Mumbai: BMC Prepares Plans To Take Up Cleaning Of Ponds In the City

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has developed plans to address the city's ponds, with an objective of cleaning and rejuvenating the urban water bodies.  

As part of the initial stage of the plan, the civic body aims to clean and purify the water content of three ponds in the city — the Sion talao (pond), Shital talao of Kurla, and Dingeshwar talao of Charkop.

The project is currently waiting for approval from the administration.

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board had earlier directed the BMC to focus on preserving all the natural water bodies existing in the city, following which, the civic body started working on this initiative.

According to a BMC document related to the project, the Shital talao is the biggest among the three — with a total area of 13,320 square metres.

The area of Sion talao is 5,500 square metres and that of Charkop talao is around 10,000 square metres.

A civic official as per report by Mid-Day said, that the total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 64.92 crore. This includes Rs 48.14 crore of the actual project cost and for the seven-year project management, additionally.

The civic body plans to use jet aeration treatment to increase the quantity of dissolved oxygen in the water content.

For the purification of water, the plan is to use mobile treatment plants. These actions will focus on removing the sludge regularly and revive the water bodies and the aquatic life.  

The official added, “We are working on a study of sewage and stormwater discharged into water bodies. We will divert this non-weather flow from the ponds.”

The city is home to around 50 such ponds, lakes, and other smaller water bodies, that can serve as natural flood mitigation systems, support water needs and some may also carry cultural and social significance.

The implementation of these projects by the BMC will enhance the surrounding biodiversity of these ponds. Further, after its revival, these can alternatively be transformed into open areas and recreational spaces.