Mumbai BMC To Install ₹300 Crore Steel Nets Over Nullahs To Curb Garbage Dumping, Reduce Desilting Costs

Mumbai: Steel nets installed at select nullahs have reportedly curbed rampant garbage dumping, resulting in the BMC extending the initiative across major suburban nullahs by May 2028. The Rs 300-crore project aims to cut waste dumping by 50 per cent, a civic official claimed.

Corporators Question Nullah Desilting Work

The BMC’s claims of effective nullah cleaning came under fire at the Standing Committee meeting, with corporators accusing the administration of turning desilting into a paperwork exercise while drains remain clogged on the ground. Raising serious concerns over incomplete work at Racecourse Nullah, Korba Nullah and the Wadala Truck Terminus stretch, Shiv Sena (Shinde) corporator Yamini Jadhav questioned the functioning of officials and demanded strict action against negligent contractors.

Alleging that contractors merely construct ramps to lower machinery while workers are left to carry out the actual cleaning, Jadhav said major nullahs remained inadequately desilted despite repeated complaints from residents. Backing her allegations, BJP corporator Harish Bhandirge said several nullahs would still be found overflowing if inspected today. He also flagged instances of waterlogging during Diwali, highlighting the continued inconvenience faced by residents.

BMC Outlines Rs 300-Crore Project

Responding to the corporators, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar said the BMC had initiated a project to install steel nets over nullahs to prevent garbage dumping. "The project is expected to cost around Rs 300 crore. It will help curb garbage dumping into nullahs and reduce expenditure on desilting work by nearly 50%," he said.

Pilot Project Expanded To Vulnerable Nullahs

Despite annual pre-monsoon desilting, garbage dumping continues to choke several city nullahs, raising the risk of waterlogging. The BMC has tried multiple measures to curb dumping, but bulky waste such as furniture, cupboards and sofas continues to be thrown into nullahs, particularly in slum pockets. In December 2023, the Storm Water Drains department piloted steel nets at nullahs in P&T Colony, Bandra West.

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Following encouraging results, the BMC expanded the measure to other vulnerable nullahs near slums and chawls. The BMC has 314 major nullahs spanning a combined 300.131 km across Mumbai—30 in the island city, 125 in the eastern suburbs, 149 in the western suburbs and three along the Mithi River.

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