In a bid to save pumping stations from choking, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will shell out the additional Rs 60 crore. At present, the civic body has so far spent Rs 600 crore on construction of six pumping stations.
According to DNA, Lovegrove pumping station at Worli and Irla pumping station at Vile Parle will soon get a rake screen to prevent plastic and other garbage from choking the stations that are crucial in pumping out water from Versova, Vile Parle, Curry Road, to Byculla area. Mumbai has six pumping stations out of which two are Irla at Vile Parle and Lovegrove at Worli. But, it was observed that many are defunctional due to choking of garbage.
A senior officer from the Storm Water Drainage Department of BMC told the DNA, “The water seeps in from open drains and the garbage that flows along with it leads to choking . To solve this, BMC will install a rake screen at these stations.” The rake screen will cost around Rs 7 crore, on the other hand, electric and mechanical work and their maintenance will cost BMC around Rs 22 crores. The other charges and taxes will further increase the cost to Rs 33.57 crore.
