BMC asks officials to approach police against illegal excavations

Mumbai, Jun 12 (PTI) The Mumbai civic body has directed its officials to lodge police complaints against any unauthorised excavations found in the city.

This directive of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Bhushan Gagrani follows the unauthorised digging of a footpath in Matunga, where some individuals were nabbed for allegedly stealing underground copper wires.

The BMC commissioner has instructed all ward officers across the city to be vigilant and report such activities immediately, according to a BMC release.

Recently, it was discovered that some individuals had dug up a section of the footpath on Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, a major thoroughfare in Matunga, and stolen copper cables worth approximately Rs 6.78 lakh.

The copper cables, measuring about 103 meters, belonged to MTNL and were buried beneath the footpath.

The BMC has begun refilling the excavated footpath to prevent inconvenience to residents, especially with the onset of the monsoon. The civic body has also alerted other agencies in the metropolis about unauthorised road digging, the release stated.

The BMC lodged a complaint with the police on May 17, while MTNL filed a case at the Matunga police station on May 30.

In response to the incident, the BMC has requested increased night patrolling in the Matunga area to prevent further occurrences, the release stated.

Police have arrested six men in connection with the theft of copper wires from underground utility cables in Matunga, officials said on Tuesday. PTI KK NSK