Mumbai, March 28: More than a month after floating the tender, the BMC has finally appointed contractors to begin the long-delayed desilting of the Mithi River starting Sunday.
The civic body will deploy 14 trash booms across nullahs to block floating waste at drain outlets, keeping rivers and the sea cleaner and enabling efficient disposal.
Delayed tenders and contractor appointment
Since the Mithi River flows through low-lying, flood-prone areas like Kurla, LBS Marg, and Chunabhatti, annual desilting is critical to prevent waterlogging during heavy rains.
This year, the civic body’s first two tender attempts failed to attract any bids for desilting the Mithi River, forcing extensions. Only last week did two bidders per package step forward, finally breaking the deadlock. Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani took a review meeting of the desilting work on Saturday.
Monitoring and transparency measures
During the meeting, Gagrani instructed officials to ensure the desilting work is completed within the stipulated timeframe, with the entire machinery operating at full speed and in coordinated action. He directed the Deputy and Assistant Commissioners to personally visit the site to monitor and supervise the progress.
To maintain transparency and avoid criticism from elected representatives, Gagrani also ordered that regular updates be shared with local corporators and ward committee chairpersons, and that joint inspection tours be organised with them.
Deployment of trash booms and priority nullahs
The BMC will be installing trash booms at drain outlets to block garbage from reaching the sea and allow easier disposal. "Mogra, Mazas, Mankhurd, Somaiya, Vakola, and Dadar-Dharavi Nalas require priority operations, with trash booms and equipment deployed for maximum efficiency,” said Gagrani.
Use of AI and coordination for execution
Abhijeet Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), instructed that a scheduled timetable will be prepared for the start and completion of desilting work in major drains, with strict enforcement to ensure timely execution. High-level coordination should be maintained between central agencies and department offices.
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"This year, new contractors have been appointed for the work, and officials must coordinate closely with them to ensure priority completion. All videos of desilting operations will be analysed using AI, enabling effective monitoring and maintaining full transparency," said Bangar.
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