Project cost has escalated by almost six fold since it was proposed in 1993 at R616 crore; just 12 of the total 58 works have been completed till date

Four years after its initiation in 2007, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials today feel that Rs 3,535.41 crore spent on BRIMSTOWAD project could have been better utilised, had they constructed walls adjoining the major nullahs using the open foundation method rather than the meter piling technique.


Expensive proposition: Based on consultants' advice, the civic body
opted for the expensive meter piling technique

Inside info
According to an official from Storm Water Drainage Department, it were the consultants appointed by the civic body who suggested it to carry out the construction by meter piling technique, mostly used for strengthening foundations of high-rise buildings.

This technique involves digging in deeper than what is normally done in open foundation technique.

"In meter piling, the ground is dug up to 10 to 16 meters, which costs anywhere from Rs 8,200 to Rs 12,800 per sqm. However, if the open foundation technique is implemented, the cost goes down by 40 per cent, as the digging is limited to just eight metres. When the contracts were awarded, the contractors carried out work as per meter piling technique. This resulted in fast consumption of money and only a few kilometres of retaining wall could be constructed."

Official speaks
Rahul Shewale, BMC's Standing Committee chairperson, said, "The money has been wasted on the unnecessary meter piling technique. The work has been delayed due to cash crunch since a long time. We would now be appealing to the central government to sanction more funds for the project. Also, the cost has escalated due to rehabilitation of project-affected people (PAPs), change in technology, increase in the on-site work and time taken by the environment ministry for issuing clearances. Cost will once again escalate, if the work is delayed further. Last year, no work was carried out as most of the money was used in paying the cost variation."