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| This is the Powai section of the Mithi River where the proposed wall will be constructed |
The BMC will soon start construction of a wall along the Mithi River. The project will kick off under the consultation of IIT, Powai.
Elsie Gabriel, Powai
The BMC seems to have pulled up its socks. Come December and they will start construction of a wall along the Mithi River that will ensure that the city will never face the wrath of the deluge again. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Powai, have been appointed as project consultants by the BMC last week for the 11 km-long wall that will be constructed from the CST Gate at Bandra-Kurla to Powai.
Following the flooding in 2005, theMumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) commissioned two studies regarding the Mithi River. The CWPRS, Pune was asked to undertake the hydrological study, in addition, IIT Powai was asked to prepare the development plan for environmental improvement of the Mithi River. The preliminary report was accepted and sanctioned for work to commence.
The project is set to take off on December 1, 2006 and will work on the recommendations that will be given by IIT after studying the basic outline given by the BMC Storm Water Drains Department (SWD) that is in charge of the Mithi River project.
“Yes this is the second phase of work, which will be carried out by the head office of the BMC division of storm water. The first phase involved cleaning, de-silting and clearing the encroachments, and now the BMC has to protect the river from facing damage again. I was involved in assisting the clearing of the encroachments for the same along with the collectors department and the MMRDA,” informs H A Kale, assistant municipal commissioner, S Ward.
The Phase II of development, which includes an 11-km wall, roads and bridges, was to be implemented soon after Phase I was successfully completed. The lack of financial resources, institutional hurdles such as assortment of agencies with regards to procedural formalities for permission and execution of specific components, ownership of the water bodies, shifting of utilities, other issues such as construction of pumping stations at outfall locations, removal of encroachments, rehabilitation and relocation costs, have resulted in the delay of this project.
The BMC has also proposed a road that will run along the wall and green patches along the river. MCGM and MMRDA, which is the government body responsible for development of areas surrounding lower reaches of the Mithi River, have accepted almost all the recommendations and have chalked out a plan to implement them in two phases.
Dr Vikas Tondolkar, joint director (environment), MMRDA, says, “We will be responsible for tackling a certain stretch of the river. The length of the entire wall may take more than two years for construction. In accordance with the tenders floated work will begin. This plan has been long awaited.”
Tondolkar also added that beautification and adjoining roads would follow after the initial stages of the wall construction project.
Professor Dilip Dewaikar from the civil engineer department of IIT Powai confirmed the project details. “The Mithi River is a confluence of tail water discharges of the Powai and Vihar lakes. It originates at Powai and meets the Arabian Sea at Mahim Creek after covering about 15 kms. A 13 km wall is being built to contain the river. The industrial discharge, garbage, sewage from the surrounding areas and the encroachments along the river had caused it to overflow and lead to the deluge last year. With the wall in place this will not occur again.”
The proposed Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) wall that falls under the purview of the BMC will be built in stages. The breath of the wall will vary according to the depth of the water at different spots, which will be studied and designed by the consultants, inform sources.
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