Team Blitz India
MUMBAI: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) demolition drive to clear encroachments and widening of river Mithi has led to its widening at several spots along its 17.8-km stretch from Powai to Mahim Bay over the past decade.
There are several places, however, where the river bed has been encroached by land sharks and encroachers are giving a tough time to the corporation in getting it vacated.
Work was affected due to 750 structures on a 900-meter stretch between Kalina Bridge and the CST Bridge. After a long wait of 10 years, the BMC could finally carry out the first demolition of 56 commercial structures in Kismat Nagar in Kurla West.
Several illegal structures that have crept up along the bank have affected the widening of the river for several years. Flowing past Kranti Nagar the river narrows to 60 meters as it flows below the Kurla-Kalina bridge, past Kismat Nagar, and below the CST bridge onwards to the Bandra-Kurla complex. There it widens from 100 meters to 220 meters as it approaches Mahim Bay. However, its widening has been stuck at several places because of encroachments.
BMC’s notices to warehouses were challenged in court, which stalled the widening work. Ultimately, it could vacate one acre of land by demolishing 56 commercial structures. It has set a target of January 2024 to complete the demolition of structures affecting the widening work.
BMC’s team of L ward, consisting of 15 engineers, 100 workers, and 50 police personnel, was deployed for the demolition drive. The corporation will be demolishing another 180 structures once it gets a green signal from the court. Other than court matters and resistance from encroachers, the widening work of Mithi has been delayed due to vote bank politics that prevents slum rehabilitation.
