BMC Plans ₹1.79 Crore Steel Nets Along Vakola River to Stop Garbage Dumping

10-Foot-High Nets to Block Solid Waste from Entering Mumbai Waterway

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to install 10-foot-high steel garbage-trapping nets along the Vakola River in Mumbai as part of a new effort to reduce waste dumping and improve the condition of the waterway.

The project, estimated to cost ₹1.79 crore, will cover a stretch of the river’s retaining wall near the Dnyaneshwar slum settlement. The nets are designed to stop solid waste, including large and bulky items, from being thrown into the water.

BMC Expands Steel Net Strategy in Mumbai

The civic body has already used steel nets at several locations where garbage dumping has been a persistent problem. Officials say the measures have helped reduce the amount of waste reaching local nullahs.

The BMC’s Storm Water Drains (SWD) Department has now proposed a similar solution for the Vakola River. The proposal was placed before the civic Standing Committee for approval following directions from MLA Varun Sardesai.

The planned installation is expected to act as a physical barrier and help prevent waste from entering the waterway from nearby residential and slum areas.

Vakola River Faces Growing Garbage Problem

The Vakola River near the Dnyaneshwar settlement has faced serious pollution due to regular dumping of waste. Floating garbage has reportedly accumulated in the waterway, creating concerns about cleanliness, drainage and the overall condition of the river.

Residents have also raised complaints about waste floating in the water and blocking parts of the waterway. The proposed steel nets are intended to address the problem at the point where garbage enters the river.

Nets Will Also Stop Bulky Waste

The BMC's plan is not limited to regular household garbage. The steel barriers are also expected to prevent bulky waste such as old furniture, cupboards and sofas from being dumped into the water.

The SWD Department first tested this approach in December 2023 at P&T Colony in Bandra West. Following the results of that pilot project, the BMC expanded the use of steel nets at other vulnerable nullahs located near slum and chawl settlements.

BMC Targets Waste Across Mumbai's Nullahs

Mumbai has 309 major nullahs and 1,508 minor nullahs, making waste management across the city's drainage network a major challenge.

The proposed Vakola River project is part of the civic body's broader effort to keep Mumbai's waterways cleaner and reduce the amount of solid waste entering drainage channels.

If approved and implemented, the ₹1.79 crore steel-net project could provide an additional barrier against garbage dumping and support cleaner waterways around Vakola.