BMC to conclude study on diverting excess water from Vihar lake next year

A study being conducted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over diverting excess water during Monsoon from Vihar Lake to either Bhandup Water Treatment plant or Airoli Creek will be completed next year. Overflow of Vihar Lake leads to discharge of water into Mithi River, which triggers rise in its level during monsoon.

In November 2020, the BMC had appointed a consultant to study the feasibility of the project. Officials said that the consultant is studying rainfall patterns, the quantity of water that needs to be diverted through the tunnel and suitable sites for discharge of water. “The study will also factor in the climate change angle as high-intensity rainfall in shorter duration becomes a more frequent phenomenon. Currently, we don’t know the quantity of rain water that will be discharged into Mithi after Vihar starts overflowing. It is important to study the rain pattern to shape up the project accurately,” said a senior official from the Storm Water Drain Department.

He said, “The study will get over in 2022 and based on the findings, ground work will begin.”

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This year, the level of Mithi had crossed the danger mark two times; both the incidents took place last week itself. BMC and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had safely evacuated over 200 people from Kranti Nagar, located on the bank of the river, to safety.

Lakes supplying water to Mumbai

In 2019, heavy rainfall leading to overflowing of Vihar Lake had caused a rise in the water level of the 17.8-km-long Mithi River at least three times. Rise in the river level had led to waterlogging in areas such as Kurla, Sion, Mahim, Matunga, Chunabhatti and Vakola. Following the incident, the BMC had proposed construction of a tunnel at the start of Mithi River to divert the lake water.