Considering heavy tidal effects, chemical sewage and the depth of the Mithi, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is now toying with the idea of having a Gabion wall’along the river’s embankment.
MMRDA feels that the wall will be the best option for redefining the river’s embankments
Considering heavy tidal effects, chemical sewage and the depth of the Mithi, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is now toying with the idea of having a Gabion wall’along the river’s embankment.
The authority is all set to kick off the construction of a retaining wall along the Mithi as part of the
desilting, widening and beautification project.
Gabion retaining structures are rectangular wire mesh baskets, made of geo-fabric or geo-textile materials, filled with rock at the project site to form flexible, permeable, monolithic structures for infrastructural projects.
Considered to be strong and long-lasting walls for purposes of irrigation, the prototype made up of geo-fibre (a polymer) could be used for a very small portion of the retaining wall that is being constructed along the river under the Rs90-crore component of the Mithi river beautification project.
Aruna Lall, proprietor of the Int-Fab firm dealing in geo-fabric or geo-textile materials for construction purposes, recently made a presentation before the MMRDA authorities in the presence of Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) representatives.
TCE is the consultant for the entire project.
Avinash Sapre, urban planner and an expert member on the Indian Institute of Technology team for the Mithi revamp, said a geo-fabric Gabion wall was the best option in civil engineering. Such structures, he said, were normally used in retaining walls for irrigation projects.
“It holds the material, does not decay, lasts lifelong and prevents water from percolation,” he added.
MMRDA Chief Engineer (Mithi) DD Bhide said that the option needed to be tested.
“As of now, there is no proposal to go for a Gabion wall. Under the project we will go for a RCC construction method,” he said.
However, Bhide did not outrightly reject the idea.
According to an MMRDA official, the Gabion wall will be the most eco-friendly, flexible, strong yet permeable and
sophisticated option for redefining the Mithi’s embankments. Sources said that the idea could be implemented on an experimental basis for a small stretch of the river.
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