Mumbai News: BMC Fails To Fill Dug-Up Pit For Underground Parking At Breach Candy, Causing Mosquito Breeding Concerns

Mumbai: The huge pit dug up for the underground parking project behind Tata Garden at Breach Candy, has become a mosquito breeding spot. Despite repeated reminders from the residents, the BMC has failed to fill the huge pit, which was dug up for the underground parking project along the Coastal Road.

"It is more than two years the trench has been kept open. I have been following up with the Coastal Road team since long, but they fall on deaf ears. It's high time that BMC starts filling up the trench as monsoon has set in and this stagnant water will breed mosquitoes and cause a pandemic," said N Lakhani, a resident of Bhulabhai Desai Road.

The unfilled pit dug up for underground parking behind Tata Garden at Breach Candy, along the Coastal Road

Another resident, Veerajan Nath said, "The Ocean View got flooded due to the huge trench dug by L&T. The open trench got full and the filthy water came into the compound. It is a complete mess and poorest planning. The contractor pays no heed. We are suffering with mosquitoes and flies coming inside the house. Residents, especially the senior citizens are falling sick."

A senior official from the BMC's Coastal Road department accepted that the pit has not been filled yet. "This is already been told to contractor as the car park was already cancelled due to resistance from local citizens," the officer told the FPJ.

Notably, after the monsoon hit city on Monday, south Mumbai recieved heavy downpour compared to the suburbs. In the span of 12 hours, areas like Nariman point, Colaba and Grant Road received more than 200 mm rainfall. While areas like Malabar Hill, Worli and Haji Ali received more than 100 mm rainfall. Several areas including Breach Candy faces flooding.

The BMC had planned two-storeyed underground parking was planned behind Tata Garden near Amarsons junction, accomodating 246 vehicles. The construction work had also begun, but it was shelved after the Breach Candy residents voiced concerns over the traffic congestion that would come if the underground parking is built in the area.

The members of the Breach Candy Residents Forum said, 'The water has turned green. We were told by the authorities that they are working on it. Although, they might not have anticipated early morning, but there has been to sign of start of the work either. It pit has stagnant water after the rainfall. We want to know the amount of time it will take to start and complete the work."