Mumbai: The BMC on Saturday launched a citywide drive to improve “visible cleanliness”, directing all ward offices to identify and permanently eliminate garbage vulnerable points (GVPs), install CCTV cameras at such locations and initiate strict penal action against those caught dumping waste in public.There are 231 GVPs in the city, of which 49 have been elevated so far, and on 73 locations CCTV cameras have been placed.Municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide, in a meeting held along with all heads of departments at the BMC headquarters, instructed ward officers to conduct regular inspections; remove encroachments from footpaths around schools, hospitals, railway and Metro stations; demolish illegal constructions; address traffic bottlenecks; and prioritise pothole complaints received through BMC’s ‘Marg’ app.Bhide said the civic body has mapped garbage hotspots across Mumbai on Google Maps and will subject each location to a structured assessment to identify the source and type of waste, plug gaps in collection and transportation, engage with residents and commercial establishments, and step up awareness campaigns. CCTV surveillance will be installed at all GVPs to deter littering, while repeat offenders will face penal action.The BMC said the campaign will focus on markets, major roads, footpaths, beaches, public spaces, vacant plots, drains and water bodies. It also plans to strengthen interception systems to prevent plastic and other solid waste from entering drains, creeks and the sea during the monsoon.Bhide asked assistant municipal commissioners to conduct regular field visits and work with local elected representatives to sustain cleanliness. Zonal deputy commissioners have been asked to review sanitation work every week, with special emphasis on clearing roadside garbage that poses health risks during the monsoon.The civic chief also directed officials to intensify special cleanliness drives at heritage sites, tourist attractions and other high-footfall public areas. Officers and staff who carry out the highest number of enforcement actions against littering will be recognised, she said.Separately, Bhide ordered immediate removal of encroachments from footpaths near schools, hospitals, railway and Metro stations and markets, saying nearly half of Mumbai’s commuters travel on foot and pedestrian infrastructure must remain obstruction-free. Illegal hawkers, unauthorised ramps and other obstructions are to be removed to make footpaths fully walkable.On potholes, the BMC said complaints have declined as more roads are being concretised. It claimed that 96% of pothole complaints received on the ‘Marg’ app between June 10 and July 30 have been resolved and directed officials to maintain the pace of redressal.Reiterating the Bombay high court’s observations on illegal constructions, Bhide said payment of property tax, electricity connections or old occupancy do not confer legality on unauthorised structures, and directed officials to ensure that such constructions are not regularised under any circumstances.
