Mumbai: Rs 10 crore flats that come with stench, mosquitoes

Residents of Azad Nagar say they have been unable to go out of their flats because of the stinking nullah. Pic/Shadab Khan

These residents paid crores for swanky flats in the posh Juhu Vile Parle Development Scheme, but most of the time they have to lock themselves inside their homes, as the surroundings stink because of a choked nullah. They have stopped sending their children outside to play because the clogged drain is home to swarms of mosquitoes.

Flats in Azad Nagar CHS, with blocks across 28 plots, sell for up to R10 crore each as it is located in one of the posh areas of Mumbai, the Juhu Vile Parle Development Scheme. But a nullah, which gets clogged post-monsoon every year, has made the society a "living hell", said residents.

The clogged drain behind Azad Nagar CHS, on Wednesday. Pic/Shadab Khan

Paramjit Singh Ghai, president of Azad Nagar Residents' Association, said, "Irla nullah flows on the back side of Azad Nagar CHS. The drain is full of vegetation and floating trash, which have choked it. The clogged surface not only stinks, but has also become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Our life has become difficult, as we cannot sit in our own living room peacefully in the evenings and cannot sleep without a mosquito net."

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"We face this problem every year after the monsoon. We have complained to the BMC many times. All they do is fix the problem temporarily. But we demand a permanent solution," Paramjit Singh, a resident.

"The sewage from the adjoining slums discharges straight into this nullah, which is also covered by vegetation. It's really difficult to come out of the house, particularly in the evening. Doors and windows of the houses have to be closed after noon to keep mosquitoes out. It's really difficult to even sit in the house in the evening", Anand Poddar, another resident, said.

"Due to the mosquitoes, we are unable to send our children out in the evenings. Even with the doors and windows closed, we have to use a mosquito net at night. Then there is the stench from the choked nullah on our side, which is a yearlong problem. We want a permanent solution now," said Neha Ghai, another resident.

"However, mysteriously, a part of the drain, on the other side of the culvert, is clean," Ghai added.

Anuj Chowdhari, another resident, said, "The BMC should fix this problem once and for all."

Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vishwas Shankarwar said, "The work of cleaning the drain is in progress and anti-larva treatment is also being done every alternate day. Fogging is done every week. The issue of mosquitoes will resolve soon."