Mumbai, April 2: The BMC has completed 4% of the desilting of storm water drains (SWD) as of April 2 across Mumbai. Of the total desilting, 6% is completed of major drains (including the suburbs and city area), 4% is completed of minor drains, and for the Mithi River, the progress is zero per cent.
Live dashboard launched for public tracking
The BMC has also started a live dashboard (https://swd.mcgm.gov.in/WMS2026), where citizens can track the SWD desilting across 24 wards and of the Mithi River.
"Desilting of Mithi River has begun. The progress is seen as zero because work started only today (April 2). It takes 2–3 days' time to start removed silt transportation and then it will be reflected on the dashboard," said Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar.
Delay in desilting work raises concerns
The pre-monsoon desilting work by the BMC is most crucial to prevent massive flooding during heavy rains. However, this year the full-fledged work started late as two contractors were blacklisted last year, which forced the BMC to float new tenders for wards like H-West, K-West, M-West, and S ward.
For the Mithi River, against the backdrop of the inquiry by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing against the contractor and civic staff in the desilting scam, the BMC had a tough time attracting contractors to work.
"Contractors have been appointed in K-West and H-West wards, and desilting also started there. While desilting work in M-West and S wards will be done through NGO labour, and the work started in both wards," Bangar said.
Opposition questions delay in Mithi River work
Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition Kishori Pednekar inspected the BKC stretch of the Mithi River on Thursday. She questioned the delay in starting the work.
"Earlier, the BMC used to deploy the machinery in advance and start the work. The inspections used to commence in March itself; however, this year the BMC is yet to fully start the work. The work at the Mithi River has just begun today (April 2). How is the administration going to cover up the 12-day delay?" Pednekar said.
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BMC targets 80% completion before monsoon
The BMC aims to complete 80% of the desilting work pre-monsoon, 10% during monsoon, and 10% post-monsoon. Newly appointed Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said on March 31, the day she took charge, that she will monitor that SWD desilting is done on time, and said that she is confident Mumbai won't flood this monsoon as the city's flood resilience has increased.
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