Rs 14.78 cr spent on river cleaning in 5 yrs, still water-logging persists

 

Staff Reporter :

An RTI query revealed that NMC received Rs 26.92 crore during the period for drain and river cleaning  

Moderate to heavy rain is enough to paralyse Nagpur as roads across the Second Capital of the State get submerged leaving motorists stranded and citizens mere spectators with their homes flooded. This has become a common problem for Nagpurians during monsoon.
Despite spending crores on pre-monsoon desilting and river cleaning exercise by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), city continues to face severe water-logging on daily basis during monsoon.
While heavy rainfall is often a reason, a Right To Information (RTI) response has raised question over the monsoon preparedness and drainage management of Nagpur.
RTI activist Abhay Kolarkar sought details from the NMC regarding the expenses made by the civic body for drain and river cleaning activity in the last five years.

 

The RTI reply by NMC revealed that the civic body released a total fund of Rs 26.92 crore for drain and river cleaning activity since 2022 to till date. Among the allocated fund, the civic body spent Rs 14.78 crore in the name of cleaning in last five years.
As per the reply, the sanctioned budget for cleaning major drains and rivers has steadily increased every year. In 2022-23, NMC sanctioned Rs 99 lakh, followed by Rs 1.93 crore (2023-24), Rs 7 crore (2024-25), Rs 8 crore (2025-26) and Rs 9 crore (2026-27).
As per the document, out of Rs 9 crore allocated fund this year, the estimated expenditure for cleaning is approximately Rs 4.95 crore.
NMC hired heavy machinery for drain and river cleaning and for this it spent crores of rupees. As per the RTI, NMC paid Rs 2.89 crore for heavy machinery in 2024 and spent Rs 5.30 crore in 2025.

Whereas, NMC spent Rs 8.79 lakhs in 2026 in fuel to run its own heavy machines for river cleaning purpose.
Similarly, NMC spent Rs 1.63 crore as fuel charged in last five years for cleaning of all the three Naag, Pili and Pohra rivers in the city.
According to NMC, there are 70 flood hotspot areas are there in the city which is haunting citizens year after year, despite crores of rupees spent on drainage work. The civic body also identified 77 low-lying areas and 59 flood-prone basements across the city which witnesses water logging after every rain.