Despite civic body’s crackdown, debris piles up four times on April 7, 12, 18, and 29; Wadala residents demand CCTV surveillance and night patrols
A pile of debris at RA Kidwai Marg in Wadala. Pics/Ashish Raje
Although the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is working to curb illegal debris dumping, RA Kidwai Marg in Wadala has once again turned into a hotspot. According to locals, unknown vehicles have dumped debris on the road four times in April alone. Nimish Malda, a local resident, said, “In April, debris was dumped four times at the same spot outside the P&T Colony. The latest instance was on the night of April 29. I posted a complaint with the BMC on social media on April 30, but the debris has not been cleared yet.”
Malda confirmed that the dumping occurred on April 7, 12, 18, and 29. “Last year, too, debris was dumped regularly. It only stopped after mid-day reported on it,” he said.
“In April alone, debris was dumped four times at the same spot. After each complaint, the BMC removed it, but they should monitor the area and prevent further dumping,” he added.
Residents complain that debris spreads across road, causing accidents
Another resident, Mukesh Mehata, said, “This is the same spot where debris is dumped regularly. If it’s not removed immediately, it spreads across the road and causes accidents. But our question is—how can someone dump debris so openly? What is the authority doing?” Mehata asked.
Sachin Rasal, a passerby, said, “I stay nearby and have seen debris dumped here many times. It’s possible that the debris is being dumped after midnight.”
Arun Kshirsagar, assistant municipal commissioner of F North Ward, said, “Yes, I have received complaints about debris being dumped on the road. I immediately instructed for it to be removed. I will conduct a review tomorrow. If this turns out to be a regular dumping site, we will decide on a course of action in coordination with the police department.”
Meanwhile, locals are demanding the installation of CCTV cameras in the area, particularly on the few-metre stretch where dumping repeatedly occurs. They also want night surveillance to be introduced.
An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “If we want to install CCTV cameras at the spot, we need to get multiple permissions. It will take some time to implement.”
To address illegal dumping, the BMC has set up debris processing centres in Dahisar and Kalyan and launched a ‘debris on call’ service. These plants process over 50,000 metric tonnes of debris. The processing fee is Rs 1425 per tonne for the city and eastern suburbs, and Rs 1415 per ton for the western suburbs. If developers choose to transport the debris themselves to the plant, the fees reduce to Rs 715 for the city and eastern suburbs and Rs 710 for the western suburbs.
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