Save the Mithi River!

To,
Shri Prithviraj Chavan,
The Honourable Chief Minister
Maharashtra State

We, the undersigned citizens of Mumbai, are concerned over the extremely polluted state of the Mithi River and the highly unsatisfactory work done by the Mithi River Development Authority, which was constituted after the devastating floods of 26th July, 2005, that claimed the lives of nearly 1,000 people. A comprehensive study published recently by the Observer Research Foundation Mumbai titled ‘MAKING THE SEWER… A RIVER AGAIN ~ Why Mumbai Must Reclaim Its Mithi’ has highlighted the sorry state of affairs of the Mithi. It has also showcased several best practices in waterfront development in India and the world, whose lessons can be fruitfully applied to the restoration and redevelopment of the Mithi.

We urge you to direct the MMRDA, MCGM and all other appropriate departments to clean up the Mithi, prevent its pollution in the future, and redevelop both banks of the 18-km-long Mithi River from its origin in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali, to its confluence with the Arabian Sea at Mahim, in the following manner which is befitting of a World Class City.

1. Stop all forms of pollution from entering the river.

2. The river must have unbroken and continuous river banks through the entire course, that are at least 50m wide, free of any construction, hawking, encroachment (residential or industrial), movement of motorized vehicles etc., and should be completely open to the public at all times. This entire expanse should be developed into a Mithi River Park, with Mumbai’s first dedicated pedestrian and cycle corridor spanning 18 km, speckled with strategically located gardens, amphitheatres, sports and recreation facilities connecting to all buses, railways and proposed metro stations in its neighbourhood.

3. Removal of all retention and gabion walls that have been constructed touching the edge of the River water, but taking appropriate flood-control measures in line with the overall design of the Mithi River Park.

4. Protect and revive the Mangrove ecosystem at Mahim, which along with its rich estuarine reach provides not only the much-needed green lungs to Mumbai, but also protection from tsunamis, which are a real threat to the city.

5. Clean up the Mahim Beach so that it can become an extension of the Mithi River Park.

6. Remove all encroachments from the Riwa and Mahim Forts and along with the Bandra Fort, restore them so that they may be visited by Mumbaikars and tourists alike to experience a vital part of Mumbai’s 2,000 year old history.

7. Ensure that the project-affected people are humanely and expeditiously rehabilitated.

8. Adopt suitable lessons from international best practices in riverfront redevelopment, such as the Cheonggyecheon River transformation in Seoul, South Korea; Besos River transformation in Barcelona, Spain; and the ongoing Sabarmati River transformation in Ahmedabad.

9. Make public all information about the work done by MMRDA and MCGM on the Mithi River so far -- overall plan, expenditure break-up, outcomes, evaluation, etc.

10. Constitute a broad-based and empowered group of urban planning and environment experts, whose advice must be accepted by the authorities in the implementation of any works on the Mithi from this point on.

If successfully implemented, this monumental urban transformation initiative will truly and deservedly put Mumbai in a league of World Class Cities, and provide a clean, green and aesthetically designed expanse, which the citizens of Mumbai so desperately deserve.

We believe that an engaged public, endowed with the role of active stewardship, is the river's best defence for revitalization. We also believe that under your able and dynamic leadership, the State Government and its various agencies and departments are capable of restoring the Mithi River back to its original state of pristine glory, converting it from the Sewer that it currently is, into a RIVER again!

With best regards and in great anticipation of tangible action,
Observer Research Foundation Mumbai
For more information please visit: www.mithiriver.org