The 18-km river, which originates from Powai and Vihar lakes and drains into the Mahim creek, has been a focus of annual desilting since the July 26, 2005 deluge exposed its reduced carrying capacity.
However, work has been hit over the past year due to an ongoing Economic Offences Wing probe into the alleged desilting scam, which led to the arrest of earlier contractors.
Fresh tenders floated on February 28 for 2026–27 have failed to attract bidders despite two deadline extensions, with work yet to begin.
Raising the issue, Congress leader in the BMC Ashraf Azmi warned of acute flooding in Kurla. “Areas around Kurla, particularly the slum belt, will be significantly flooded if the cleaning of river is not carried out in due time. During high tide, the situation gets so bad in the areas of the ward that the flooded water even enters the BEST buses while the smaller vehicles are not even able to move,” he said.
“Are we waiting for a new calamity to hit Mumbai in the next monsoon?” said Congress corporator Tulip Miranda.
“Why is the administration failing to appoint the tender? The corporation has to make a provision to start desilting in time and save people from overflow of the river. People build their homes with much love and several feet flood waters enter these home, during the flooding,” she added.
Shiv Sena corporator Amey Ghole said failure to remove silt could also trigger flooding in areas such as Dadar and Wadala. Members also flagged similar concerns at the Poisar river, Andheri subway and the Mogra nullah.
Taking note, standing committee chairman Prabhakar Shinde directed the administration to take concrete steps and submit a plan by March 23.
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The BMC on Wednesday reissued tenders for the Mithi project, with a fresh deadline of March 24. The Rs 29.5-crore project aims to remove 1.65 lakh metric tonnes of silt in three packages.
“We have already commenced desilting in some minor drains stretches. We have extended the deadline for the three tenders of Mithi River as well as for desilting in Zone 5, where we have failed to draw response owing to large scope of works. Once the work commences, our target will be to desilt the drains by May 31. In order to finish works in time, we will explore the possibility of deploying machineries in multiple stretches and carrying out desilting simultaneously in multiple stretches,” a senior BMC official said.
Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)
Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.
Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:
Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).
Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).
Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.
Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.
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