BMC fails to get green nod for Mithi project.

The Mithi river widening project has not been completed even nine years after the river swelled and the city was flooded on July 26, 2005.

This year too areas around the river are likely to be flooded during the monsoon, as the ambitious widening project will be delayed with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) failing to obtain environmental clearance from the Centre.

Civic officials said the BMC had undertaken construction and restoration of 12 bridges over the Mithi river to streamline its flow as part of the project. Five have been completed and work on one at Kalina is in progress. But work on five other bridges downstream has not even started due to the absence of an NoC from the Union environment ministry.


The BMC plans to increase the width of bridges to more than 100 metres at these places. At Mahim Causeway, the bridge will be widened from 46 metres to 104 metres, at Dharavi 55m to 115m, at Vaitarana Main 54m to 122m, at Tansa Main 77m to 143m and at CST bridge from 30m to 100m.

Laxman Vhatkar, director (engineering services & projects), said, 'These bridges have to be widened so that the river flow is not obstructed. We applied for NoCs last July as mangroves have to be cleared. But there has been no reply from the Centre despite repeated pleas.'

TIMES OF INDIA