MIAL considers new course for Mithi river

The Mithi River must be realigned. That is the solution the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) has come up with to avoid the horrors of flooding at Mumbai’s airport. Right now, the proposal is under consideration at the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) in Pune, and a feasibility study is also being done by IIT-Bombay. MIAL met the IIT experts on Thursday.
But the proposal was rubbished by the CWPRS, and it also did not find favour with the MIAL as it required the closure of the runways till such time as the work is completed. So, the next course suggested by the MIAL is to get a parallel channel or an alternate channel along the current course of the river, which would be able to handle the excess drain and tail waters from the Powai and Virar Lake, thereby avoiding the flooding of the airport.
“The MIAL has proposed a realignment of the Mithi River. But it is too early for us to comment on it. We will just be giving a hydraulic feasibility about the proposal. There are lots of other socio-economic and legal issues involved,” said VM Bhendre, director of CWPRS.
Meanwhile the MIAL spokesperson expressed the authority’s concerns over the fact that the Mithi runs under the runway.
06/04/07 Manisha Singhal/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Airports Apr 2007