Western suburbs to get pumping station

The Gazdar Bandh pumping station at Khar which can control water-logging and flooding of the western suburbs of the Mumbai city will start its operation during monsoons.

According to Vilas Kamble, Deputy Chief Engineer Storm Water Department (SWD), the work of the station has been completed and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is ready to operate it during monsoons. “The station has half a dozen pumps which will flush out rainwater and prevent flooding. The pumping station has cost Rs 122 crore. This is expected to flush out the storm water from major chronic flooding spots, mainly, RK Mission Junction on Linking Road Khar (west), North Avenue Road Santacruz, Shastri Nagar (Versova), Daulat Nagar, Mira Baug colony, Green Street Santacruz west, Indira Nagar, Khira Nagar,” he said.

This pumping station was about to begin in 2016 but was delayed due to a litigation. A senior BMC official said, “It got delayed as the construction of the pumping station was challenged in the Bombay High Court. The place of the pumping station was on a mangrove land and near to the sea. This place was chosen as the pumps can easily throw out water in the sea. Later HC also gave its nod and directed BMC to shift the mangroves to the nearby creek area.”

The facility has been constructed under the BMC's storm water disposal system project to prevent flooding and stagnation of water in the low-lying areas. Each pump has the capacity of flushing 6,000 litres of water per second.