Mumbai Monsoon Prep Hit: Mithi River Desilting Delayed As ED Probe Forces BMC To Scrap Contracts And Re-Tender Work

Mumbai, Feb 19: While desilting will begin March 1 in 22 of 24 wards across Mumbai, the crucial clean-up of the Mithi River and works in M East and M West hang in the balance.

The earlier contract was scrapped after contractors landed in an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe and were blacklisted by the civic body. The BMC will now issue a fresh tender—leaving the river’s desilting delayed and uncertain.

Key flood mitigation channel affected

The 18-km Mithi River, Mumbai’s key stormwater channel, is vital for flood mitigation. Following the 2005 Mumbai floods, the BMC institutionalised annual desilting on the Chitale Committee’s recommendations.

Last year, a Rs 90-crore contract was split among three contractors, but work was disrupted: two face criminal cases, and Bhumika Transport was blacklisted for poor performance in M East and M West wards.

Probe deters new bidders

However, the Mithi River desilting stalled after the initial contractors failed, and no new bids were received due to the reported scam. "Due to the ongoing Mithi investigation, no contractor was willing to take up the work. Hence, the civic body continued with the existing contractors to avoid disruption, but soon the top and middle management of these companies were arrested, impacting both pre-monsoon and monsoon desilting,” the official said.

A civic official confirmed that the BMC will now invite fresh tenders for desilting the Mithi River as well as the M East and M West wards.

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Pre-monsoon work critical

According to the BMC, only 10% of desilting is done post-monsoon, while the contract mandates 80% pre-monsoon, 10% during the monsoon and 10% post-monsoon. Post-monsoon desilting is intermittent, focusing mainly on floating domestic waste.

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