The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set December 2029 as the completion target for its Manori desalination plant, while maintaining that the project complies with stringent international environmental standards despite opposition from local fishing and farming communities.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar shared the latest project updates on Thursday, stating that the facility could also benefit residents who are currently protesting against it. The civic body has received advance possession of the proposed site from the Mumbai Suburban district collector and has started preliminary work. The final land handover and boundary-correction process remains underway in coordination with the revenue department.
The proposed plant is expected to improve water availability in Gorai, where residents frequently face shortages. Local representative Shivanand Shetty said the existing supply pipeline is excessively long, resulting in reduced pressure at its far ends. He also alleged that some resorts divert water before it reaches households.
Residents of Manori and Gorai, particularly farmers and fishing communities, have raised concerns over the land transfer and the absence of adequate consultation. Their objections include possible damage to marine ecosystems, losses to fishing livelihoods and the loss of grazing land.
A protest involving approximately 3,000 people is expected at the Mumbai Suburban collector’s office in Bandra, with community groups planning a Manori-Gorai shutdown.
Bangar defended the project, saying it follows strict environmental norms, including standards established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. “The same desalination plants have been adopted globally, including in Singapore and the UAE, and they continue functioning without any negative environmental impact,” he said.
Addressing concerns about the discharge of concentrated brine 2.42 kilometres offshore, Bangar said, “We have done all the scientific calculations, including MIKE 21 mathematical modelling, and concluded that this is far enough and safe.”
The plant will initially process 200 million litres per day (MLD), with provision to expand capacity to 400 MLD. Its design includes seawater reverse osmosis, multi-stage screening and multiport diffusers intended to reduce potential harm to marine life.
The project is estimated to cost Rs 9,591 crore, including construction, operations, maintenance and power consumption. At full capacity, the estimated cost is Rs 45 per 1,000 litres over its 20-year project life.
The BMC expects Mumbai’s daily water supply to increase from 4,100 MLD to 5,140 MLD by December 2030, supported by the Manori plant, Gargai dam and the proposed Versova desalination facility.
Source: Mid-day
