Mumbai: Gazdhar Bandh pumping station to have German-made steel screens

Mumbai: The Gazdhar Bandh pumping station at Khar will have German-made steel screens. According to a civic officer from the Storm Water and Drain (SWD) management department, the testing of the screens has completed in Germany successfully and soon it will be brought to Mumbai. “The screens will be brought by March-end through shipping. The cost of the six screens is Rs. 12 crore, and will be fixed by the appointed contractor only, “ said the civic officer.

The BMC officer further added the contractor for time being installed steel rods at the pumping station, which malfunctioned during the previous rainy season as it could not obstruct the waste when the water pumped in. Therefore, the steel screens are replaced with rods and only water will flow inside.

Even after two years, the appointed BMC contractor has failed to complete the pumping station construction work. In addition, this monsoon also the pumping station will not be operational, thus failing to provide any major relief to Khar Danda, Khira Nagar, Santacruz (West) and parts of Bandra areas which comes under the low lying areas of the western region. The project cost is estimated at price of Rs 100 crore and was expected to pump out around 36,000 litres of water.

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While the BMC officer from SWM department added the previous contractor named Pratibha Industries had gone bankrupt, therefore, he is trying to complete the work through a sub-contractor. “We have sent several show-cause notices, however, he has not given any concrete reason for the delay. Also, as he only managed to complete 30 to 40 percent of project work. Therefore, BMC will recall the tender for remaining work and those expenses will be deducted from the first appointed contractor itself,” said the civic officer.