While a logical and amicable end to the issue of Malabar Hill reservoir doesn't appear in sight, a team of BMC officials have now met the experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee in Uttarakhand. The civic body was compelled to seek a third-party opinion after an eight-member expert committee gave differing insights regarding the controversial decision to raze the British-era reservoir.
Contrasting Recommendations On SoBo Reservoir Creating Confusion For BMC
Three IIT Bombay professors, who were a part of the panel, recommended construction of a new tank with a usable capacity of 52.44 million liters per day for emptying the existing one for repairs or reconstruction. On the contrary, the four other panel members, including architects and local citizens' representatives, opined that the reservoir does not require demolition or reconstruction for the next 10–15 years as there is no danger of collapse. Both the reports of the expert panel were submitted to the BMC on March 5.
Confusion Leads To BMC Approaching IIT-Roorkee
The ensuing confusion prompted the BMC to approach IIT-Roorkee along with the diametrically opposite viewpoints. The IIT-Roorkee in-principle approved the request to assess the reports, inspect the reservoir and give conclusive suggestions. The civic officials went to Uttarakhand and met the experts last week. “We have shared documents and reports outlining the proposed projects. Based on the third party's conclusion, we will decide our further course of action,” said a senior official.
