BMC workers hit the streets to tackle civic woes

BHOPAL: It was a different kind of relief that the BMC focused on while maintaining social distancing and helping people struck by the double whammy of COVID-19 and the heavy downpour, here on Thursday.
Over three dozen minor complaints were reported from 10 BMC emergency response centres set up for disaster relief. “The complaints were minor in nature.No major tree felling incident was reported. Submersible pumps were not required to drain out water from semiwaterlogged areas,” said BMC emergency call centre in-charge, Iftekar Khan.
Waterlogging was reported in some parts of Karond under the Narela constituency. The BMC has taken proactive measures across the city to clear stormwater and other drains to avoid flooding or waterlogging.
Heavy machinery, along with BMC support staff, assisted in clearing of drains in various areas on Thursday. Drains were cleared for smooth flow of water in Lalghati, Koh-e-Fiza, Qazi camp, Cholla, Ravindra Bhavan, Banganga, Barkhedi bridge, Rahul Nagar, Rajiv Nagar, Tulsi Nagar, TTRI, Laxman Nagar, Bawadia Kalan overbridge, Dana Pani Road, Dwarka Nagar, Kammu Ka Bagh, Rajendra Nagar, Pushpa Nagar, Ashoka Garden, Gautam Nagar, Anna Nagar, Karond, Vijay Nagar, Nehru Colony, Aishbagh, Apsara Talkies, Sudama Nagar, Prabhat Charaha, Sanskrit College Baghsevania, Barkheda Pathani, Shyam Nagar, Saket Nagar, Shakti Nagar, Aman Colony, Abbas Nagar, Akbarpur, Kanhakunj Basti, Gehunkhera and other locations, according to the BMC.
Grocery and vegetables were provided for about 4,000-plus homes located in different containment areas here on Thursday. The BMC also permitted vegetable sellers to provide the service at reasonable prices, according to a civic official.
Home delivery of about 18,000 online orders were made during the day, going by BMC estimates. As many as 1,710 BMC vehicles were utilised for the task along with 895 loading autorickshaws. Besides, free food packets and other essential items were delivered by BMC volunteers. A standard packet consists of 3 kg flour, 1 kg rice, 1 litre oil, one kg of dal and 5 kg flour. The packet’s cost and items varies. The cost of a food packet is about Rs 300.