November 29, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has recorded significant progress on its ambitious sewage infrastructure overhaul, with 40% of the work completed on the Malad Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar recently reviewed ongoing developments at the BMC headquarters, issuing directives to ensure timely execution while addressing key challenges such as land acquisition hurdles and environmental clearances related to mangrove zones. The Malad facility, one of the seven major STPs being upgraded, is scheduled for completion by 2028.
The 454 MLD Malad STP, located within the existing lagoon site, now deploys nearly 3,000 workers daily. Round-the-clock operations and accelerated strategies have helped fast-track construction, despite earlier delays tied to mangrove conservation approvals.
Other projects also continue to advance. At Dharavi, where land availability is limited, the STP is being designed as a multi-storey structure, with provisions to discharge treated and recycled water into the Mithi River. The Bandra STP near the Sea Link is making steady progress and will include features such as a rooftop garden and a public viewing tower.
Citywide, the BMC is developing seven STPs across Worli (500 MLD), Bandra (360 MLD), Malad (454 MLD), Ghatkopar (337 MLD), Dharavi (418 MLD), Bhandup (215 MLD), and Versova (180 MLD). Together, these facilities will add a combined treatment capacity of 2,464 MLD per day, forming one of the largest urban wastewater management upgrades in the country.
Timelines indicate that Ghatkopar and Versova STPs will be ready by July 2026, Bhandup by August 2026, Worli, Bandra, and Dharavi by July 2027, and Malad by July 2028. Initially sanctioned in May 2022 at ₹25,963 crore, the project’s cost has now risen to ₹27,309.83 crore due to delays and a 6% GST hike.
Source: The Free Press Journal
