Mumbai work force deserves a better deal; mega city to lose sheen among investors: ASSOCHAM

" No words are adequate for admiration for the bold and hard working people of Mumbai but such a large and productive work force deserves a better deal  in terms of civic infrastructure," said ASSOCHAM Secretary General Mr D S Rawat.

He said while the mega city continues to remain the financial capital of the country, being the largest contributor to the national tax kitty, the quantum and more importantly the quality of expenditure on its development need a lot to be desired.

"Accidents due to open manholes are completely man-made disasters and cannot be blamed on nature . Besides, work on cleaning and clearing the drains and the entire sewage system should continue throughout the year. The budgets for these heads should be properly monitored and audited by third party.  Under the present system, the CAG audit is done after the expenditure has already been done. At best, the CAG can haul up the erring organisations; the system should be much more robust and dynamic whereby simultaneous audit should go on even as the work is underway", the chamber said.

The metro rail which is built over the roads and is generally free from the problem of flooding should be enlarged on a massive scale in Mumbai. On this count, Delhi is the best example of continuous increase in the metro network which is going to get further enhanced in the next 12-18 months.

"Mumbai local trains are the lifeline of the city, but it is time we moved beyond this and brought in metro network on a massive scale", not only covering the main city but suburbs such as Thane.

For now, the ASSOCHAM is in touch with its members in Mumbai, advising them to extend their maximum help to their employees and the administration to deal with the situation.