Latest news with #BrihanmumbaiMunicipalCorporation
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Cooper Hospital dean suspended over administrative irregularities
Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ordered the removal of the dean of HBT Medical College and Dr RN Cooper Municipal General Hospital, Dr Sudhir Medhekar, from his position after receiving complaints of administrative irregularities. Dr Sudhir Medhekar has been asked to perform only his academic duties as the head of the department of dermatology, according to the BMC order. A letter issued by the deputy municipal commissioner (public health), Sharad Ughade, on Tuesday stated that all of Dr Medhekar's administrative and financial powers have been withdrawn until further orders. The BMC has also ordered an inquiry into 'various irregularities found at the administrative and other levels' at the civic hospital and medical college in Juhu, the order said. Following this, Neelam Andrade, director of major BMC hospitals, will, in coordination with Ughade, perform all the responsibilities and duties of the college dean. Dr Medhekar has been asked to perform only his academic duties as the head of the department of dermatology, according to the order. 'This matter is still under review. He is temporarily suspended from his duties as dean,' said a BMC official, requesting anonymity. Dr Medhekar did not respond to HT's messages and calls for comment. While the BMC order did not specify the alleged irregularities, according to several sources at Cooper Hospital, contractual workers, including cleaning and clerical staff members, were not paid their salaries for the last four months. The staff members repeatedly contacted the administration regarding this, but the dean allegedly did not respond. 'We suspected wrongdoing on contracts and tenders issued by him, due to which the hospital administration was suffering,' said a senior BMC official, requesting anonymity. 'He was not paying contractors, which led to them threatening a strike. The hospital's functioning had taken a hit. With it being one of the major hospitals in the western suburbs, it was causing a problem in medical work. He lacks administrative skills.' Senior resident doctors were also allegedly not paid according to the Maharashtra government's March 2024 order increasing their stipend by ₹10,000. This had led to severe frustration, with many doctors even writing to the state government and the BMC seeking help. Doctors who had cleared their Diplomate of National Board (DNB) in medicine and DNB diploma courses were also allegedly never handed their employment order to work as residents in the hospital. They were hired as contractual staff and worked over 12 hours, manning the shift timings of a full-time resident in the hospital, said a resident at the hospital, who requested anonymity, fearing backlash. 'They are paid extremely low salaries, even around ₹15,000, as they are contractual workers. They do not have any documentation, which has led to a problem as MDMS residents get paid at least six times more than them,' added the resident. These hurdles greatly affected regular functioning at the civic hospital, with an unhappy administration adding to the manpower shortage hurdles faced regularly. 'Many of the residents couldn't even threaten strikes because of the work they had to do owing to the manpower shortage,' said the resident. The residents then approached deputy municipal commissioner (public health) Ughade, additional municipal commissioner (public health) Vipin Sharma, and municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, seeking help in this regard.
Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Climate
- Indian Express
Two houses partially collapse in Bhandup mudslide; no injuries
Amid heavy rainfall in the city over the past few days, a mudslide occurred at a residential pocket situated along the hilly terrain in Bhandup late Tuesday, leading to the partial collapse of two vacated houses. No injuries were reported, officials said. According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) S ward office, the incident was reported at 7.32 pm near the Sai Niketan CHS in Bhandup West's Khindipada area. According to officials, the partially collapses houses situated along the hilly terrain were vacated and no injuries were reported. In a bid to prevent any untoward incident, the civic body vacated at least 3 – 4 nearby houses in the locality. Bhandup is among several pockets such as Ghatkopar and Vikhroli, which have been identified as landslide-sensitive areas, as per surveys conducted by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). The slopes of these hills have informal settlements inhabited by Lower Income Groups (LIG) and members from marginalised communities. On May 22 this year, the BMC had appealed to slum dwellers in these areas to relocate to safer locations. Directing residents to exercise precaution, civic officials also issued notices to vacate their homes along the slopes and migrate to safer pockets. This is the second house collapse incident in the city between Tuesday and Wednesday morning. According to the BMC, at least 11 incidents of tree collapses were also reported in 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Wednesday, of which the maximum cases (8) have been recorded in the western suburbs. Seven incidents of short circuit were also reported.
News18
19 hours ago
- Climate
- News18
Good News For Mumbai: Tansa Becomes Third Lake To Overflow After Incessant Rain
Last Updated: According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Tansa Lake began to overflow at 5:40 pm on Tuesday evening In welcome cheer for Mumbaiites, the Tansa Lake — one of the city's seven key water sources —started to overflow on Tuesday owing to the steady and strong rainfall in its catchment area over the past few days. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Tansa Lake began to overflow at 5:40 pm on Tuesday evening, boosting Mumbai's water stock. This will ensure uninterrupted water supply in the coming months. This is the third lake this season to reach full capacity. Earlier, on July 7, three gates of the 'Hinduhṛidayasamrat Shiv Sena Pramukh Balasaheb Thackeray Middle Vaitarna Reservoir' were opened after the water level crossed the safe limit. 🚰 मुंबईला पाणीपुरवठा करणाऱ्या ७ जलाशयांचा आज सकाळी ६ वाजेपर्यंतचा अहवाल—🚰 Report of water stock in the seven lakes, supplying water to Mumbai, till 6am today. #MumbaiRains #MyBMCUpdates — माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) July 23, 2025 Soon after, on July 9, Modak Sagar Lake also started overflowing. Now, with Tansa full, the city's cumulative water stock has crossed 86.88% of its total storage capacity. The Tansa dam, located in Shahapur Taluka of Thane district, is one of Mumbai's oldest stone masonry dams and holds a special place in the city's water supply system. It has a maximum storage capacity of about 14,508 crore litres (145,080 million litres) — an impressive figure that directly impacts lakhs of residents. The continuous downpour in the lake's catchment area has steadily pushed up the water levels in recent days. BMC engineers said that early today that all seven lakes together hold nearly 87% of their total storage capacity — an encouraging sign when compared to dry years. Records show that Tansa Lake tends to fill up around this time. Last year, it started overflowing on July 24. In 2023, it overflowed on July 26, while in 2022, it reached its capacity as early as July 14. In 2021, Tansa overflowed on July 22, and in 2020, it reached its full mark on August 20. With more rain expected over the next few days, civic officials hope the other lakes will also fill up soon, ensuring that Mumbai's vast population gets an uninterrupted supply of drinking water through the year. view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 19:42 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
19 hours ago
- News18
Shorter Visits, WhatApp Bookings: Mumbaiites' Malabar Hill Gallery Visit To Be A Walk In The Park
Last Updated: Mumbai recently introduced its first elevated nature trail at Malabar Hill, inspired by Singapore's famous 'Tree Top Walk' The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is set to allow visitors of the elevated natural trail walkway at Malabar Hill to book slots for a shorter period of time to enter the walkway and book tickets through WhatsApp Messenger. Currently, visitors can pre-book an hour-long slot through the BMC's dashboard which is accessible via mobile phones and computers. The plan is to divide the one-hour slot into four 15-minute ones, according to reports. The BMC also plans to introduce a chatbot that will be integrated with the BMC's official helpline number allowing citizens to book the tickets directly. Pramod Navalkar Viewing Gallery at Malabar Hill Mumbai recently introduced its first elevated nature trail at Malabar Hill, inspired by Singapore's famous 'Tree Top Walk', after nearly four years of construction. This beautiful forest walkway offers visitors a peaceful escape in the middle of the busy city. The trail connects Kamala Nehru Park to Doongerwadi Woods, giving nature lovers a unique way to experience the city's green spaces. Managed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the project aims to bring people closer to nature while maintaining the beauty of the environment. The walkway has been built at a cost of Rs 25 crore. Malabar Hill Viewing Gallery: Current entry fees, timings, restrictions There is a cap on several visitors allowed at any given time to prevent crowding. The entry will be capped at 200 persons at a time. There are restrictions on carrying food as it may attract monkeys. Visitors will only be allowed to carry water bottles. The elevated walkway is open daily from 5 AM to 9 PM. Visitors can book their tickets online for easy access on: Entry Fee for Indian Citizens: Rs 25 Entry Fee for Foreign Nationals: Rs 100 How To Reach Malabar Hill Viewing Gallery? The 485-meter-long, 2.4-meter-wide trail is enveloped in vibrant greenery, showcasing over 100 plant species, including gulmohar, almond, jamun, and banyan trees. These trees attract many birds, like kingfishers, bulbuls, and parakeets. Visitors may also spot small reptiles, including lizards and pythons, living in their natural habitat. The entry and exit points are located at Siri Road, behind Kamala Nehru Park, making the trail easily accessible to the public. view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 19:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Nearly 36% progress in construction of seven STP facilities in Mumbai
With one year left for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to start commissioning the seven sewage treatment plants (STP) in a phased manner, the civic body's record shows that the overall average progress of all the seven facilities stand at 36%. A sewage treatment plant (STP) is a facility that scientifically purifies and recycles waste water, making it suitable for reuse or bringing down pollutant levels before discharging them into the natural water bodies. According to BMC's figures, out of the 3,850 million litres of water that Mumbai consumes daily, nearly 3,040 million litres daily (MLD) or 78% gets converted into sewage. In 2022, the BMC took up an ambitious Rs 30,000 crore project for building seven STPs in Mumbai with an overall capacity to recycle wastewater up to 2,464 million litres daily (MLD). As part of this project, the seven STPs will be set up at Worli, Dharavi, Bandra, Versova, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Ghatkopar and Malad. While all the six facilities will include revamping of existing facilities, the plant at Dharavi is being built from scratch. Of the seven proposed plants, Worli will be the largest having a total capacity of processing 500 MLD of water, followed by 454 MLD at Malad, 418 MLD at Dharavi, 360 MLD at Bandra, 337 MLD at Ghatkopar, 215 MLD at Bhandup and 180 MLD at Versova. As per the BMC's plan, the STPs at Ghatkopar, Bhandup and Versova will become operational in 2026, while the Worli, Bandra and Dharavi facilities will become operational in 2027 and the Malad facility will be ready by 2028. Meanwhile, the BMC's figure also shows that the Bhandup facility has recorded the highest progress in construction work at 51% followed by 42% at Ghatkopar, 34% at Bandra and Worli, 33.7% at Dharavi, 32% at Versova and 28% at Malad. All the seven facilities are designed in a way that 100% (2,464 MLD) of the treated wastewater could be recycled for non-potable or tertiary usage. 'While initially we earmarked 50% of the total quantum for recycled usage. However, gradually this quantum will be expanded, and we will try to reduce the quantity of water that is being discharged to creeks and natural water bodies,' said an official. 'Multiple industrial and petroleum organisations have already approached us for buying out the tertiary treated water from the STP, for non-potable usage at their units. As the plants become operational at full capacity, we are expecting to get more offers from them. This will not only bring down the volume of water that is being discharged into natural water bodies but will also reduce dependency on the city's potable water supply for commercial usage,' the official added. The treated water from the new facility will be classified into two categories. Around 50% or 1,232 MLD of the total capacity will be classified as secondary treated water–that will be discharged into creeks and sea, while the remaining 50% will be classified as tertiary–treated water that will be recycled for non-potable usage. Once operational, these plants are expected to bring down water pollution in the natural bodies by a significant margin. The BMC's move of constructing STPs came after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a penalty of Rs 29.75 crore on the BMC for discharging untreated sewage in the city's water bodies.
