3 min learnApr 4, 2026 06:52 PM IST
Because the annual desilting of Mumbai’s Mithi River commenced at a full swing, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC) has directed the contractors that focused strategy must be made in all of the low-lying embankments adjoining the river to mitigate flooding. The transfer comes following an inspection of the continued desilting works that have been carried out by Extra Municipal Commissioner (Tasks) Abhijit Bangar.
This yr, the civic physique had floated a Rs 28-crore tender to desilt the river.
Solely two bidders expressed curiosity to desilt Mithi, after the tender failed to attract response from corporations regardless of two extensions.
Final yr, the annual desilting of Mithi river through the monsoon bought stalled after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated an investigation probing into an alleged Rs 1,100-crore rip-off pertaining to the desilting of the river.
In consequence, the water rose to a stage of three.9 meters virtually nearing the hazard mark of 4.2 meters throughout heavy rainfall day in August resulting in waterlogging in adjoining areas.
“This yr our focus shouldn’t be solely to complete the desilting work in time but in addition to make sure that the embankments are cleared off from silts that may stop swelling up of the river through the monsoon. We now have set a 31 per cent goal to finish our pre-monsoon desilting work this yr,” an official stated.
Your entire 18-km stretch of the Mithi river is being divided into three stretches or packages. The primary package deal includes the longest stretch of 11.8 km between Vihar Lake Sanjay Gandhi Nationwide Park (SGNP), from the place the river originates, to Instructor’s Colony (Bandra East) overlaying the Vakola and Kalina areas that are low-lying in nature.
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The second stretch of 1.3 km largely covers the Bandra Kurla Advanced (BKC) space. Whereas the ultimate stretch covers a size of 4.7 km overlaying the Dharavi and Mahim areas earlier than it falls into the Arabian Sea.
“On the BKC space which falls within the second stretch, the river mattress will get extensive sufficient to permit a clean circulate of water within the case of heavy rains. Within the third stretch, which is close to the Mahim space there’s a dense Mangrove cowl that acts as a buffer towards flooding and waterlogging. Additionally, this space has a wider outfall so clearly now we have a pure geographical benefit. Due to this fact, completion of desilting on time will assist in controlling flooding measures by important extent,” the official added.
Mumbai has an enormous community of nullahs, with 261.52 km of main nullahs (over 1.5 metres extensive) and 411.56 km of minor nullahs (lower than 1.5 metres extensive), together with different kinds of drains like arch and roadside drains. The general community of drains in Mumbai stands at almost 3,800 km.
