Drain Cleaning in Mumbai Metropolitan Area to be Completed by June 7; Action Will Be Taken Against Officials Delaying Drain Cleaning – Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

Mumbai : Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has instructed the Municipal Corporation administration to complete all ongoing drain cleaning work in Mumbai city and suburbs by June 7. He said action will be taken against officials who delay the drain cleaning work. He also directed that the sludge removed from drains should be cleared within 48 hours.

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde inspected the drain cleaning work. He visited drain cleaning sites at Ushananagar, Usha Complex, Nehrunagar drain in Wadala, and near Dharavi T Junction in Dadar. Present during the inspection were Principal Secretary Navin Sona, Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Municipal Corporation Abhijit Bangar, former Member of Parliament Rahul Shewale, MLA Tukaram Kate, former MLA Sada Sarvankar, and senior municipal officers. Officials present briefed the Deputy Chief Minister on the work completed so far in the Mumbai metropolitan area.

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde said, although the rains have started earlier than usual, instructions have been given to complete the drain cleaning work on time. So far, 85% of the major drains and 65% of the smaller drains have been cleaned, and there are still 15 days left. Therefore, he expressed confidence that the work will be completed within the scheduled time.

Drain cleaning is being carried out in coordination between the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and the Railway Administration. For this, AI technology is being used. Garbage under railway culverts is being cleaned with the help of robots. The Municipal Corporation identifies water-logging spots every year and has installed pumps at 422 locations. Additionally, two holding ponds and ten small pumping stations have been operationalized, Deputy Chief Minister Shinde said.

During the visit, he also went to the landslide-prone area of Suryanagar in Vikhroli and instructed the Municipal Corporation to install protective nets there. Since accidents happen every year at this location, the Deputy Chief Minister instructed officials to relocate local residents to safer places. He also visited Kasarwadi, a settlement of Municipal cleaning workers in Dadar, where he reviewed Balasaheb Thackeray’s hospital, study rooms, and other works carried out there.