Pune Infra Watch: PMC hopeful of water transport in Mula-Mutha after completing river rejuvenation

“Once the river rejuvenation project is complete, water transport will be a means of transportation in the Mula-Mutha river in the city,” said PMC Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar, adding that the civic body was taking all steps to ensure the release of only sewage water into water bodies.

A few cities presented efforts to rejuvenate rivers in the recently held `Dhara’ conference of River Cities Alliance (RCA) in Pune. Gwalior, which will hold next year’s meeting, said it was reusing treated sewage for agriculture and earning income. Moradabad informed about reviving old wells in the city to meet the water supply needs of people and reduce the load on the civic body.

The PMC has taken two projects for river improvement, including a river cleanliness project of Rs 1,460 crore by constructing 11 sewage treatment plants to ensure all the sewage generated is treated and then released in the river. “The major land requirement for the project has been met, and the administrative procedure to start the work is completed,” Kumar said.

The second is the river beautification project for which the work for 9 km of 44 km riverfront has started, he said, adding it would also include constructing bunds across the river and only clean water would flow through it. The work would be completed in the next three years, he added.

He laid out a six-point solution for the revival of Pune’s rivers- Mula, Mutha, and Mula-Mutha (confluence of both rivers). Kumar said the civic body would make the rivers pollution-free by regular cleaning, reduce the risk of flooding, make riverbank accessible to the public, retain and reuse water, improve the city’s connectivity and amenities to riverfronts, and integrate existing heritage structures, recreational, religious, socio-cultural activities and improve ecology.