Desilting to begin soon in Mumbai as ₹152-crore contracts for nullah work cleared

As per the civic body’s schedule, it has to complete 70% of the desilting before the monsoon, another 20% during the monsoon and the remaining 10% after the end of the season

In a bid to ensure that there is no flooding during monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday said work to desilt nullahs and rivers will start in the next two weeks. BMC’s standing committee has approved contracts worth over Rs152 crore for purpose.

BMC also approved the contract for the cleaning work of Mithi River at Rs89.66 crore. (HT File)

According to the information given by BMC, about 32-km length of nullahs will be cleaned in island city, for which BMC will incur expenses around Rs12.19 crore. In the eastern suburbs, more than 100km of nullahs in eastern suburbs and 140km in western suburbs, which will cost BMC Rs21.03 crore and Rs29.37 crore, respectively.

As per the civic body’s schedule, it has to complete 70% of the desilting before the monsoon, another 20% during the monsoon and the remaining 10% after the end of the season.

Additionally, BMC also approved the contract for the cleaning work of Mithi River at Rs89.66 crore. Eight percent of the cleaning work will be done before monsoon, while the remaining 20% after that.

During rainfall, the runoff flows through the water entrances located along the city’s roads, through the laterals and into the underground drains, which connect to the nullahs in the suburbs before finally draining out into the sea.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that the desilting work will kick off in the city in a timely manner only because BMC elections are scheduled early next year. BJP corporator and standing committee member Bhalchandra Shirsat said, “The cleaning is starting on time this year, and it is a good sign. But we should not forget it’s been done on time only this year to ensure there is minimal flooding owing to elections in 2022.”

Meanwhile, BMC’s standing committee on Monday approved the appointment of contractors for addressing the problem of flooding at 58 spots, including Gandhi Market (Matunga), JK Mehta Road (Santacruz), Cargo complex (Andheri East), Lokhande Marg (Chembur), Gautam Nagar (Deonar), Chandavarkar lane (Borivli) and Mahesh Nagar (Goregaon). The work, estimated to cost around Rs190 crore, includes widening of storm water drains, river, nullahs etc.