Leakage in twin tunnels, BMC mulls over removing slums for safety purposes

Mumbai: After detecting leakage in the twin tunnels of the Eastern Freeway near Chembur, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to move all shanties above the tunnels for safety reasons

Mumbai: After detecting leakage in the twin tunnels of the Eastern Freeway near Chembur, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to move all shanties above the tunnels for safety reasons.

The second tunnel of the Eastern Freeway at Panjarpol will be open to the public on Saturday. The 550-metre southbound tunnel will be used for traffic movement from Panjarpol to south Mumbai. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) plans to open the remaining 2.8km stretch, up to Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road, in the next few days. HT PHOTO 11.04.2014

BMC will undertake extensive waterproofing of the tunnels across the city soon to ensure the safety of the citizens.

Satish Thosar, chief engineer of BMC’s bridges department informed, “We noticed that there is considerable leakage from the tunnels onto the road below, and this can be a hazard for vehicles. As an immediate measure, we will take up work in the tunnel to check the leakage. As a permanent solution, all shanties overhead will be moved.”

BMC is currently carrying out a survey of the shanties called Gautam Nagar slum, including its toilet blocks and the drainage system.

A list of legal and illegal shanties will then be compiled, and the inhabitants will be moved. While the survey is being conducted by the M/East-ward, with jurisdiction over the area, the work for the tunnels is being undertaken by the bridges department of the civic body.

After the shanties are removed, the area across a width of 100 metres will be restored as a natural area, civic officials said.

Mahendra Ubale, assistant commissioner of the M/East ward said, “Due to the toilets, and the drainage system from the slum, there is leakage in the tunnels. The bridges department informed us of the leakage. An agency is being appointed to survey an area of 100 metres width: the twin tunnel is 40 metres in width, and we are accounting for a 30 metres wide area on either side of this twin tunnel.”

As part of the survey, BMC will check the papers of residents of all the shanties within these 100 metres, to check which are eligible for rehabilitation by the civic body. Ubale said, “The number of hutments will be counted. Those that are legal will be eligible. However, this is all being done by the bridges department.”

A blueprint of landscaping and greening of the natural area will be prepared once the survey of the slums is complete.