With the monsoon season approaching, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has completed only 15% of its pre-monsoon stormwater drain desilting work across Mumbai as of April 12, raising concerns over flood preparedness. The progress includes work on the Mithi River and major drainage networks across the city.
Against a target of removing 393,449 metric tonnes (MT) of silt, the civic body has so far cleared only 125,726 MT. Desilting is a critical pre-monsoon activity aimed at ensuring smooth drainage during heavy rainfall and reducing the risk of waterlogging and flooding.
Officials indicated that the work began later than usual this year, with full-scale operations starting only on April 2. The delay has been attributed to the blacklisting of two contractors last year, which required the civic body to issue fresh tenders for key wards such as H-West, K-West, M-West, and S ward.
Progress has also been impacted in the case of the Mithi River, where only 3 per cent of desilting work has been completed so far. The ongoing inquiry by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing into alleged irregularities in previous desilting contracts has made it difficult for the BMC to attract contractors for the project.
Across the city, desilting of major drains in both the island city and suburbs has reached around 16% completion, while minor drains have recorded approximately 18% progress. Overall, the citywide desilting work stands at 15%.
The BMC has set a target to complete 80% of the desilting work before the onset of the monsoon by May 31. The remaining work is planned to be carried out during and after the monsoon season, with 10% scheduled for each phase.
The slow pace of progress has brought attention to the city’s preparedness ahead of the rains, particularly given Mumbai’s vulnerability to flooding during intense monsoon periods.
Source: The Free Press Journal
