Bhiwandi: Taking note of concerns highlighted by The Free Press Journal over the slow pace of drain desilting works in Bhiwandi, Mayor Narayan Choudhary on Saturday inspected several areas under the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) and expressed displeasure over poor pre-monsoon preparedness.
A dramatic scene unfolded during the inspection when a local social activist, protesting against alleged negligence in drain-cleaning works, jumped into a drain in front of the mayor and civic officials. The activist was later persuaded to come out after intervention by Choudhary and municipal officers.
The inspection exposed a gap between official claims and the condition of drains on the ground. According to the Mayor, civic officials informed him that only around 34% of desilting work had been completed, even as the monsoon is just days away.
Choudhary visited several locations under ward committee 1 with municipal officials. Large quantities of silt, sludge and garbage were found accumulated in drains. Several drains that were reportedly shown as cleaned were found either partially cleaned or untouched.
The mayor reprimanded officials on the spot and directed them to complete all pending desilting works on priority. He warned that contractors failing to meet deadlines or maintain quality standards would face strict action, including withholding of payments and possible blacklisting.
“With the monsoon approaching rapidly, there is absolutely no room for negligence. Every pending drain-cleaning work must be completed immediately. Contractors delivering unsatisfactory work will not be spared,” Choudhary said.
Choudhary said BNMC spends crores of rupees annually on desilting, yet several areas continue to face drainage issues. While major drains have largely been cleaned, work on internal and secondary drains is slow, he said.
“We are prioritising waterlogging-prone locations and ensuring that the remaining work is completed at the earliest. However, the current pace is not satisfactory,” he said.
A sanitation department official, on condition of anonymity, alleged that several contracts had been awarded to relatives of local corporators. Residents have urged BNMC to speed up work before heavy rains.
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