MUMBAI | FRIDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER 2019 5 COMMERCIAL FEATURE ‘Clean Mumbai, Green Mumbai, MCGM is committed to Mumbaikars for Eco-Friendly Mumbai!’ civic amenities 24x7 Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, Mayor of Mumbai, shares perspectives on initiatives Yashwant Jadhav, Chairman, taken and the strategic approach to make this city more citizen and commuter-friendly Standing Committee, MCGM, explains solutions to tackle key challenges faced this with several projects includ- ing the Goregaon-Mulund Link What are some of the unique Road (GMLR). Apart from this the aspects about Mumbai that set Mumbai Coastal Road project is it apart from other cities? What also poised to start off soon. So are the key challenges that this Mumbaikars can expect their opens up to a civic body like commute to be much smoother the MCGM? going forward with such projects. There are several unique aspects A 120-acre zoo will be set up at about Mumbai that set it apart Aarey Colony, Goregaon. from other cities. For instance, the area that the MCGM covers Transport facilitated makes it the largest civic corpo- To give BEST a revamp and ration in Asia. Due to the sheer rejuvenate its bus operations, size of the city and the extreme MCGM will give it ` 100 crore weather conditions that it faces, per month, which works out to managing the municipal corpora- ` 1200 crore per year. Shiv Sena tion work throws up multiple chal- Party Chief Uddhav Thackeray lenges in terms of aspects such and Yuva Sena President Aditya as the roads, water supply, nul- Thackeray recently handed over lahs, and bridges. Vishwanath Mahadeshwar a cheque for ` 600 crore for six Yashwant Jadhav Mayor of Mumbai months to the BEST. There will What are the key challenges Chairman, Standing Committee be more buses plying and the that the MCGM faces as a civic Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai fares will be in the range of ` 5-6 body and how is it finding for smaller distances. We will solutions to tackle them? introduce more AC buses with The key challenges that the what further steps does MCGM reasonable rates so that every- MCGM faces as a civic body are plan to take in this regard? one can experience travelling in planning for water, electricity and Awareness is important; our focus air-conditioned comfort. The fleet roads. Nullahs are given prior- is on how we can make people of buses with BEST is currently ity; we work on that aspect a lot. more aware of the situation being about 3,300, we are looking to in- Finding solutions to tackle them faced by the city of Mumbai and the crease that number to 6,000 bus- is something that we do on an problems that are caused by single es and ultimately 10,000 buses. ongoing basis. We have made six use thin plastic bags. In future with pumping stations, we are making people’s support the effectiveness Holistic approach sewage tunnels and our work is in of the ban will increase, and there- Monsoon Plastic Infrastructure Transport Holistic We are ensuring quality edu- progress for water tunnels. by awareness will increase. preparedness ban focus facilitated approach cation to the poor children People’s involvement is impor- through municipal schools, qual- With so many wards spread tant for the effective implementa- umbai is a unique Monsoon preparedness bai roads will be more comfort- issues emerge during the mon- ity healthcare through municipal across such an extensive tion of MCGM’s initiatives. We city in the sense it Preparation for the monsoons able this monsoon with such ad- soons, the MCGM found that it hospitals like KEM, Nanavati, geographical area, how does have prepared a film to convey is ultimately seven includes getting the nullahs and vancements being implemented. is largely due to an indiscrimi- Sion, Cooper Hospital, medical the MCGM coordinate the day- what the MCGM is doing, its initia- islands connected drains desilted, cleaned and Most people in this city do nate usage of disposable plastic colleges and more. We are pro- to-day operations? tives, the planning involved and the together. Due to cleared. Mumbai has certain not realise that there are mul- bags by Mumbaikars. To resolve viding adequate drinking water We focus our work in a particular projects where work is in progress M this, managing low lying areas where flooding tiple local bodies and each of this there is a ban on disposable to the citizens – the BMC has its space. We have separate teams or completed. This film will be the needs of its citizens requires can take place if the rainfall is them are in charge of different plastic bags and fines are be- own dams, rainwater harvesting under the Shiv Sena. To ensure shown in theatres to raise aware- a very different and focused more than 300 mm during high roads. Regardless of whether ing imposed on offenders to get has been made compulsory in smooth coordination between ness levels among Mumbaikars. approach. With the guidance tide. We have set up pumping the responsibility of maintaining people to stop polluting the en- new real estate projects so that wards we have separate branches Going forward, instead of criticis- of Shiv Sena Party Chief Ud- stations at such places to deal a particular road is with the PWD vironment. During the Ganpati it can be used for non-potable in Shiv Sena and each branch has ing the ongoing efforts, the citizens dhav Thackeray and Yuva Sena with the situation. Plus, we are or MMRDA or MSRDC, people festival we create artificial ponds purposes. Tree plantation has respective team leaders and mem- of Mumbai should interact with the President Aditya Thackeray, we leveraging social media whereby have a tendency to blame the for immersion of statues in an been taken up on a sustained bers that handle the work effective- MCGM officials and make joint ef- have been taking all the neces- Mumbaikars can get updates on MCGMwhen they are driving or eco-friendly manner. Awareness basis to ensure sufficient green ly. Our objective is to consider how forts to bring about the change sary steps in this direction. Our twitter or send a tweet about any walking on any roads that are in programmes are conducted to cover. The Fire Brigade is being to give good facilities to people in they want to see in their city. Shiv success in this endeavor can be problem they are facing relating a bad condition. They need to be emphasise on celebrating Gane- provided the latest technology Mumbai, so our work is going on Sena members guided by Party gauged by the fact that the citi- to garbage clearance, potholes, more aware and make efforts to shotsav using clay idols. and equipment so that they can and we are doing it in the best pos- Chief Uddhav Thackeray and Yuva zens of Mumbai have voted us flooding, etc. and they get a re- find out who is responsible for perform their firefighting related sible manner. Sena President Aditya Thackeray to power in the MCGM continu- sponse within 24 hours. specific things. Infrastructure focus tasks in the best way possible. It are always ready to take up envi- ously over the years, reposing Last year we had started us- Enhancing infrastructure is very is a comprehensive approach to- How effective has the ban on ronment-friendly concepts that will faith again and again in us and ing cold mix for filling potholes Plastic ban important for better connectivity wards managing this city and en- plastic bags been so far and benefit Mumbaikars. our sustained efforts to improve and the results have been quite Whenever the city gets flooded and easier commuting in a city suring that needs of Mumbaikars the quality of life in this city. good. Hopefully driving on Mum- like in year 2005 or other related like Mumbai. We are facilitating are taken care of by the MCGM. Which are the ongoing and Praveen planned infrastructure projects Pardeshi, IAS, for Mumbai city that you feel Focus will be to enhance accountability at all levels have the greatest potential? Commissioner, How do you see them impacting What are your plans for scope for getting work and earn- the lives of Mumbaikars going MCGM, provides increasing the green ing a livelihood. From the condition forward? cover in Mumbai and other WE ARE PLANNING FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE of roads for the daily commute to The proposal to raise Byculla zoo to insights on environmental issues? water supply, managing sewage, an international standard has been We are planning for implementa- JAPANESE MIYAWAKI TECHNIQUE OF PLANTATION monitoring property development, revived. We have submitted a pro- ways to increase tion of the Japanese Miyawaki AT 100 SITES ACROSS MUMBAI THAT WILL BE there are innumerable tasks to- posal to take over 120 acres of land Mumbai’s green technique of plantation at 100 sites TRANSFORMED INTO LUSH GREENERY USING THIS wards managing the civic infra- inside Aarey colony for the expan- across Mumbai that will be trans- METHOD. THE MCGM WILL DEVELOP 60 LOCATIONS, structure of the financial capital of sion of Byculla zoo. The proposed cover and formed into lush greenery using this AND HAND OVER THE REMAINING TO PRIVATE India. One has to look for solutions project will have night safari on the method. Some of the locations have within and outside as and when lines of the Singapore-based zoo, motivating the been shortlisted while others are still BUSINESSES THAT WILL DEVELOP THE PLOTS UNDER required. conservation and protection centre being identified. The MCGM will de- CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR).