24 March,2025 07:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The BMC said that on Monday, March 31, 2025, will be the final date for paying water bills for the financial year 2024-2025. File Pic
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday announced that its centers will remain open from 8 am to 12 Midnight from Saturday, March 29, to Monday, March 31, 2025 in view of the end of the financial year, the officials said.
The extended working hours offer citizens an opportunity to pay their overdue water bills until the last moment.
An official statement from the BMC said that on Monday, March 31, 2025, will be the final date for paying water bills for the financial year 2024-2025.
The BMC is also running the "Abhay Yojana" to offer special relief to water connection holders who have pending charges, the officials said, adding that under the scheme, if the overdue amount is paid in one lump sum, the additional penalties will be waived.
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The "Abhay Yojana" aims to assist water connection holders by providing relief from extra charges imposed due to late payments.
The BMC statement said that the citizens are encouraged to clear their pending bills before March 31, as any unpaid bills after this date will attract additional penalties.
"For the convenience of the public, the centers will remain open for three consecutive days - Saturday, March 29, Sunday, March 30, and Monday, March 31 - from 8 AM to 12 Midnight. The special arrangement will allow maximum access to water bill payments, even during public holidays and weekends," the statement reads.
The BMC has urged all residents, including government and semi-government offices, to take advantage of the opportunity and clear their overdue water bills before the deadline of March 31, 2025, it stated.
BMC to begin nullah desilting from March 25 using AI, CCTV monitoring for transparency in work
Meanwhile, the BMC is set to begin the nullah desilting work in city from Tuesday, March 25, the civic officials said on Sunday.
This year, the BMC has introduced a new system that requires compulsory CCTV recordings of small drains, along with 30-second videos and photographs of the desilting work, in an effort to enhance transparency and accountability. The recordings will be analysed using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, which aims to ensure proper supervision throughout the process, the officials said.
The officials further said that the work order for desilting the Mithi River, which is also a major focus for BMC, will be issued next week. This will mark the start of operations for cleaning the Mithi River, an essential task to prevent flooding during the monsoon.
Meanwhile, the work for desilting Mumbai's smaller drains will begin as planned this Tuesday, with 23 contractors assigned work orders for various parts of the city and its suburbs.
Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner, explained, "Last year, desilting operations started on March 15. This year, we aim to clear the targeted silt by the end of May. Desilting of the Mithi River will commence once the work orders are issued next week. The delay was due to a court case," he added.
