Mumbai: To improve the quality of coastal water and meet the city’s water supply demands, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) on Monday started work on the 37-million-litre Colaba sewage treatment plant (STP). The groundbreaking ceremony for the plant was performed by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
“BMC officers have done a great job by doing good work on this project and I hope that its work would be completed within the deadline,” he said.
Besides Colaba, MCGM has shortlisted six other sites for setting up STPs at Worli, Ghatkopar, Bandra, Versova, Malad and Bhandup, through which it aims to recycle and treat 3,000 million litres per day (mld) of waste water.
Under the Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project (MSDP), the Colaba sewage treatment plant, situated near Afghan Church, will collect waste water from Afghan Church, Kitteries Road, Robert Road, Merryweather Road, NF Road and A-ward areas. This water will be treated and discharged into the sea through a 1,200 mm outlet.
Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta said, “The first master plan to treat sewage water was chalked out in 1979, and over time, the civic body has carried forward this plan as per the requirement.”
Open racecourse to public: Uddhav
Mr. Thackeray said the Mahalaxmi racecourse should be thrown open to the public. “Now the time has come for the Mahalaxmi racecourse to be opened to common people,” he said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “I am not against horse races, but I am of the firm view that it (the racecourse) should be opened to people, who are striving for some open space.”
In 2013, Mr. Thackeray had submitted a plan to then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for setting up a garden at the racecourse. — PTI
