02 June,2009 07:54 AM IST | | Shashank Rao
If drainage system for the river flowing below the airport is to be expanded to avoid flooding, 25% of the main runway will have to be shut for 18 months
This promises to be a catch-22 situation for Mumbai's fliers. A recent feasibility report prepared by an international consultant for the government says that 25 per cent of the main runway at the domestic airport will have to be shut for nearly 18 months, if the drainage system below it is to be widened to allow smooth flow of water during the rains.
This means that YOU will have to commute out of an even more congested airport for over a year and a half if you want an airport that doesn't get waterlogged every time it pours.
Every monsoon the domestic terminal suffers from water logging due to the Mithi River, which flows below the airport. A senior MMRDA official said, "IIT Mumbai, which has assessed the report and done its own analysis, recommended an additional 40 m-wide and 3 m-deep culvert (drain) to allow water to pass smoothly under the runway."
The area currently has two drains u2014 one 23 m wide (constructed in 1992) and another 40 m wide (constructed in 2006). But water logging can be prevented only if the third drain is built. The new drain, built at a cost of Rs 300 crore (approx), will pass underneath the main runway.
The report proposes different construct methods micro-tunnelling (18 months), cut and cover (12 months) and box pushing (36 months). Of these, micro-tunnelling is the best option, as it is the only one that won't affect the runway surface.
The airport authorities, however, don't see any of these measures viable. Manish Kalghatgi, spokesperson for Mumbai International Airport Ltd, said, "Keeping the runway closed for more than an year is not a feasible option."
Way out?
They have suggested another way to deal with the situation building the third drain away from the runway. However, this will not only increase the cost of the project to Rs 495 crore, but also result in removing 5,000 encroachers to acquire additional land.
The final choice will be made by the government.
V Tondwalkar, project director, Mithi River Development and Protection Authority, said, "All four options will be presented to the CM before implementation."
Rs 300 cr
The approximate cost of the project if the govt approves one of the methods recommended by the international consultant
Rs 495 cr
The approximate cost of the project if the govt approves MIAL's suggestion
