Khushi Thawani, Mumbai Uncensored, 15th Feb 2023:
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) published a tender of Rs 87 crore with a two-year duration (from 2023 to 2025) in accordance with tradition for desilting the Mithi river. The previous contract ended in April 2022. To avoid floods during the monsoon, the civic authority cleans the 17.8-km river, which originates at Vihar Lake and runs into the Arabian Sea at Mahim Causeway.
“The tender will be opened by the end of January and sent for the civic administrator’s approval. According to the senior official from the Sewerage Department, the actual desilting work will begin in March.
According to the spokesperson, the work rates for the tender would be the same as last year.
A state-of-the-art equipment called a silt pusher will be employed this year, according to the official, for efficient desilting. The unclogging operation is crucial because untreated sewage spilled along the Mithi channel causes pollution and obstructs the flow of the river primarily during the monsoon season.
Every year, a high tide and a lot of rain raise the water level in the Mithi. Low-lying communities nearby will inevitably see catastrophic flooding.
In addition to its regular projects, the BMC has carried out a number of tasks as part of the “Mithi River Water Quality Improvement Project.” Installing 26 flood gates is one of the main goals in order to avoid flooding in low-lying neighbourhoods like Sion, Chunabhatti, Kurla, and Ghatkopar. The project will cost Rs 2,000 crore in total.
