The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has promised to complete all pending monsoon preparedness work in the next eight days. Civic chief Bhushan Gagrani made this assurance after meeting a delegation of BJP leaders, which demanded a white paper from the BMC to find out where the nearly “Rs 1 lakh crore” spent to make Mumbai flood-free went.

Blaming the early onset of the monsoon for rain-related disruptions witnessed in the city, Gagrani assured the delegation, led by Mumbai BJP president and MLA Ashish Shelar, that dewatering pumps would be installed in waterlogged areas within 24 hours, with additional units provided if necessary.

Accusing Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya of ‘looting’ Mumbai to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore in the past two decades, Shelar stated that citizens were owed an explanation as to where this money had gone. “The BMC should bring out a white paper on nullah desilting, flood control measures, the Mithi river cleanup and the BRIMSTOWAD [Brihanmumbai Storm Water Disposal System] project,” the BJP leader demanded.