Decks cleared for Middle Vaitarna Dam project

Decks have been cleared for the Rs 1,550-crore Middle Vaitarna Dam project, which was pending with the central government for more than a decade.

Once completed, the project will increase the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)'s water supply capacity by 544 million litres a day.

The Centre committee on expenditure, led by Union finance secretary Adarsh Kishore, gave its approval for undertaking the project under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM). The project, however, is yet to receive clearance from the environment ministry.

The Centre will contribute 35 per cent of the project cost, and the state government will contribute 15 per cent more, while the rest would be borne by MCGM. It would take around three to three-and-a-half years for the project to complete.

Recently, the Centre has also cleared the ambitious Rs 1,800-crore Brihan Mumbai Storm Water Drainage Scheme (Brimstowad). Once completed, the project is expected to solve the Mumbai's flooding problem during monsoons.

Besides these, other Mumbai projects which have been submitted for assistance under the NURM scheme include the Rs 1,600-crore Mithi River Conservation and Beautification Plan and the Rs 2,376-crore Mumbai Sewage Disposal and Treatment Project.

The state government has also sought a share of viability gap funding (VGF), which it requires to pay to the contractors who will build the Metro Railway's three lines in the first phase.

For the first line between Ghatkopar and Varsova, a consortium led by Reliance Energy Limited (REL), which has bagged the contract, demanded the viability gap funding of Rs 650 crore.

The state government also requires a viability gap funding to the tune of Rs 1,600 crore for the second line between Mankhurd and Charkop. The Centre has agreed in-principle to provide the share of VGF to the state government.