Mumbai’s municipal administration has intensified on-ground monitoring of a critical underground sewage infrastructure project in Bhandup, as the city pushes to future-proof its water and sanitation systems amid rising demand and mounting environmental pressure. Senior civic leadership recently reviewed preliminary works at the Bhandup sewage treatment complex, signalling the project’s importance within Mumbai’s broader water management strategy.
At the heart of the initiative is an 11.6-kilometre-long underground water tunnel designed to transport tertiary-treated wastewater between key sewage treatment facilities in the eastern suburbs. The tunnel will link treatment plants in Ghatkopar and Bhandup and extend up to the Bhandup water complex, enabling treated sewage to be reused for non-potable purposes such as industrial operations, infrastructure maintenance, and municipal services. Urban infrastructure officials say the project is a response to two converging challenges: increasing water consumption driven by population growth and real estate expansion, and the urgent need to reduce untreated wastewater entering creeks and coastal ecosystems. By strengthening sewage treatment and reuse, the civic body aims to lower pollution loads while easing pressure on freshwater reservoirs that supply drinking water to the city.
Preliminary construction activity is currently underway at multiple locations. At the Bhandup complex, excavation has progressed on a deep launching shaft that will allow tunnel boring machines to be deployed underground. Additional shaft work has begun near the Bhandup sewage treatment facility, forming part of the logistical backbone required to execute tunnelling at significant depths in dense urban conditions. Officials involved in the project said the phased execution is intended to minimise surface disruption while maintaining construction safety. The tunnel itself will be built in two sections using tunnel boring machines. One section will connect the Bhandup sewage treatment plant to the Bhandup complex, while the longer stretch will run between Bhandup and Ghatkopar. Once completed, the network is expected to move large volumes of tertiary-treated water daily, supporting the city’s transition towards circular water use.
This project is one of several sewage treatment upgrades underway across Mumbai. The civic body has committed to constructing seven modern sewage treatment plants across the city, many of them incorporating advanced treatment technologies. Urban planners note that such investments are no longer optional for coastal megacities facing climate volatility, groundwater stress, and stricter environmental standards. Experts in sustainable urban development emphasise that sewage reuse infrastructure has implications beyond sanitation. Reliable access to non-potable water can lower operating costs for industry and construction, support greener real estate development, and reduce energy-intensive water transfers over long distances.
As tunnelling and treatment works progress, attention will increasingly turn to integration with distribution networks and end users. For Mumbai, the success of projects like the Bhandup sewage tunnel could redefine how infrastructure supports public health, environmental resilience, and equitable urban growth in the decades ahead.
BMC Reviews Early Construction at Bhandup Sewage Project
