Mumbai: BMC Proposes 40% Cut in Mithi River Desilting Work Ahead of Monsoon

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed a nearly 40% reduction in desilting work for the flood-prone Mithi River before the upcoming monsoon. The decision follows an internal review suggesting that large-scale flooding can be avoided even with reduced desilting.

Last weekend, the civic body floated a fresh tender to remove 1.65 lakh tonnes of silt, compared to 2.67 lakh tonnes last year. Accordingly, the contract value has been reduced from ₹48 crore to ₹29.5 crore.

Officials stated that despite contractors abandoning work last year due to an Economic Offences Wing (EOW) probe, the city did not witness major flooding. However, they clarified that the desilting quantity could be revised upward if required. Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar said the current figure is only a preliminary cap and may be increased if needed.

Concerns remain over whether contractors will participate in the new tender process. Last year, after contracts were cancelled and three companies were blacklisted over corruption allegations and arrests, no new firms from Mumbai, Thane, or Navi Mumbai stepped forward to complete the remaining work.

Desilting of the Mithi River and major and minor nullahs is usually carried out in three phases each year. However, last year’s two-year contract with three firms collapsed after two were embroiled in corruption cases, leading to delays in river-cleaning operations.

Opposition leaders have questioned the move. Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh asked whether earlier silt estimates had been inflated if the city managed last monsoon with incomplete work. He suggested that instead of depending solely on contractors, the BMC should hire manpower and machinery directly and execute the work at the ward level.

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