Can Bombay Sappers help be sought?

Foreign know-how for drainage, toilet, potholes
SOMETIME ago, I don’t remember exactly when – a group of municipal councilors went to London to study the drainage system. They stayed in London for quite a while, looking down the London drains, holding consultations and discussions. What exactly they did during the free time they had – that must have been quite a lot – is not known. On their return, they spoke about London drains. It is not known what suggestions they made and whether any of their suggestions was accepted and implemented. The citizens of Mumbai did not notice much change.
In fact, the drains continue to stink and it looked like the councilors had a good holiday in London. There are so many sizzling things that keep happening in London. ‘strip tease’ for instance.
A couple of years ago, the railways are said to have consulted a UK company to build a toilet at Churchgate. Why a foreign consultation was necessary to build a toilet is not known, but the railways are said to have gone ahead and got the know-how. It must have cost a pretty penny, but having a good, modern toilet was considered absolutely necessary.
India boasts of a great civilization, top scientists were born in the country.
But they could not build a toilet at Churchgate. They had to go for consultation.
There is not much change. The toilet stinks like before. A river of urine keeps flowing on the floor. And there is no smell of any disinfectant.
And now one more ‘foreign happening’ is about to take place.
The Mumbai municipality is reported to be making Herculean efforts to cover potholes which unavoidably occur during the monsoon. All the desperate exercises in this regard for the last ten years have failed. A few showers are enough to create potholes all over the city and suburbs. Whatever they put on the road is evidently some bad stuff. What sort of a surface is it if it cannot withstand a few showers?
The truth is some of the corrupt BMC staff and road contractors want potholes to occur. Hundreds of potholes help them make extra money. It is just unfortunate that we cannot have a road surface that can withstand rain.
And now, this season we are getting German know-how and German products to make roads. There is going to be an experiment: road with German product will be constructed and it will be watched as the rain falls on it. It is quite sad that we have to depend on foreign know-how for tackling drainage, toilets and potholes….
Round up by AR Kanangi:Foreign know-how for drainage, toilet, potholes
Comment: Similar schemes envisaged for Singara Chennai 10 years ago (after visits to Singapore and USA)- All schemes down the drain once monsoon rains lash Chennai City!
Sad commentary on city sewage and storm drains- really they are perennial pipelines for making money by Political Criminals. The citizens safety comes last every time after each election.
Can BEG help Mumbai?
The Bombay Engineering Group, or the Bombay Sappers as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. This regiment has its centre in Khadki, Pune in Maharashtra state. The Bombay Sappers have gone to on to win many accolades in battle throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, both before and after Independence, including the British Victoria Cross and the French Legion of Honour before independence, as well as the Param Vir Chakra and Ashok Chakra as part of Independent India. The Group has also made its mark in peacetime activities such as sport, adventure, aid to civil authority and prestigious construction projects. The troops of the Bombay Sappers are renowned for their endurance, courage and valour on the battlefield.