The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to deploy drones to track the desilting of the Mithi river, aiming to enhance transparency and accountability in the Rs 84 crore project. This marks the first time aerial surveillance will be used alongside existing monitoring methods such as CCTV cameras and weight bill verification. The move comes as the BMC faces scrutiny from a state-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged irregularities in past Mithi river desilting projects, where Rs 1,300 crore has been spent since 2007.

“There are already multiple measures in place to monitor desilting, such as CCTV surveillance, collection of weight bills for silt, and continuous on-ground supervision by our teams,” said a BMC official from the Storm Water Drain department. “Now, we are adding drone recordings to enhance transparency,” the official added.