The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation H/east ward office initiated a major clean up drive on an open plot adjacent to the railway tracks near Bandra station (East) on Monday and since then, 100 metric tonnes of garbage including plastic, food waste and huge quantities of cloth waste have been removed. The plot belonging to the Western Railway (WR) had been functioning as a dumping ground of sorts for illegal slums for almost a year.
The action came after DNA has been reporting about the issue regularly and taking it up with both BMC and WR.
"As per directions received from our higher-ups, we began the work of clearing the garbage from the plot belonging to the WR. We carried out a demolition of 14 slums to make way for our JCB and trucks to reach the plot," shared Ashok Khairnar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, H/East ward speaking to DNA who also appreciated the newspaper for taking up this issue and following it regularly.
Khairnar informed that the entire drive that involved one JCB, 12 staff and few dumpers to remove the garbage from the plot was taken under the supervision of Assistant Engineer (SWM), H/East ward and Station Master of Bandra railway station.
"It was due to heavy rains that we could not carry out the work on Wednesday but once the rains subside, we will begin the work of clearing the garbage and soon completely rid the plot of all the garbage from the plot. The clear plot will be handed over to WR who will have to take responsibility of ensuring that there is no recurrence of the same issue here," stated Khairnar.
Earlier the entire plot of land, which is now full of debris, was covered with garbage. Huge mounds of plastic along with fabric waste generated from multiple units operating inside Garib Nagar slums were dumped in the plot along with household and other waste.
Commuters moving on the Bandra foot overbridge too had been long complaining about the need for clearing the garbage.
The plot was earlier encroached upon by slums, which were demolished by BMC in 2017 and a boundary wall was constructed. However, the plot was ignored by WR due to which it soon became a garbage dumping ground.
Meanwhile Chief Public Relation Officer (CPRO) for WR, Ravinder Bhakar emphasised that WR will ensure that once cleared, this plot will no longer witness a repeat of what had happened earlier. "We will soon work out plans to ensure that this plot is utilised in a manner that it is not misused, if possible we will tie-up with NGOs or see how this plot can be best utilised," he said.