To tackle the growing mismatch between Mumbai’s rising water demand and limited supply, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed an extensive set of water infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening the city’s supply system up to 2041.
The proposal, presented before the civic standing committee on Wednesday, outlines the development of new treatment plants, pumping stations, transmission pipelines, and desalination facilities. The administration highlighted that while Mumbai’s current demand stands at 4,665 million litres per day (MLD), actual supply is around 4,100 MLD, leaving a shortfall of 565 MLD.
Looking ahead, the city’s requirement is projected to surge to 6,424 MLD by 2041, necessitating large-scale capacity expansion and diversification of water sources.
One of the key projects under consideration is the Gargai dam and water tunnel initiative in Palghar district, which is expected to contribute an additional 440 MLD to Mumbai’s supply. Once completed, it will raise availability to approximately 4,540 MLD. The project is planned for execution between 2026 and 2030.
Another significant proposal is a desalination plant along the Manori-Gorai coastal belt. Initially designed for 200 MLD capacity and scalable up to 400 MLD, the facility will utilise seawater from the Arabian Sea and is expected to be implemented between 2025 and 2029. If operational, it could increase the city’s total water supply to around 4,740 MLD.
The civic body has also proposed a 910 MLD water treatment plant at Panjrapur in Bhiwandi, along with a 2,000 MLD pumping station at Bhandup. In addition, a 3,000-mm diameter pipeline is planned to connect the Gundavali water tunnel shaft in Bhiwandi to the Modak Sagar reservoir in two phases. A modern pumping station management system has also been suggested for the Pise–Panjrapur complex.
Officials noted that ageing infrastructure and rising consumption make such long-term investments essential. Given the technical complexity, the BMC has justified the need for specialised consultants with expertise in civil, electrical, mechanical and digital engineering for projects designed to last 50 to 100 years.
Among the consultants under consideration is Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE), already involved in nine of the 32 ongoing water supply projects. However, the proposal faced scrutiny in the standing committee, where chairperson Prabhakar Shinde directed the administration to justify consultant appointments and present details of past expenditure before further approval.
Source: Hindustan Times
