An intended scenic walkway along Mithi River and Vakola nullah, passing through Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), has turned into an open-air toilet and dumpyard. The project was part of a beautification drive along the two water bodies.
<img title="Construction debris is unloaded by trucks near the walkway along the Vakola nullah passing through BKC every day, say locals. It also endangers the mangroves nearby. Pic/Shadab Khan" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2014/mar/Mithi-river-1.jpg" alt="Construction debris is unloaded by trucks near the walkway along the Vakola nullah passing through BKC every day, say locals. It also endangers the mangroves nearby. Pic/Shadab Khan" /> Construction debris is unloaded by trucks near the walkway along the Vakola nullah passing through BKC every day, say locals. It also endangers the mangroves nearby. Pic/Shadab Khan
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) spent R9.8 crore to construct the walkway, along with a garden. along Mithi River and the Vakola nullah at BKC. While the garden is decently maintained, the rest of the project begs for attention.
<img title="Workers remove waste from the Mithi every day" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2014/mar/Mithi-river-2.jpg" alt="Workers remove waste from the Mithi every day" /> Workers remove waste from the Mithi every day
A stretch of 200-300 metres along the Mithi at BKC, right behind MMRDA&rsquo;s office, is being used by local slum dwellers as a toilet. People are often seen defecating and urinating on the walkway, which was built for morning and evening walks.
<img title="They then dump it right beside the walkway behind MMRDA&rsquo;s office in BKC" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2014/mar/Mithi-walkway-trash.jpg" alt="They then dump it right beside the walkway behind MMRDA&rsquo;s office in BKC" /> They then dump it right beside the walkway behind MMRDA&rsquo;s office in BKC
Naturally, no walkers use the path. During mid-day&rsquo;s visit, we saw that silt and plastic waste removed from the river is dumped right beside the path. A watchman of a local housing society told this reporter that at night, the spot turns into a den for drug addicts and alcoholics.
Mud-spattered stretch Things were no better along the nullah passing through BKC. We saw mud scattered everywhere and people using the stretch as a toilet, owing to the lack of public facilities. Also, dumpers were unloading construction debris along the road, near the mangroves. This poses a danger to the tree cover.
Moreover, an illegal approach road has been carved out connecting to the main BKC road, to enable trucks to go directly to the &lsquo;dumping spot&rsquo;. The trucks may also damage the walkway made of paver blocks. A local, on condition of anonymity, said this has been going on for more than a year. Local Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Bala Sawant has written to the MMRDA several times about the issue, but to no avail.

It was supposed to be a place where Mumbaikars could walk while breathing in some fresh air along Mithi river and Vakola nullah. It is now turned into an open-air toilet and dumpyard

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It was supposed to be a place where Mumbaikars could walk while breathing in some fresh air along Mithi river and Vakola nullah. It is now turned into an open-air toilet and dumpyard

Shocking: Mumbai walkway becomes open-air toilet

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Shocking: Mumbai walkway becomes open-air toilet

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