Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray performed bhoomi poojan for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Dahisar river rejuvenation project worth Rs 246 crore.
The work on the project is expected to begin right away. BMC is expected to complete the project within 24 months, excluding monsoon months.
As per the schedule, four months namely June, July, August and September have been considered as monsoon.
The project has at least 11 components, including the construction of two waste water treatment facilities, sewer lines that connect the nearby settlements to these facilities, nullahs that lead to the river, waste segregation units, desludging the river bed, fence along the river, construction of open green spaces, preservation of wetlands and developing new wetlands and construction of mangrove parks.
The entire project is conceptually divided into three phases -- rejuvenation; to prevent entry of pollutants into the river; naturalisation, creation of a buffer and promoting biodiversity, plantation and preservation of the ecology of the river; and preservation, which includes operation and maintenance.
The project will begin with preventing pollutants into the stream through interception and treatment plants. Work on rejuvenation of the four major rivers of Mumbai -- Dahisar, Poisar, Oshiwara and Mithi -- has started.