Compensation disputes with salt commissioner stalls key infrastructure development
A bike wades through a waterlogged road at Sion. Pic/Shadab Khan
After years of follow-up, the BMC has not had any breakthrough in constructing the Mahul pumping station yet. The station can solve the issue of waterlogging in Sion, Chembur as well as Matunga. The proposed site is under the salt commissioner and they have asked for compensation.
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The BMC has been struggling to acquire land for the Mahul pumping station, which was one of the seven such projects recommended by the Chitale Committee after the July 26, 2005, Mumbai deluge. The facility, which has remained on paper for the past 17 years, can solve flooding at Matunga, Wadala, Chembur and Sion and ensure smooth harbour train services during heavy rain.
As the relationship between the Maharashtra government and the Centre became cordial after the BJP came back in the driving seat in the state in 2022, the BMC had dusted off its plan to have the Mahul pumping station on centrally owned salt pans. BMC officials had a first meeting with the salt commissioner in July 2022. The BMC even floated a tender for the design, plan and construction of a pumping station at Mahul. But two years after the first move to coordinate with the salt commissioner, there isn’t a significant difference.
“The DP (development plan) department of the BMC is dealing with the salt commissioner for the acquisition of land required for the construction of the pumping station. Recently we had a video conference on July 3 with them and they put forward their compensation expectation. The DP department will take a call. Once the land is acquired by the BMC, then our work will start,” said an official from the Storm Water Department.
“There are a few people who do salt mining on the land. The salt commissioner raised the issue of compensation for loss of livelihood. It is much higher than our estimation. We will work on the optimum amount of compensation. But definitely, we are going ahead with the plan of a pumping station at Mahul,” said Abhijeet Bangar, additional commissioner of the BMC. The project needs approximately 25,000 square metres of land and will cost about Rs 400 crore.
Current status
Despite requests since 2010, the corporation has not received any favourable response from the salt commissioner. The tender tied to this land was scrapped in 2020. As part of its subsequent deal, the BMC was to acquire land from a private party.
In December 2021, the corporation started the paperwork to engage an agency to build the pumping station for an estimated R350 crore. A tender was floated but it was scrapped after six months as the BMC’s land was declared to be a part of the no-development zone under Coastal Zone Management Plan maps published by the National Coastal Zone Management Authority in January 2022.
Mumbai’s pumping stations
Commissioned
Haji Ali
Irla (Juhu)
Love Grove (Worli)
Cleveland Bunder (Worli)
Britannia (Reay Road)
Gajdhar Bandh (Khar Danda)
To be completed
Mogra (Andheri)
Mahul
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