As Mumbai receives heavy rainfall every year and gets waterlogged as a consequence, Mumbai’s civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to clean rivers and nullahs across the city before the upcoming monsoons.
In view of the situation, the work is touted to start by the end of February and is to cost INR 152.25 crores. According to reports, while the cleaning of major nullahs will cost INR 70 crores, desilting of the 21.05-km Mithi River, which starts from Vihar Lake and flows into the Arabian Sea at Mahim Creek, will require INR 62 crores over two years.
Moreover, the commissioner has directed the assistant commissioners and senior officers across all the 24 wards in Mumbai, to complete the work within the stipulated time along with cleaning of rivers and nullahs. Similarly, a directive was given for roads and footpaths as well, where the construction, repair of roads and sidewalk should be completed at the earliest.
The civic body appoints contractors every year to desilt nullahs before the monsoon in order to avoid waterlogging. However, according to sources, the widening and deepening work on the Mithi river is 95 per cent complete. Moreover, the retaining wall of the Mithi river is 80 per cent complete due to which the carrying capacity has doubled.
According to the information provided by the Municipal Corporation's Rainwater Drainage Department, there are approximately 32 km long nullahs in the urban areas of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. The major nullahs in the eastern suburbs are about 100 km long and are expected to cost INR 21.03 crores. On the other hand, the civic body is expected to spend INR 29.37 crores for the cleaning of 140 km long nullahs in the western suburbs.
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