MMRDA prepares to dredge Mithi mud

After the developing body and the BMC spent almost a year passing the buck to each other, the former has finally promised to finish desilting and deepening the six-km stretch of the river that falls under its jurisdiction

MMRDA prepares to dredge Mithi mud

One can hope that the MMRDA, BMC and members of the opposition parties will finally put an end to their usual mudslinging matches over the deplorable state of the Mithi River.

The MMRDA has been neglecting the silt deposited on the riverbank, a BJP leader claims

After repeated attempts to shirk its responsibility towards the six-km stretch of the river that falls under its jurisdiction, the MMRDA has finally relented, promising to undertake necessary maintenance work for the Mithi River. The cold war, however, is set to continue.

Speaking to MiD DAY, MMRDA Commissioner Rahul Asthana said, "The MMRDA has always ensured that the responsibility of deepening and disilting the river is carried out properly, so as to prevent the river from flooding its banks every monsoon.

However, some of the other bodies have been targeting us, saying that maintenance work on the stretch that falls under the MMRDA's jurisdiction is not done properly. I am outraged by such statements."

Murky territory
After inspecting the stretch of the river's course that falls under MMRDA's ambit in the month of May, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had accused the development body of tardy, slipshod work, claiming that it was depositing dredged up silt on the river banks, instead of arranging for it to be disposed to the dumping ground, as custom demands.

Speaking to MiD DAY, Somaiya had said, "The MMRDA should immediately transport the raked up silt from the Mithi's banks to the designated dumping ground. But the MMRDA has been simply abandoning the silt on the riverbank. As a result, the silt flows right back into the river with rainwater, increasing chances of flooding in the area."

Somaiya had also alleged, "Only 45 per cent of the disilting work has been done, and I don't think the MMRDA will manage to complete the remaining work before the monsoon season. The chief minister should visit the area and review the ongoing disilting work, and issue explicit instructions to the MMRDA to off load dredged up silt at the designated dump yards."

Ground reality
Team MiD DAY decided to check for itself what the 'ground reality' was. A trip to the area in question in May revealed that the riverbank was choked with accumulated silt, and the boat used by this reporter was even stuck at the stretch of the river situated behind the Bandra-Kurla-Complex (BKC).

At some spots, the river was as shallow as two-to-four feet, making it impossible for the boat to negotiate the mire, and even damaging the engine.

Stirred into action
The leader's sharp comments seem to have stirred the MMRDA out of its languor. Officials have decided that the work will be completed by the year-end. "Even though the 6-km stretch of the Mithi, passing through the BKC comes under our ambit, it is the BMC which collects property tax from the area.

Then why should we spend time, money and effort on deepening and disilting work in the stretch?u00a0 We will hand over the responsibility of the stretch to the BMC. It should undertake all maintenance work in future," said an obviously disgruntled senior MMRDA official.

At loggerheads
Talks to resolve the issue are already under way between the MMRDA Commissioner Rahul Asthana and the BMC Commissioner Subodh Kumar.

This is not the first time that each of the two bodies have been observed desperately trying to shovel the responsibility of the river's maintenance onto the other's plate.

Ever since August 2010, there has been an ongoing debate between the MMRDA and the BMC, with the former insisting that it is the latter's responsibility to undertake disilting in those stretches of the Mithi river and nullahs that fall under the MMRDA's jurisdiction.

A turning point came in the month of February this year, with the BMC firmly turning down the MMRDA's injunction, refusing to shoulder the responsibility of deepening and disilting the Mithi. With its back against the wall, the MMRDA reluctantly began disilting the river, and has, predictably, failed to keep to its monsoon deadline.

Why it is important
After the 2005 Mumbai deluge claimed lives and destroyed property, it emerged that two of the major contributing factors to the floods were illegal construction work along the course of the Mithi, and the great volumes of deposited silt lying in its bed.

Acting on this knowledge, the Maharashtra government formed the Mithi River Development plan. Under this plan, the 17.5-km long course of the river was divided into two parts, earmarking a six-km near the BKC and allotting responsibility for its upkeep to the MMRDA. The rest was to be developed and maintained by the city's civic body.

Costly venture
The MMRDA already spent Rs 26.35 crore in the first phase of the project, removing and disposing 34,214 cubic tonnes of silt from the river, and working for the resettlement and rehabilitation of 3,000 affected families. In the second phase, 22 lakh cubic tonnes of silt were removed.

Of the 6-km within its jurisdiction, the MMRDA already built a retaining wall along five km of the course, spending Rs 309 crore in the process. MMRDA is confident that the remaining work will be completed by December.