The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has intensified its pre-monsoon desilting operations across the city, with Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani directing officials to ensure meticulous planning, strict monitoring, and timely completion of the work to prevent waterlogging during the upcoming monsoon season.
Focus on Planning, Timely Disposal and Coordination
Reviewing the progress of desilting work across wards and zones, Gagrani emphasised that proper planning must be at the core of operations. He instructed that silt removed from drains should be transported and disposed of at designated locations within 48 hours to avoid secondary blockages and hygiene issues.
Highlighting inter-agency coordination as critical, the Commissioner directed officials to maintain close collaboration with the Railway Administration and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), particularly for works near railway tracks and infrastructure zones.
He also stressed the deployment of ‘trash booms’ at 14 identified locations to trap floating waste and prevent garbage from entering the sea.
Joint Inspections with Public Representatives
In a bid to enhance transparency and accountability, Gagrani instructed that elected representatives, ward committee chairpersons, and other public representatives be regularly updated on the progress of desilting work. He further directed officials to conduct joint inspection visits with them to assess on-ground execution.
Senior officials, including Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar and Chief Engineer (Storm Water Drains) Kalpana Raut, along with zonal and ward-level officers, attended the review meeting.
Key Drains and River Work Prioritised
The Commissioner noted that desilting work is progressing rapidly across Mumbai’s three administrative divisions—city, eastern suburbs, and western suburbs. He also announced that desilting of the Mithi River will commence shortly, with instructions to accelerate operations to meet deadlines.
Special attention is being given to critical drains such as Mogra Nala, Majas Nala, Mankhurd Nala, Somaiya Nala, Vakola Nala, and the Dadar-Dharavi drain. Deployment of machinery and trash booms at these locations has been prioritised to ensure smooth water flow.
Deadline Set for May-End Completion
The civic body has set a deadline of May 31, 2026, for completion of all storm water drain-related works, including desilting, widening of drains, and cleaning of culverts, especially those beneath railway tracks.
Officials have also been instructed to install pumps at vulnerable locations to facilitate quick drainage of rainwater and prevent flooding during heavy rainfall.
Tech-Driven Monitoring and Public Dashboard
To improve transparency, the BMC has introduced a digital dashboard on its official website, where citizens can access photos and videos of desilting work in real time. The Commissioner directed that this dashboard link be widely shared with citizens, media, and public representatives.
Additionally, the civic body will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems to analyse videos of desilting work, ensuring better monitoring and accountability.
Strict Action Against Irregularities
Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar stated that with only two months remaining before the monsoon, the work must be completed within schedule. He warned that any malpractice or negligence in desilting operations will invite strict action.
He also noted that new contractors have been appointed this year and stressed the need for strong coordination with them to ensure efficient and timely execution of the work.
