‘Transfer plot at Mahul to BMC for pumping station’

MUMBAI: Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday sought transfer of a plot owned by the Union ministry of commerce and industry at Mahul to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for building a pumping station to improve the chronic flooding during monsoon at Dadar-hindmata area.

In a review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on states which were hit by floods recently, Thackeray also said that a committee, headed by the PM and CMS as members, should be formed for better co-ordination to tackle natural calamities. Chief ministers of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Assam also attended the meeting through video conferencing. Thackeray also demanded financial assistance of ₹1,000 crore from the Centre for the damages it suffered due to Cyclone Nisarga on June 3 and Mumbai floods on August 5.

The pumping station at Mahul is part of the seven pumping stations planned under Brimstowad project and is one of the two stations which are yet to be constructed.

Brimstowad project got a boost after the July 2005 deluge in

Mumbai and it envisages upgrading the city’s colonial drainage systems. The pumping station at Mahul will provide relief in lowlying areas such as Wadala, Dadar and Hindmata, which are among flood-prone spots.

Of the seven pumping stations, Mahul is the largest one with a capacity to pump out 150 cubic metres of water each second.

“The CM insisted that the city needs the pumping station to prevent flooding at several areas including Wadala, Dadar, Hindmata. It is a long pending issue that needs to be resolved. It is also the most-suitable plot the civic body has identified for the project,” said a senior official who attended the meeting.

Non-availability of land has delayed the Mahul pumping station project for over a decade. After identifying the plot, BMC issued tenders multiple times but the work is yet to start. The civic body has written several letters for land transfer.

“The PM directed the concerned departments to take decisions on all the suggestions and demands following due process and study,” said the official.

Thackeray also raised the issue of proposed railway project passing through Melghat tiger reserve and suggested alternative alignment, an official said.

WORK TO BEGIN SOON