BMC approves pre-monsoon work of ₹545 crore

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday approved proposals worth ₹545 crore, for desilting of stormwater drains and reinstating trenching along roads, in preparation for the monsoon 2022

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday approved proposals worth ₹545 crore, for desilting of stormwater drains and reinstating trenching along roads, in preparation for the monsoon 2022.

Of these, 23 proposals worth ₹162 crore are for desilting of stormwater drains, and the remaining proposals costing ₹383 crore are for reinstating trenches that were dug up for various utilities. (HT PHOTO)

In a statement on Thursday, the civic body said that a total of 30 proposals worth ₹545 crore were given administrative approval. Of these, 23 proposals worth ₹162 crore are for desilting of stormwater drains, and the remaining proposals costing ₹383 crore are for reinstating trenches that were dug up for various utilities.

This comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday criticised the civic body for sitting on proposals for pre-monsoon work. BJP said contractors will have a mere 1.5 months to complete pre-monsoon work, which is to be completed before June every year.

Every year, works are approved by the standing committee, the statutory body with the authority over financial matters of the BMC. This is the first time since 1984, in 38 years, that an administrator has been appointed to the civic body to oversee the daily work of the municipal corporation, owing to the gap between the election of a new municipal corporation, and the dissolution of the general body elected in 2017.

In its statement on Thursday, BMC said work orders for the pre-monsoon work will be issued to the contractors immediately so that pre-monsoon work can start right away. On Thursday, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar had met municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and demanded that work on monsoon preparedness start immediately across Mumbai.