The MMRDA is attempting the undoable. The Mithi will undergo an experiment from Friday to rid it of its foul odour. The experiment, officials said, would start on a small section at the BKC. “If the experiment is successful, it will be replicated across the entire river as well as the Mutha in Pune and the Nag in Nagpur,’’ a MMRDA official said. According to officials, the attempt was being made to rid the Mithi of its stink so that the open ground abutting it could be used for exhibitions, fairs, cultural programmes and exploited commercially. This will eventually help the MMRDA lease out plots in BKC and increase their realestate value. MMRDA officials, however, said the area close to the Mithi was too small to be exploited commercially. The MMRDA will start this three-month experiment on the Mithi from Friday in the presence of metropolitan commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad and urban development department principal secretary T C Benjamin. “It is a process of infusing oxygen in the water, which eventually takes the stink out and purifies it. It will also help restore the marine ecosystem,’’ an official said, adding BKC was the MMRDA’s cash cow and earned money for the agency for Mumbai’s infrastructure development. Well-known American eco-major Environmental Consulting & Technology Inc (ECT) will conduct this experiment at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore. BKC plots went for nearly Rs 5 lakh per square metre when the realty market was at its peak. The MMRDA is also planning to construct its own buildings on the land instead of selling the plots and will later rent out the premises to earn sustained revenue.
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