Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Pre-monsoon work in Navi Mumbai' that was published in Newsband

Pre-monsoon work in Navi Mumbai

As far as pre-monsoon work in Navi Mumbai is concerned 40% desilting work is done. There is doubt whether the work will get completed before the deadline. It is necessary to clear all the drainage channels for a flood-free monsoon. This time the civic administration is focusing on not leaving any desilted filth unattended near the gutters or nullahs. The contractors are also instructed to clear the wet waste removed from the nullahs within 24 hours. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has hired 91 contractors for conducting the pre-monsoon work.

Pre-monsoon showers affect road repair work. Road repair works are not expected to meet the deadline with large stretches of work continuing,

The city welcomed the first pre-monsoon showers just recently. The rain has put the civic body’s road repair and drain de-silting work on the slow track. The situation could worsen if the city receives more pre-monsoon showers.

The chronic big patches taken up for repairs will have to be completed by filling potholes. Besides, the road projects, which include major roads, will not be completed by end of monsoon. With rains and the quarry issue, it may continue in June as well which may create issues for citizens and motorists.

The rain hasn’t affected work of nullah cleaning much which shows signs of being completed on time. However, citizens slammed the civic body for blaming pre-monsoon showers for the delay in road and drain works. The same excuses are given by the civic body every year. Blaming rains is the easiest way for civic officials to hide their inefficiency. Not only is road work affected, but the silt kept along nullahs will go back into the drain due to the rain. So, it will have to be removed again.

Two main pre-monsoon works are in limbo. Contractors have been strictly told to complete road repairs before the deadline. Navi Mumbaikars may have to face bad roads and water logging in the city this monsoon too as NMMC is likely to miss its deadline for two major pre-monsoon activities — road repairs and nullah desilting.

As the quarries in Navi Mumbai — from where the contractors bring materials — have been shut, the road repair works in the city are on hold. Desilting work is still incomplete. The nullahs are the way for rain water to drain out into the sea. This is crucial to prevent waterlogging in the city. The NMMC has dug up major roads and minor roads, but work has stopped as raw materials are not available.  Good roads and an end to water logging are main expectations Navi Mumbaikars have in the monsoon.