After key issues like Metro carshed, state-Centre battle now hitting local projects, too; new Coastal Zone Plan stops Mahul pumping station
Pic/Ashish Raje
After controversy over the metro carshed land at Kanjurmarg, now the much awaited Mahul pumping station faces another hurdle, due to differences between the Central and local authorities. A BMC plot was supposed to be exchanged for private land where the pumping station was planned. But now the land comes under CRZ II as per the new Coastal Zone Management Plan, hence cannot be exchanged.
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The owner of the private land is not ready to accept it. So the BMC is looking for a solution. The city needs the pumping station to resolve flooding at major locations of Dadar, Sion, Wadala, Matunga and Kings Circle, and it also affects the Harbour Railway service. The Kanjurmarg Metro depot plot is already mired in controversy with the Centre and state government both claiming ownership.
The National Coastal Zone Management Authority published Coastal Zone Management Plans maps for Mumbai in January 2022. Though the plans could prove to be beneficial for the development of buildings and slums near the sea shore, they came as a shock for the BMC, which had been trying to complete the last link of the eight pumping stations suggested by the Chitale committee after the July 26 floods. The BMC had been trying to procure land from the Salt commissioner for the same for 10 years, but hadn't received any official letter about the same from the central agency. So the BMC had decided to change the location of the pumping station.
The exchange plan
The new site is private land and the BMC was going to exchange one of its plots with it. The new plot belongs to M/s Ajmera Realty and Infrastructure India ltd. As per the plan of the BMC which was approved in the improvement committee meeting in November 2021, there would be an MoU with the owner and TDR would be paid after the nod from the state government.
A flooded road at King’s Circle in 2020. The Mahul pumping station will resolve the issue. Pic/Sameer Markande
“The private land is spread across 15,006 square metres. The BMC had decided to exchange one of its plots of 13,390 sq metres and allot TDR of remaining 1616 sq. metres of land to the owner. The private land is under Coastal Regulation Zone, but it is permissible to build a storm water drain in CRZ and it will be easy to get environmental clearance. The land is more convenient as it is adjacent to a nullah and does not require another link to the storm water drainage. The process of appointing an agency for construction of the pumping station at Mahul started in December 2021. The civic body had set a deadline of 24 months. The plant with a capacity to drain 54 cubic metres of water per second may cost around Rs 350 crore," said a senior official from the BMC.
“But as per the Coastal Zone Management Plans issued by the National Coastal Zone Management Authority, the plot of the BMC now falls under CRZ II and no construction activity will be permitted on it. So now the private owner who was ready to exchange his plot with it is not ready," added the official. P Velarasu, additional commissioner, BMC said they are looking for a solution as the process for the pumping station had already started and the city needs it to resolve the issue of flooding.
The city's pumping stations
Already commissioned:
>> Haji Ali
>> Irla (Juhu),
>> Love Grove (Worli)
>> Cleveland Bunder (Worli)
>> Britannia (Reay Road)
>> Gajdharbandh (Khardanda)
Those to be completed:
Mogra (Santacruz) contract awarded in 2021
Mahul
Rs 350 crore
Estimated cost of the Mahul pumping station
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