The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is moving ahead with the Rs 5,396-crore Gargai Dam project in Palghar district as part of efforts to strengthen Mumbai’s long-term water supply, even as concerns over rising costs continue to be raised. Civic officials maintain that the dam remains a more viable and economical option compared to alternatives such as desalination plants, the Pinjal project, and the Damanganga-Pinjal link.
Planned in Wada taluka, the Gargai Dam is expected to add 440 million litres per day (MLD) to the city’s water supply. However, the proposal recently faced scrutiny from the Standing Committee, which flagged that the current cost is about 11% higher than initial estimates and sent it back for review.
During a fresh presentation at the civic headquarters, officials outlined the comparative costs of various water supply projects. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar informed the committee that desalination plants involve significantly higher operational and maintenance expenses, though these could be reduced by adopting green energy solutions. Meanwhile, rehabilitation costs linked to the Pinjal and Damanganga-Pinjal projects remain substantial, making Gargai a relatively simpler and more cost-effective option.
Despite this, corporators across party lines have demanded that the final contract be aligned closely with the original estimate. Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Yashodhar Phanse said, “Earlier, we requested that the Damanganga project be declared a national project. What happened to that? The Gargai project is expensive, and nearly three lakh trees will be cut for it.” Congress leader Ashraf Azmi also questioned the 2% contractor incentive, while BJP’s Tejinder Tiwana remarked, “It seems the tender conditions were favourable to the contractor, and the lowest bidder was confident of winning the contract, so he quoted 11% above the estimated price.”
Mumbai’s current water supply stands at 4,100 MLD against a daily demand of 4,665 MLD, projected to rise to 6,424 MLD by 2041, underlining the urgency of augmenting supply infrastructure.
Source: The Free Press Journal
