Vadodara: The desilting and resectioning work on a 24-km stretch of the Vishwamitri River passing through the city is set to begin soon. The desilting, aimed at increasing the river’s carrying capacity and preventing floods, is likely to result in the excavation of 15 to 20 lakh cubic meters of silt.

With the dredging plan finalized and the tender process going on, the civic body has requested the government to waive the mining royalty on the silt removed from the river to manage its disposal.

VMC Commissioner Dilip Kumar Rana explained that the excavated earth is classified as a minor mineral, and the state government levies a royalty on it. “We have requested the state government to exempt this material so it can be distributed cost-free for various uses. Leaving it on the riverbanks may cause it to re-enter the river,” he stated. Deshgujarat