An audit of the city’s three oldest dams is on the cards.The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will conduct a structural audit of the Powai, Vihar and Tulsi dams to study their long-term sustainability.
Officials from the BMC’s Water department said it is for the first time that such an exercise is ever being conducted by the civic body.
“We will check if the dams have any major gaping holes or cracks. Also core areas will be checked to study the strength of the dams,” said Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Water Supply Projects) Pramod Charankar. “Besides, the city also receives heavy rainfall and we need to know how well the dams can tackle heavy monsoon, floods and flash floods.”
According to data available with the civic body, the Vihar is 150 years old, Tulsi is about 120 years old while the dam at Powai dates back to 110 years.
“A timely structural audit of large structures is always helpful. The three dams are the city’s oldest and have weathered after the 26/7 deluge besides other flooding situations,” said Charankar, explaining the need for the audit.
The audit, which is slated to begin by March and will be completed before the monsoon sets in, is estimated to cost the BMC Rs 75 lakh.
{{/usCountry}}The audit, which is slated to begin by March and will be completed before the monsoon sets in, is estimated to cost the BMC Rs 75 lakh.
{{/usCountry}}The work will be carried out by state run-Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute (MERI).
“If major cracks are found in a dam, preventive measures will have to be undertaken. In such a scenario we will have to come up with measures to fortify the structure,” said Charankar, adding that the audit would be conducted without disturbing the vicinity or core areas of the dam.