BMC lays only 16% of new sewer lines in Mumbai in last four years

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had set an objective of building 93.68 km of sewer lines under the Municipal Sewerage Improvement Project (MSIP), of which only 16% of the new sewerage lines has been laid across Mumbai in the past four years. However, work on only 15.5 km has been done in the last four years. The BMC has said that it will complete the remaining 78.17 km sewer line in the next two years. One of the main reasons for the discharge of untreated sewage in water bodies as well as the sea is the poor progress of new sewer lines construction. According to an affidavit filed on August 13 in a sea pollution case before the Supreme Court, under MSIP, the civic body has prepared a sewerage infrastructure development plan on laying new sewer lines for covering the whole island city and suburbs with 100% sewer connectivity. At present, out of 93.68 km sewer line in the city, laying of 15.5 km is finished while laying of 51.15 km is under development, and work on 27.03 km is in the planning stage. In 2016-17, MSIP was initiated to lay sewer lines with a deadline of five years in developed regions. The sewerage lines laying project is expected to be completed by 2023. Work was also being delayed due to the outbreak of Covid-19, said a senior official from the Sewerage Project department. For 2021-22, the civic body has made a provision of Rs 181.91 crore to finish the remaining work of MSIP. Image Source Also read: BMC approves 6.7 km tunnel to check Mithi river pollution