Thane, July 10: Following widespread waterlogging during the very first spell of monsoon rain, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has faced a harsh reality check regarding its pre-monsoon preparedness.
In a decisive move against substandard work, the civic body has penalised seven contractors a total of Rs 28.32 lakh for gross negligence in drain desilting (nalasafai) operations.
Crores of rupees were allocated for the pre-monsoon cleaning drive, which commenced on April 10 with an initial completion deadline of May 31, later extended to June 5.
Despite claims of deploying additional machinery, manpower and conducting daily review meetings, several drains remained heavily choked with silt. Citizens reported that in many areas, machinery was parked merely for display, and contractors abandoned the work after just a couple of days.
Inspection Reveals Lapses
An administrative inspection revealed incomplete and poor-quality work across several wards, leading to severe flooding in localities including Mumbra, Kalwa, Diva, Majiwada-Manpada, Naupada, Uthalsar, Wagle Estate, Lokmanya-Savarkar Nagar and Vartak Nagar.
Breakdown Of Penalties
● Diva Ward: Rs 7.35 lakh (highest penalty)
● Uthalsar and Mumbra: Rs 4.50 lakh each
● Majiwada-Manpada: Rs 4.22 lakh
● Naupada: Rs 3.90 lakh
● Kalwa: Rs 2.30 lakh
● Wagle Estate, Lokmanya-Savarkar Nagar and Vartak Nagar: Remaining penalised amounts
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The civic administration confirmed that the fine amounts will be directly deducted from the contractors' final bills. However, local residents remain disgruntled, questioning whether this punitive action will truly compensate for the severe property damage and disruptions they suffered due to the civic failure.
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