Dam to be filled to full capacity

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Sri Rameshji Jain [1]

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to go ahead with plans to store water in the Middle Vaitarana dam at full capacity, despite the bridge not being ready.
After the dam is filled, the existing bridge, dating back to the British-era and connecting nearby villages, will be submerged. To replace this, the civic body had, in 2007, given the task of building a 50 metre high bridge on Mokhada-Khodala Road, near the dam, to the Public Works Department (PWD). The bridge, expected completed on March 2011, is still not ready.
“The PWD has given a deadline of July 25 to complete the bridge. However, it seems that it will be ready until the end of the monsoon. We have still decided to fill the dam up to its “full capacity,” said a senior civic official.
According to civic officials, more than 90 hamlets in the area will lose connectivity if the old bridge goes underwater, and a new one is not constructed. The civic body is contemplating starting a ferry service in the interim.
“We are planning to start a ferry boat service, so that the locals should not face any travel difficulties once the old bridge is submerged,” said the official.
“Once at full capacity, the Middle Vaitarana dam would supply 455 million litres of water daily to the city. At the moment, the BMC can supply only 200 million litres from the dam, as the bridge is not ready.
Delay in commissioning of the Middle Vaitarana dam has not only deprived Mumbaikars of additional water supply, but has also cost the BMC revenue of about `100 crore this year. The sources of the revenue was to be through giving out water from the dam after the capacity was increased. However, as the capacity has not yet increased the civic body has decided not to supply water to new constructions in the city till the Middle Vaitarana dam is completed.