COVID-19 Third Wave: BMC to set up 11 oxygen plants at 10 centres in Mumbai

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) standing committee on Wednesday, August 18, approved two projects of setting up 11 oxygen plants.

This decision has been taken by the civic body to prepare for the possible third wave of coronavirus.

According to the proposal, these 11 oxygen plants will be set up at 10 locations at a cost of INR 204 crores. This includes locations like Dahisar jumbo centre, BKC jumbo centre.

Earlier, the BMC had awarded contracts for installing 16 oxygen plants at nine locations in the city. In the second wave of COVID-19, the city’s daily oxygen demand was around 235 metric tonnes.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed the BMC for awarding oxygen plants contracts without “making any calculations”.

In addition, the BMC standing committee also approved the INR 500 crores project for constructing two tunnels which will help prevent pollution in the Mithi river which has been facing sewage discharge and wastewater from industries and slums along its bank.

As per reports, the construction of a 6.7-km tunnel, from Bapat nullah and Safed Pool nullah up to the proposed sewage treatment plant at Dharavi, is expected to be completed in 48 months. It has come to light that some portions of the tunnel will pass through mangrove areas for which the project will require environmental clearance.