BMC completes 37 per cent of pre-monsoon desilting work

The civic body removes silt from all major and minor drains, rivers, and water bodies in Mumbai every year as a precautionary measure to reduce water-logging in the city during heavy rain. The civic body spent Rs 180 crore last year to clean the drains, and this year it plans to spend nearly Rs 226 crore.

According to civic data, 46% of the drains in island city have been desilted so far, followed by 56% in the eastern suburbs and 44% in the western suburbs. Along with this, 26% of the Mithi River has been desilted, as have 19% of the expressway's periphery drains and 33% of municipal ward small drains. According to the civic data, 3.54 lakh metric tonnes of silt have been removed so far. It is worth noting that the BMC issued tenders for pre-monsoon desilting works in December of last year. This came after the BMC was chastised for starting drainage cleaning work late last year due to a delay in issuing work orders following the dissolution of the electoral committee in March last year.

The BMC rule states that 75% of the desilting work must be completed prior to the monsoon, with the remaining 25% desilted after the rains. "However, the problem of solid waste material will persist. "Even after desilting the drains, most of the city's drains and rivers are covered with solid waste, which may obstruct free flow of water during rains, leading to clogging of the outfall and flooding in some low-lying areas," the official added.

Annually, 254 km of major drains, 443 km of minor drains, and 21 km of Mithi river are desilted. In addition to this, the BMC will also desilt the drains that are in the periphery of the Western and Eastern Express Highways, since the civic body has taken up the responsibility of these two arterial roads last year.

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