Don’t divert Mithi for runway: Experts

Diverting the flow of the Mithi is not the best way to avoid flooding of the runway at the city’s international airport, said an expert panel appointed by the civic body, reports Bhavika Jain.

Diverting the flow of the Mithi is not the best way to avoid flooding of the runway at the city’s international airport, said an expert panel appointed by the civic body.

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The Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) had proposed diverting the river. Consultants from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) said that widening the culvert that runs under the main runway is the only option.

The report says diverting the Mithi would not be possible because the area is hilly.

“The culvert is 27 m wide and 4.1 m high. The width should be increased by 20 m,” said the report, submitted by IIT professor Kapil Gupta to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

The BMC has been urging MIAL to widen the culvert for the last two years but because of several security concerns, the airport authority is yet to agree.