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As Mumbai roads and rail tracks got flooded in first monsoon rains on Wednesday, Maharashtra BJP leader Ashish Shelar said the BMC’s claim of completing pre-monsoon work stands exposed and alleged massive irregularities in cleaning of nullahs, culverts, sewers and open drains in Mumbai in the last five years.
Shelar said the claim of the Shiv Sena-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) that 104 per cent work of cleaning nullahs, sewers and open drains has been done before the monsoon has been exposed after heavy rains caused water-logging in various parts of the city and flooding on rail tracks.
Every year more than Rs 150 crore is allocated for cleaning of nullahs, sewers and open drains in the city, the former minister said.
However, an ”unholy nexus between contractors, the ruling party and officers has led to “looting” of Rs 1,000 crore from the civic exchequer in the last five years , he alleged.
“We have been demanding proof of silt taken out during the cleaning work, but the authorities have been backing contractors,” he said.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray visited the BMC control room and spoke to civic commissioner I S Chahal and other officials after heavy rains lashed Mumbai and its adjoining areas and disrupted normal life.
