Residents of Marol have voiced strong concerns over the delayed cleaning of the Krishna Nagar nullah, which runs from SEEPZ to the Mithi River. The NGO Watchdog Foundation, alarmed by the state of the clogged drain following heavy rains in Mumbai, formally alerted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on 28 May, attaching photographic evidence. Their complaint finally prompted the civic body to clear the nullah on 29 May, though locals remain sceptical about the effectiveness of the operation.
Advocate Godfrey Pimenta, trustee of the Watchdog Foundation, explained, “For years, the Krishna Nagar nullah was neglected, causing inconvenience during the monsoon. Despite the BMC’s claim of over 100% cleaning, rubbish remained visible. We took it upon ourselves to investigate and then submitted our findings with proof.” Local resident Vishal Raut added, “We repeatedly requested the ward office to clear the drain, but no action was taken. Only after heavy rain did the authorities respond. Even now, debris dumped beside the nullah risks washing back into the waterway if it rains again. The cleaning should have been done earlier in May to allow silt to dry and be removed properly.”
Residents also questioned the BMC’s claim that nearly 76 trucks were deployed for the clean-up, noting that only around five trucks were seen on the day of clearance. The nullah spans 2.27 km, passing landmarks including SevenHills Hospital, Marol village, and the Leela Mumbai hotel before meeting the Mithi River.
A senior BMC official acknowledged the delay but emphasised the shared responsibility of residents in preventing clogging. “We do clean nullahs before monsoon, but the problem arises because people discard waste irresponsibly. With better civic sense, much of this could be avoided. We are working on removing the debris swiftly, and we expect no further waterlogging in the area now.”
Source: Mid-day
