto roads, effectively undoing the cleaning exercise.
Also Watch:
Civic Body Responds To Complaints
Responding to the criticism, Faisal Tatli, Head of the Municipal Sanitation Department, said the desilting work was still in progress.
"We received complaints of drain water overflowing onto roads at two or three locations. Workers have been immediately deployed to clear the affected stretches, and the situation is being addressed," Tatli said.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
