Mumbai: BMC slashes desilting target to 40% to 8.47 lakh MT from 12.03 lakh MT
Mumbai desilting target has been reduced by 40% by the BMC to 8.47 lakh MT, following an ED probe, with a renewed focus on transparency and flood control.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cut down its pre-monsoon desilting target by 40 per cent to 8.47 lakh metric tonnes (MT) from 12.03 lakh MT.
The lower target comes a year after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) began probing a Rs 1,100-crore scam over river desilting.
“The target for quantum of silt to be removed has been changed because 30 per cent of the load includes remaining floating waste particles, plastic and debris. We have brought down this margin to ensure there is transparency and contractors get paid only on the basis of silt removed instead of including floating waste particles in the quantum of silt removed,” Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), said on Friday.
Bangar said this year the BMC intends to remove 8.41 lakh MT of silt, of which 3.67 lakh MT will be removed from minor drains, 3.41 lakh MT from major drains and 1.32 lakh MT from the Mithi River.
Mumbai has a vast network of nullahs, with 261.52 km of major nullahs (over 1.5 metres wide) and 411.56 km of minor nullahs (less than 1.5 metres wide), along with other types of drains like arch and roadside drains. The overall network of drains in Mumbai stands at nearly 3,800 km.
Desilting is a process by which the authorities remove accumulated silt from under the bed of drains and rivers to ensure waterflow during monsoon is not obstructed.
Besides, Bangar said the BMC is focusing on declogging drainage chokepoints in various areas in Mumbai to counter the annual flooding woes as part of its pre-monsoon desilting drive. The civic authorities have identified Saki Naka and Kurla areas, which have a significant number of drain chokepoints.
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“There are several drains in Saki Naka and Andheri which are covered under conventional culverts, because of which our machines cannot enter and desilt them. Because of irregular maintenance the drains have become chokpoints,” said Bangar.
The entire 18-km stretch of the Mithi river is being divided into three stretches or packages. The first package comprises the longest stretch of 11.8 km between Vihar Lake Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) — from where the river originates to Teacher’s Colony (Bandra East) covering the Vakola and Kalina areas. The second stretch of 1.3 km largely covers the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) area. While the final stretch covers a length of 4.7 km covering the Dharavi and Mahim areas before it falls into the Arabian Sea.
Meanwhile, in a social media post on X, BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay alleged BMC-appointed private contractors have been extorting money in the name of carrying out desilting work.
Bangar said the issue has been forwarded to the Deputy Municipal Commissioner’s office and an inquiry has been initiated against the corporator.
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
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Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
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Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
