Mumbai’s long-pending Mogra pumping station project has moved a step closer to execution after receiving approval from the Coastal Zone Management Authority (CZMA). The project, aimed at reducing chronic monsoon flooding in western suburbs, is now awaiting final clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change).
Valued at around ₹393 crore, the proposed pumping station at Mogra Nullah is designed to ease waterlogging in Versova, Andheri and Jogeshwari by improving stormwater discharge during high tide conditions and intense rainfall events. The project, first approved in 2021 with a 24-month completion timeline, has remained stalled due to multiple regulatory and legal challenges.
The latest CZMA clearance comes after repeated revisions to the project layout. The site originally proposed for construction was found to overlap with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Versova–Dahisar Link Road alignment, requiring a redesign and slight westward shift of the facility. This change now necessitates fresh approval under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms before construction can begin.
The project also faced legal resistance from a private landowner, who approached the Bombay High Court over land acquisition concerns. In December 2024, the court allowed the civic body to proceed with the work, subject to a ₹33 crore deposit pending final judgment. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) deposited the amount in March 2025 and initiated preliminary groundwork before the alignment conflict was identified.
A civic official noted, “Since the CZMA permission has been granted, we can now begin the process for clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Once that approval is received, work can commence.”
The pumping station is part of Mumbai’s broader flood mitigation infrastructure. During high tide, when sea gates are shut to prevent seawater intrusion, pumping stations play a crucial role in draining excess rainwater into the sea. The city already operates several such facilities, including those at Irla, Haji Ali, Cleveland, Lovegrove, Reay Road–Britannia and Khar Danda.
However, the Mogra and Mahul pumping stations, proposed under the BRIMSTOWAD plan following the devastating July 26, 2005 floods, remain incomplete even after two decades. With regulatory approvals now progressing, the Mogra project is expected to finally move toward implementation, strengthening Mumbai’s long-term flood resilience framework.
Source: The Free Press Journal
