The long-pending proposal for the Mogra stormwater pumping station in Andheri West has taken a significant step forward. The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has recommended the project to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for coastal clearance, despite the site falling within a protected mangrove buffer zone. The MoEF&CC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday.
Project Details
The proposed pumping station, along with tidal gates, retaining walls, and allied infrastructure, is planned along the Mogra nullah near Oshiwara and Lokhandwala. Civic officials informed the MCZMA that nearly 1.5 lakh residents in Andheri West and surrounding areas face chronic flooding every monsoon because the Mogra nullah lacks the capacity to discharge stormwater during high-tide conditions.
Background and Significance
The project is part of the post-2005 flood mitigation plan recommended by the Chitale Committee and the BRIMSTOWAD report, which proposed eight pumping stations across Mumbai. While six stations, including Lovegrove, Haji Ali, and Cleveland Bunder, have been built, the Mogra and Mahul stations remained pending. The Mogra station is particularly crucial for alleviating flooding in densely populated areas.
Conditions for Clearance
MCZMA has recommended the proposal for final CRZ clearance subject to multiple conditions. These include obtaining prior permission from the Bombay High Court, as the project lies within a mangrove buffer zone, securing a no-objection certificate from the mangrove cell, and ensuring no debris is dumped within CRZ areas. A civic official stated that once all permissions are in place, the BMC will inform the High Court and seek final approval for construction.
Next Steps
After securing the necessary clearances, the contractor will begin hydraulic studies and sump model studies to assess performance and optimize design. These studies will be vetted by IIT-Bombay. The design work for the pumping station has already begun, and on-site construction is expected to start after the monsoon season, according to the official.
Citizen Concerns
Dhaval Shah of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association highlighted that the Mogra nullah carries a large amount of sewage and rainwater along a long stretch, which is heavily encroached upon, leading to severe flooding along the flow path, including the Andheri subway, Veera Desai Road, and Lokhandwala. He emphasized the urgent need for the pumping station to reduce flooding affecting over one million residents of Andheri. He also stressed that the flow path, reduced due to slums and new buildings, needs restoration, otherwise the project may fail.
