Residents and activists from Malabar Hill are raising serious concerns about the accuracy of the data provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to IIT Roorkee for an independent survey concerning the Malabar Hill reservoir.
The growing discontent among the local community has sparked a debate over the necessity of constructing a new tank, with many arguing that the data supporting this project may be fundamentally flawed. The controversy surfaced during a recent meeting between Malabar Hill residents, activists, and senior BMC officials. At the heart of the issue is the proposal by IIT Roorkee, which, based on the data provided by the BMC, suggested the construction of an alternate tank with a capacity of 52.41 million litres to facilitate necessary repairs on the existing reservoir.
Residents have expressed strong opposition to this plan, asserting that the current reservoir can be adequately maintained without the need for additional infrastructure. The Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) acknowledged these concerns, stating, “After receiving IIT Roorkee’s report, we sought a peer review by retired BMC engineers who previously worked on similar repairs. They recommended a smaller tank of 35 million litres. We had intended to consult IIT Roorkee further, but the residents raised these issues before we could proceed.”
The crux of the residents’ argument lies in their belief that the data furnished to IIT Roorkee by the BMC may be inaccurate. An activist present at the meeting noted, “Despite the report being completed in June, we only received it last week. Upon review, we found several discrepancies, including basic details such as the tank’s capacity. We suspect that the BMC’s data may have contained errors, and we’ve communicated these concerns directly to the authorities.” The activists highlighted that the Malabar Hill reservoir has undergone multiple repairs over the past decade, and they question the need for an entirely new tank.
One resident pointed out, “The purpose of building a new tank seems redundant once the current structure is repaired. Repairs can be conducted in phases, and the existing capacity is not being fully utilised.” The initial structural audit by IIT Roorkee was conducted following conflicting reports from IIT Bombay and another expert committee. The audit found that while certain compartments of the reservoir, specifically 2A, 2B, and 1A, were in satisfactory condition, others, particularly 1B and 1C, exhibited structural distress, with significant corrosion observed in compartment 1C. IIT Roorkee’s recommendation for an alternate tank was intended to allow for uninterrupted water supply during the repair process.
Despite the rationale behind this recommendation, the residents of Malabar Hill remain sceptical. They have urged the BMC to revisit IIT Roorkee with accurate data to reassess the necessity of the proposed tank. The BMC has responded by agreeing to verify the data and address the issues raised by the community, signalling a willingness to re-evaluate the project’s scope. The outcome of the BMC’s next steps will be closely watched. The ongoing debate underscores the importance of transparent and accurate data in the planning of critical infrastructure projects, particularly in areas as sensitive as water supply. Until a resolution is reached, the concerns of Malabar Hill’s residents will continue to drive the discourse on the future of their reservoir.
