Flooding to go on

Sources say that the work of cleaning at least 16 nullahs is severely hampered due to these obstructions. Most of these nullahs are situated in the E, F south, F north, G south and G north wards, where high voltage electric cables of the BEST, TEC and MTNL, and water supply mains passing beside the nullahs have made cleaning operations impossible.

K B Juriasinghani, Chief Engineer, BMC storm water drains department, expressed helplessness in removing the obstructions. “Even these agencies have their own problems, as high voltage cables and pipelines cannot be shifted on a short notice,” he stated. The BMC has directed the agencies to render assistance in cleaning the drains. “The MTNL has agreed to remove the cables from Dadasaheb Phalke road in the F south ward which causes flooding in the Gautam Nagar area. Likewise, the TEC has agreed to construct a catchpit chamber to facilitate desilting near Star Cinema in the E ward to minimise flooding at Dockyard Road.

Another of the BMC’s worries is the culverts and stormwater drains beside and below the railway tracks, which continue to remain full of garbage a main culprit of the flooding of tracks. “It would be wrong to say that the railway authorities have not done their job. However, the cleaning of the drains should be a continuous process. We clean and desilt a drain after intensive cleaning operations for weeks, only to find it full of garbage in a matter of days,” Juriasinghni said.

He pointed out that the BMC was trying to ensure less flooding in the known flood-prone areas. “We have built a temporary platform at Milan Subway in Santacruz to ensure the free movement of lighter vehicles.”