MUMBAI: BMC has started pre-monsoon work of road-resurfacing, desilting, and bridge construction despite the lockdown, to avoid accidents, flooding, water-logging and diseases during the rains—it has a little over a month and a half to complete the job.BMC restarted 112 works on roads, bridges and stormwater drains (including desilting) with 2,500 labourers from Monday onwards.Additional municipal commissioner P Velrasu said, “Most of the roads were dug up, we have to complete the work before the monsoon to avoid accidents. Desilting is to prevent flooding and water-logging. We must complete it before the monsoon.”Deputy municipal commissioner (infrastructure) Sanjay Darade said, “We have advised workers about safety precautions and have provided them masks for work.”Infrastructure development was abruptly stopped when the lockdown was announced on March 24, to avoid the spread of Covid-19. At some places, roads were left dug and machinery abandoned. BMC has restarted the work, including on Hancock bridge and Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road bridge, with workers from the city.Work has also resumed on the coastal road, but it has stirred a controversy as a group of concerned citizens under the banner, Save Our Coast, have complained to police that this was a violation of the lockdown ordered by the government and was not essential work. BMC officials have defended the decision saying they restarted work to protect what had been done. Civic officials said they were focusing on work which has to be completed before June.Save Our Coast, comprising citizens from Nepean Sea Road, Bhulabhai Desai Road and Worli have urged police to act against the BMC-appointed contractor for flouting the lockdown rules. Activist Debi Goenka said, “They started reclamation work at Haji Ali bay, they are doing piling work opposite Worli Dairy, they have started work at the tunnel site. They are violating the lockdown.” Nepean Sea Road resident Mukul Mehra said, “We clicked a video showing them starting work on a temporary structure around 100 metres away from the sea wall. This work is not essential.”Officials said they had to also complete pending work for the coastal road before the monsoon. Deputy municipal commissioner Rajiv Kuknoor said, “We have to ensure the work done is not washed out.”