MNS Speedboat Inspection Reveals Mithi River Choked With Garbage, Casts Doubt On BMC's 78% Desilting Claim

Mumbai: Despite the BMC reporting 77.75 per cent completion of the Mithi River desilting project, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) inspection by speedboat on Saturday painted a different picture. Party leaders said they found sections of the river clogged with garbage, plastic waste and silt, casting doubt on the civic body's claims and preparedness ahead of the monsoon.

May 31 Deadline Already Over, MNS Conducts Speedboat Inspection from Mahim Causeway

With the May 31 deadline for cleaning rivers and nullahs already over, concerns continue to mount over the quality and effectiveness of the work. To assess the ground reality, MNS group leader Yashwant Killedar and party workers conducted a speedboat inspection of the Mithi River from Mahim Causeway on Saturday. "The Mithi River continues to be choked with plastic, thermocol, household waste and thick deposits of silt, obstructing the natural flow of water at several locations. Far from resembling a river, it has turned into a giant drain, heightening fears of flooding and waterlogging across Mumbai during the monsoon," Killedar alleged.

Ashraf Azmi, a Congress leader, said, "The Standing Committee inspected the Mithi River on May 25, yet the situation on the ground remains virtually unchanged. The accumulated silt is still lying in the river, exposing the failure of the desilting exercise. If heavy rains hit Mumbai, crores of rupees spent on the project will literally go down the drain. Unfortunately, no one appears to be taking the matter seriously despite the looming monsoon threat." A senior civic official said, "While there were initial delays in awarding contracts, the desilting work is now progressing steadily. Nearly 78 per cent of the desilting work has been completed, and the remaining work is being carried out on a war footing to ensure completion at the earliest."

22-Km Mithi River Critical for Flood Mitigation, Desilting Began in April as Pre-Monsoon Preparedness

The 22-kilometre-long Mithi River is Mumbai’s largest and most critical stormwater drain, playing a vital role in mitigating urban flooding. Desilting work began in April as part of the city’s pre-monsoon disaster preparedness. Since the catastrophic 2005 deluge, regular maintenance of the river has become a cornerstone of the BMC’s flood prevention strategy. Accumulated silt and debris continue to hamper the river’s water-carrying capacity, heightening the risk of flooding during heavy rains.

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