Khar, Bandra may not flood during Mumbai rains this year

City civic body is diverting pipeline to stop flooding in areas around Chamdawadi drain in Khar

Good news for Khar and Bandra residents who face flooding every monsoon: the civic body is working on a project to stop flooding of low-lying areas around Chamdawadi drain. If all goes well with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) plan, areas around Jay Bharat Society and Railway Colony will not be underwater this monsoon.

The Jai Bharat Society in Khar floods every monsoon. (HT FILE)

A couple of months ago, the civic body started the Chamdawadi project to widen its culverts and desilt the major storm water drain. In addition, the storm water drain (SWD) department will now be diverting a pipeline under the Western Railway premises as an immediate measure to prevent flooding this year.

Chief engineer (SWD) VH Khandkar said, “This particular culvert or box drain is of uneven width. During rains, blockages are created and even the manholes have been buried due it. We plan to clear the culvert and realign it through an open space on railway premises. But the discharge point will be the same. This will ensure faster draining of rainwater.” He added that the work had started on Wednesday.

Chamdawadi nullah carries water out from the Western suburbs to the Mithi river through Kalanagar junction. BMC has completed about 20% of the nullah-widening and desilting project, which it started earlier this year.

It will take another two years to complete the Rs53 crore Chamdawadi nullah project, Khandkar said. Kherwadi, Navpada and Ram Mandir road in Bandra (East) are also expected to get relief under the project.

Residents of Jay Bharat CHS in Khar (West), which gets at least four feet of floodwater every year, said they had been trying to get the problem solved since 2005. After monsoon last year, many residents of Jay Bharat CHS said they wanted to move out of the low-lying area after living there for decades.