BMC to undertake ₹125-crore drain work in Mumbai’s western suburbs to prevent waterlogging

To bring relief from monsoon waterlogging between Borivli and Bandra in the western suburbs, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned repair, restructuring,

To bring relief from monsoon waterlogging between Borivli and Bandra in the western suburbs, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned repair, restructuring, and widening work on stormwater drains along 19 chronic and newly-emerged waterlogging spots. On Wednesday, the civic body invited 19 separate bids for the ₹125-crore work.

BMC has issued tenders for work on nullahs in the western suburbs. (Hindustan Times)

This is phase one of the planned works on spots that need immediate relief from waterlogging, as Mumbai is opening up after an eight-month-long lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak and the 2021 monsoon will see more traffic and people venturing out, in comparison to the 2020 monsoon.

Some work is slotted to be completed within six months to a year, while other work will take over two years to complete. It includes augmentation or new construction of box drains and removal of encroachment at Chandavarkar nulla, from SV Road to TJSV Bank at Borivli; construction of stormwater drains at Dahisar subway; augmentation of box drains at Linking Road and Dadabhai Road in Santacruz (West); construction of missing link in the drain on Pali Mala Road, Dr Ambedkar Road, and near Mehboob Studio; widening of culverts on the Western Express Highway; and widening of nullahs and drains in Malad, Ville Parle, and Khar.

A senior official of the stormwater department (SWD) said, “These 19 extensive works are needed at chronic waterlogging spots. During the last monsoon, many new waterlogging spots also emerged in the suburbs that need to be addressed. The tendering process is likely to extend till January. BMC will be able to issue work orders immediately so some areas will get relief in the monsoon of 2021, and others in the monsoon of 2022.” Throughout next year, BMC has also shortlisted other areas in the city for drain augmentation work.

Another senior civic official said that new waterlogging spots emerged during the previous monsoon due to incomplete drain and nullah desilting work which came to a standstill because of the lockdown and resultant lack of labour. Sedimentation due to ongoing road and Metro construction work also caused waterlogging.

“We studied each of the waterlogging spots that emerged this monsoon. All ward offices were asked to identify localised waterlogging spots that can be fixed in the short duration of six months that we have before the 2021 monsoon,” he added.

After the monsoon of 2017 and 2018, BMC shortlisted 273 waterlogging spots in the city. Over the past two years, it has tackled 204 of them. The 2020 budget made allocations to address 45 other waterlogging spots, leaving only 24 to be tackled next year. However, due to the lockdown, the civic body could not complete the work this year.