The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is undertaking a major project to improve Mumbai’s water supply network, involving the laying of 250km of new and replacement pipelines. This initiative aims to meet the city’s growing water demand.
The project will consist of replacing 129.63km of existing pipelines, many of which date back to the British era and suffer from frequent leaks, and installing 123.87km of new pipelines. Officials estimate that significant water loss occurs daily due to these leakages. The new pipelines will primarily serve the eastern and western suburbs, addressing long-standing water connection deficiencies in several areas, including LBS Marg in Ghatkopar, Mahakali Caves Road in Andheri (east), Kandivali to Sudhir Phadake Flyover in Borivali (east), and various pockets in Bandra (east).
In addition to the pipeline upgrades, the BMC will construct a 22 MLD water tank at Vikhroli Parksite for approximately Rs 15 crore. This hilltop area currently lacks a conventional water supply network.
This initiative follows the BMC’s 2021 “water for all” policy, which aims to provide tap water connections to all slum pockets in Mumbai. Since the policy’s implementation, the BMC has granted 7,868 new water connections out of 15,375 issued permissions.
“After the water for all policy was announced, there has been a demand for new connections, due to which we have to augment our distribution network. Besides this, the population is also increasing and we have to match up to their needs as well,” explained a BMC official. The project will expand upon Mumbai’s existing 3,000km water distribution network, which saw a 100km addition last year.