The two months after monsoon (October and November) will see a series of demolitions of shanties across Mumbai. The BMC wants to widen Mumbai’s drains under the BRIMSTOWAD and non-BRIMSTOWAD project.
The two months after monsoon (October and November) will see a series of demolitions of shanties across Mumbai. The BMC wants to widen Mumbai’s drains under the BRIMSTOWAD and non-BRIMSTOWAD project. Municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta has asked the storm water drains (SWD) department to come up with a plan to systematically shift the shanties that border nullahs across the city.
The BMC is looking at demolishing a total of 27,215 encroachments spread across 59.69 kilometres of nullahs in Mumbai. A civic official said, “These shanties line the nullahs and pose a major hurdle in their widening. Moreover, the garbage from these households also pollutes the nullahs. So we are looking to shift them.”
The authorities associated with the project have been asked to figure out by September which of the shanties qualifies for rehabilitation. The BMC will deal with a total of 11,143 encroachments spread across 19.7 km, out of the total 61.31 km of nullahs that are covered under the BRIMSTOWAD project. It will also deal with a total of 6,320 encroachments spread across 19.66 km of nullahs out of a total of 70 km of nullahs that come under the non-BRIMSTOWAD project.
Meanwhile, assistant commissioners have been asked to find out why persistent water logging takes place at certain places. Municipal commissioner Mr Mehta said, “After the first flush of rains, leaves and plastic has again collected over laterals, (the little gutter along the side of the road, which has a grill). No one pays attention to them.”
