Mumbai: A day after two contractors were appointed for desilting Mithi River in three phases, BMC’s standing committee on Wednesday approved the contract of around Rs 30 crore.Following concerns raised by the opposition members over the ongoing works across the city, standing committee chairperson Prabhakar Shinde directed the BMC administration to provide weekly reports on the progress of Mithi desilting work.Congress corporator and standing committee member Ashraf Azmi said the two companies carry out asphalting and beautification works and build retaining walls, but have no experience in desilting work.The two firms also do not have advanced machinery, such as the silt pusher, which are required to clean Mithi river, said Azmi, adding that a progress report about the desilting works should be presented to the standing committee every week.He also demanded to know whether the BMC has blacklisted any of the companies engaged for desilting works in the past that were under the scanner. “We are also worried if these two companies will be able to finish the work properly and on time,” Azmi added.NCP corporator Sayeeda Khan pointed out that desilting is not being carried out at the outfalls of the stormwater drains, because they are located within private housing societies. Khan added that retaining walls are damaged at some locations and water is entering into housing societies.Congress corporator Tulip Miranda claimed that the Mithi River desilting works are being carried out at a slow pace. “There is no buffer space for launching machines to carry out the desilting works. Earlier, retaining walls were broken to launch the machines and the debris were dumped into the river, which later obstructed the flow of water and caused flooding,” Miranda alleged.Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Deepmala Bhade said cleaning of major nullahs in her ward in Bhandup started following her repeated complaints and now, the work is moving at a snail’s pace.
