Mumbai: BMC accelerates Mithi River desilting, sets May 31 deadline

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has intensified desilting operations across the Mithi River and key drainage networks with officials setting a firm deadline of May 31 2026 to complete the work ahead of the monsoonPush for Faster Execution and TransparencyAdditional Municipal Commissioner Projects Abhijit Bangar has directed officials to accelerate desilting work across major and minor drains particularly at waterloggingprone locations He emphasized the need for structured planning including strict timelines for each drain with start and completion schedules to be made publicly accessible via a digital dashboardDaily targets have also been mandated to ensure timely completion while contractors have been instructed to provide realtime updates on machinery deployment as per tender conditionsField Inspections Across Key LocationsBangar conducted an onground inspection on April 3 reviewing ongoing desilting works in the Mithi River and eastern suburbs Under a threepackage plan work has commenced at five locations along the river Key sites inspected included stretches near the BandraKurla Complex BKC the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority office and areas near a prominent international school in the vicinityIn addition inspections were carried out at Boundary Nala in Mulund and Somaiya Nala in Ghatkopar where officials were directed to prioritise floodprone zones and coordinate closely with local representativesFocus on Flood Prevention and MicroPlanningCivic authorities are placing strong emphasis on microplanning to ensure that flooding hotspots are effectively addressed Bangar noted that desilting must cover the entire river stretch with particular attention to narrow sections and densely populated areasTo prevent debris from flowing into the sea the installation of trash boom systems has been recommended wherever feasible Authorities have also been instructed to ensure that removed silt is dried for at least 48 hours before transportation with daily progress to be uploaded on the monitoring system along with video evidenceStrict Monitoring and Contractor AccountabilityThe BMC has introduced a digital monitoring mechanism to track progress with officials required to update data daily Payments to contractors will be released only after verification of work quality and adherence to deadlinesBangar warned of strict action against contractors and officials in cases of negligence poorquality work or failure to maintain transparency Engineers have been directed to remain present at sites to ensure close supervision of operationsCrackdown on Illegal DumpingDuring inspections at the BKC stretch authorities flagged concerns over illegal dumping of debris into the river Bangar warned that strict action would be taken against violators stressing that such practices could undermine flood prevention effortsCoordination with RailwaysAt Somaiya Nala civic officials highlighted ongoing coordination with Central Railway authorities who have initiated desilting work within railway culverts This work is also expected to be completed within the May 31 deadlineLearning from Past SuccessOfficials cited last yearrsquos success in preventing flooding at several vulnerable locations including Bhandup railway station and Chunabhatti and stressed the need to replicate similar planning and execution this yearWith just under two months remaining the BMC has underscored the urgency of completing desilting works on schedule to minimise the risk of monsoonrelated flooding across Mumbai