The project, aimed at easing flooding in Mumbai during monsoons, has been delayed due to slum encroachments along the Dahisar, Poisar, Oshiwara and Mithi rivers as well as the Vakola nullah.
In what could speed up crucial river widening works under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) ambitious Brihanmumbai Storm Water Drainage (Brimstowad) project, the state housing department issued a notification last week giving the BMC full authority to survey and decide on the eligibility of slum dwellers as project-affected persons (PAPs), as opposed to having to wait for the Collector's office, MHADA or MMDRA to do so.
The project, aimed at easing flooding in Mumbai during monsoons, has been delayed due to slum encroachments along the Dahisar, Poisar, Oshiwara and Mithi rivers as well as the Vakola nullah. Earlier, the civic body had to wait for the Collector's office, MMRDA or Mhada to decide on the eligibility of slum dwellers as PAPs, before the encroachments could be demolished and the PAPs rehabilitated elsewhere.
"The deputy collector's office had written to the state government in December 2016 saying that the process of conducting surveys will take a lot of time, considering the work pressure they are currently under. We have decided to give BMC the authority to conduct the survey. We want to expedite the project," said BJ Pawar, Joint Secretary of the Housing Department. The BMC, however, will continue to rely on the Railways for the survey and eligibility of PAPs in the case of slum encroachments on Railway land. The project includes upgradation and improvement in rainwater receding capacity of the city's century-old drainage system.
Before the 2012 civic elections, the ruling alliance in the BMC promised that the Brimstowad project would be completed by 2013. However, it missed the scheduled deadline as civic officials could not remove the encroachments along the nullahs. This apart, about 3,000 of the 12,000 slum dwellers along the Dahisar, Poisar, Oshiwara and Vaola rivers have been rehabilitated as PAPs.
Of the remaining 9,000 slum dwellers, some were deemed ineligible as PAPs after surveys were conducted by the Collector's office, and have since approached the court contesting the decision.
In case of the Mithi river, of 5,300 slum dwellers, surveys and determination of eligibility as PAPs have to be carried out for 1,500 persons. While work on the Mithi river was originally under Brimstowad, it is now being undertaken by the Mithi River Development and Protection Authority.
While the civic body spent
Rs 2,000 crore on the project over the last five years, 30 per cent of the work is still remaining.
"We are ready with contractors to start with the widening and deepening works. But, the removal of encroachments is proving to be a big hurdle. We were awaiting a decision from the Collector's office before going ahead with the demolition drive. Now that the BMC is in control, it will expedite the project," Laxman Vhatkar, Chief Engineer, Storm Water Department (SWD) said.
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