The BMC has appointed two new contractors to complete the Mithi River desilting project after missing the deadline twice. The project had experienced significant delays due to an ongoing police investigation into alleged irregularities with previous contractors. The Mithi River, a key stormwater drain in Mumbai, plays a crucial role in mitigating urban flooding. Desilting began in April as part of the city's pre-monsoon disaster preparedness.

Following the 2005 floods, the BMC prioritised regular maintenance of the river as part of its flood mitigation strategy. The desilting project is divided into three phases, with a total estimated cost of Rs 1 billion between 2025 and 2027.

The project, however, faced substantial setbacks due to the police probe into a contractor scam and the blacklisting of another firm for malpractice. Additionally, heavy rainfall on May 26 further delayed progress as machinery could not access water bodies for several days. Consequently, the BMC extended the deadline to June 7 and appointed two new contractors to accelerate the completion within the next 15 days.

Out of the 2.14 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of silt targeted for removal from the Mithi River, 1.36 lakh MT has been cleared so far. In total, 8.24 lakh MT has been removed from a target of 9.69 lakh MT. Desilting in the island city and the eastern and western suburbs is 100 per cent complete, while work on minor drains is 75.97 per cent complete, with 3.01 lakh MT removed out of a target of 3.96 lakh MT.

News source: The Free Press Journal