From 2005, over `830 crore have already been spent on 17.84 km-long Mithi River, which has been dying a slow death due to pollution, filth and construction activities on its banks. However, the BMC and MMRDA’s promises of rejuvenating the river, which now resembles a giant nullah, have not seen the light of the day.
The Mithi River grabbed the state government’s attention during the July 26, 2005 deluge, as the construction activities around the city’s arterial river had caused a lot of flooding in Mumbai. Post the 26/7 deluge, the state government was forced to form the Madhav Chitale Committee to find ways to revive the river.
Mithi covers a vast area from the overflowing water of Tulsi, Vihar and Powai Lakes to Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Aarey Colony (Royal Palms), Filter Pada, L&T Junction at Powai, Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road, Saki Naka, Kranti Nagar, Bail Bazaar, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Air Indian Colony, S.G. Barve Marg, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Bandra (east), Bandra-Mahim railway line, Mahim Creek, Bandra Reclamation and finally into the Arabian Sea.
As per the committee’s suggestion, the MMRDA and the BMC were asked to take care of the river rejuvenation project. While 11.8 kms between the Powai Lake and CST Road came under the BMC’s purview, and the MMRDA was in charge of the six kms from Mahim Bay.
Gist of Chitale report and recommendations
The Madhav Chitale Committee report of 2006 recommended creating a separate authority for Mithi River.
It also suggested constructing additional gated outfalls, pumping stations, holding ponds, etc for Mumbai, apart from fixing gates for Vihar and Powai Lakes.
Furthermore, it made it compulsory for the various bodies around Mithi River to secure clearances from the BMC before commissioning any works in their respective premises.
Authorities’ unfulfilled promises
The BMC and the MMRDA had made a host of promises to revive the Mithi River and relieve the surrounding areas of flooding. However, most of these promises have just been on paper.
MMRDA’s mess
In April 2007, an MMRDA official had cited with confidence that by 2010, the Mithi River project of cleaning, deepening, widening, beautification and building security walls would be completed. However, even by mid-2012, the development authority has not managed to carry out the said tasks.
Moreover, despite not having completed the basic works, the MMRDA came up with a plan to build a marine platform on the river. This plan for the platform is now lost in the files of the Mithi River Development and Protection project, which is languishing with the MMRDA.
Adding to the list of half-baked plans, in December 2009, former metropolitan commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad launched an innovative oxygen infusion device system to control the foul odours emanating from Mithi, and even to check on the mosquito-breeding menace. However, soon this too was discontinued, and it cost the development authority an additional `5.9 crore.
Explaining the current status of work, joint project director, public relations, MMRDA, Dilip Kawathkar said, “As part of the annual monsoon preparation, the MMRDA has already completed the desilting work of the Mithi River by removing 1.47 cubic meters of silt from the CST Road to Mahim. The MMRDA is also in the final stages to constructing a security wall along the river.”
BMC’s failure
Unlike the MMRDA’s ambitious plans, the civic body just stuck to the basic works for the river and did not opt for any fancy projects. Way back in February 2007, the BMC claimed that widening, deepening, desilting work and construction of retaining walls and roads alongside the river bank, would commence in March 2007, and would be completed by May 2008. However, even in 2012, these basic works are still underway with no definite deadline in sight.
“The BMC is supposed to construct a retaining wall of 20 kms. However, in the first phase it has only managed to erect an 8 kilometres wall out of the targeted 8.5 kilometres. Tenders have just been issued for another 5 kilometres, while the remaining 7-kilometre stretch is under dispute among slum dwellers, encroachers and the airport,” said Anil Galgali, RTI activist, who has been keeping a track of the expenses and works of Mithi River.
However, the BMC has completed widening and deepening of the river in the 11.8 kilometre stretch.
Expenditure till date
Since the deluge, the MMRDA has spent `288 crore on various projects including rock excavation, desilting, construction of gabion wall, etc. It has also experimented with the river by spending `5.9 crore on odour control, which did not yield desired results.
The BMC has till date spent `475 crore for deepening, cleaning, widening, retaining wall, etc by making payments to the contractors. Work worth
`195 crore is still being undertaken.
Moreover, since 2009, the MMRDA and the BMC have been asking the Central government to provide funds to the tune of `1,670.11 crore for the Mithi River rejuvenation project. However, there is little hope, as it is uncertain if the two authorities will get the required amount. The MMRDA wants `417.5 crore, while the civic body’s share is of `1,239.6 crore.
Can this sewer be converted into a river?
A study on the Mithi River by Gautam Kirtane from Observer Research Foundation reads, “Other than the abuse from dumping of solid wastes, sewage and industrial effluent, the banks of the Mithi River have suffered the greatest damage from government actions. Silently, the banks have been squeezed and eliminated in places. (sic).”
According to Dr Asad Rahmani director of the Bombay Natural History Society, “There is no need to conduct any experiments. There is a much simpler solution. The only requirement is to detach or discontinue the sources of pollution, mainly the small industries on the banks of Mithi. These industries discharge the waste into the river, thus polluting it. If the discharge is diverted elsewhere, the Mithi River will automatically become clean and healthy.”