Mula-Mutha: From River to Drainpipe
“It used to sing. Now it stinks.”
Once considered the lifeline of Pune, the Mula-Mutha River is now a painful symbol of urban neglect. Once a serene flow of life weaving through the heart of the city, today it resembles more of a sewage canal than a natural river. As the city races toward development, the river that nurtured it lies forgotten, its waters darkened by untreated waste and its banks suffocated by encroachments.
But this wasn’t always the case. This is the story of a river that once nurtured civilizations — and how it turned from a revered source of life to a burden of shame.
🌊 Origin and Geography
The Mula-Mutha River is actually a confluence of two rivers:
- The Mula River originates in the Mulshi Dam in the Sahyadris.
- The Mutha River begins in the Western Ghats, specifically around the Panshet and Khadakwasla Dams.
These two rivers merge at Sangamwadi, near Pune, to form the Mula-Mutha, which then flows eastward to eventually meet the Bhima River, a major tributary of the Krishna River.
🕰️ Historical & Cultural Significance
For centuries, Mula and Mutha were Pune’s veins — providing drinking water, irrigation, and a place of cultural gathering. Ghats like Omkareshwar, Sarasbaug, and Shaniwarwada banks once held spiritual significance.
Local legends say the riverbanks inspired poets during the Maratha empire and served as key cultural hubs during the Peshwa era. In older Pune, children swam in its clean waters while women washed clothes and shared gossip on the ghats.
🧪 Present-Day Reality: A Toxic Tragedy
🚱 Pollution Load
Today, the Mula-Mutha is one of India’s most polluted rivers.
- 90% of the river’s water is sewage.
- Over 350 MLD (million liters/day) of untreated sewage enters the river.
- Industrial waste, plastic, and urban runoff compound the pollution load.
According to a 2022 report by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of the river — an indicator of organic pollution — was more than 50 mg/L in some stretches (the acceptable limit is 3 mg/L for bathing-quality water).
🏗️ Urban Encroachment
Rapid construction and illegal settlements have narrowed the river’s flow and damaged its ecosystem. Flyovers cast shadows where trees once stood, and concrete banks disrupt natural flow patterns.
🧍♂️ Ground Voices
Mr. Anil Jagtap, a 62-year-old resident of Narayan Peth, recalls:
“We used to bathe in the river after school. There were fish, turtles. Now it smells like a gutter. I don’t let my grandchildren go near it.”
Sunita Tai, a washerwoman near Shivajinagar Ghat, said:
“Earlier, I could wash clothes in the river. Now I get rashes if I even touch it.”
🧑🔬 Expert Perspective
Dr. Radhika Sathe, environmental researcher at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER Pune), explains:
“The Mula-Mutha is a textbook case of urban ecological collapse. We diverted, choked, and poisoned the river with no accountability. The current clean-up efforts are welcome but too slow.”
Key Factors in Decline:
- Lack of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) until recently.
- Weak implementation of riverfront development and restoration projects.
- Unplanned urban sprawl into riverbed zones.
🌱 Hope on the Horizon: Restoration Efforts
Several projects are currently underway:
✅ Pune River Rejuvenation Project (2021–2026)
- ₹4,200 crore joint effort by Pune Municipal Corporation and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
- 11 new STPs under construction.
- Goal: Treat 100% of sewage by 2026.
✅ Mula-Mutha Riverfront Development Plan
- Beautification, cycling paths, and walkways.
- Criticized for being aesthetic-first and ecology-later by experts.
✅ Community Movements
- NGOs like Jal Biradari, Ecoexist, and Pune Rivers Revival regularly organize cleanups and awareness drives.
- Student movements and local artists are reviving public interest.
🔮 Looking Ahead: Mula-Mutha in 2125?
Let’s imagine two futures:
🌍 Scenario 1: Regeneration
- Citizens enforce ecological zoning.
- Treated wastewater used for agriculture.
- Fish return to the river.
- Schools teach about river ecosystems.
- Ghats are restored and revered again.
☠️ Scenario 2: Collapse
- Mula-Mutha becomes a buried sewage conduit.
- Toxic air around it affects local health.
- River is removed from maps — and memory.
- A generation grows up not knowing what a living river is.
🧭 What Can We Do?
- Demand transparency in the River Rejuvenation Project.
- Participate in local cleanup events.
- Avoid plastic and hazardous waste near the riverside.
- Pressure civic bodies to accelerate STP completion.
- Use citizen platforms like Reclaim Pune Rivers to report encroachments or pollution.
📝 Final thoughts
The Mula-Mutha is not just a polluted waterbody — it’s a reflection of how cities treat their natural gifts. It’s a story of neglect, yes — but also of possibility. If Pune can restore its river, it will not just clean water — it will reclaim its soul.
📚 References
- Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) Reports (2021–2024)
- Pune Municipal Corporation Environment Cell
- Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Project Papers
- Varoius Interviews conducted in March–April 2025
- IISER Pune Urban Ecology Department
