Mumbai Can Get Additional 640 MLD Water By 2029 If BMC Completes Gargai Dam And Manori Desalination Projects On Time
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai, June 3: Amid ongoing water shortages, increased demand and water cuts to ensure sufficient supply is available throughout the year, there is a light of hope in the near future.
If the BMC completes the work as per its timeline, Mumbai will receive an additional water supply of 640 million litres daily (MLD) in the next three years, as the corporation expects to complete its two mega water supply projects, the Gargai Dam and Manori desalination plant, by the monsoon of 2029.
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The Gargai Dam and Manori desalination plant will allow the BMC to supply 440 MLD and 200 MLD, respectively. Mumbai's current water demand (at source) is 4,665 MLD, which is expected to reach up to 6,424 MLD by 2041.
While the current water supply stands at 4,100 MLD against the demand of 4,665 MLD, a significant quantity of water is lost due to leakages and thefts, highlighting the necessity of strengthening the existing water supply system.
BMC outlines project timelines
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar said, "For the Gargai Dam, the BMC is waiting for two permissions from the Centre (wildlife and forest departments), which are expected within two months. The BMC plans to start the on-ground work by September this year and expects to complete it by May 2029. For the desalination plant project as well, the work duration is from 2025 to 2029."
Bangar informed about the timelines during a presentation at the civic Standing Committee meeting on Wednesday on various ongoing and proposed water supply projects, as well as queries raised over the necessity of appointing private consultants such as Tata Consultancy for several projects undertaken by the Hydraulics Department.
The Additional Municipal Commissioner informed that the hydraulics projects are complicated and thus consultants are required. However, the committee stressed the need for a civic policy under which reliance on private consultants should be reduced and the expertise and resources available with the BMC, including its retired staff and a proposed planning department, should be prioritised.
Projects remain key civic agenda
The Gargai Dam and Manori desalination plant projects have dominated discussions in the civic Standing Committee over the last two months. Since the BJP came to power in the BMC, increasing Mumbai’s water supply and strengthening the existing system have been among its top priorities.
The Gargai Dam project, a 69-metre dam in Palghar, is regarded as the brainchild of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Originally proposed in 2017, the project was revived by the Mahayuti government in 2025 after being shelved by the previous administration.
After prolonged debate, the BMC Standing Committee cleared the Gargai Dam project on April 1, claiming that it reduced cost escalation from 9 per cent above the BMC's estimated rate to 1.96 per cent, saving Rs 269 crore on the base cost and Rs 345 crore, including taxes.
The proposal was passed despite opposition from the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress, which claimed it was premature, citing incomplete rehabilitation of affected persons and pending tree transplantation.
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Meanwhile, the desalination plant project in Manori, in the western suburbs, has been actively promoted by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA and former Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray.
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