Mumbai’s water supply infrastructure is set for a major upgrade after the Maharashtra government granted preliminary approval for a proposed water tunnel between Pise and Panjrapur. The project is intended to reduce large-scale leakage and improve the reliability of water transported to the city.
The approval follows a proposal submitted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to the Urban Development Department. Under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, the state government has approved the tunnel’s plan and construction at the preliminary stage, according to a report by Loksatta.
The proposed tunnel will cover approximately eight kilometres between the Pise and Panjrapur facilities. At present, water is carried along this stretch through four pipelines: three with a diameter of 2,235 millimetres and one with a diameter of 3,000 millimetres.
The four pipelines were commissioned in 1979, 1986, 1996 and 2007. Their current ages are approximately 47, 40, 30 and 19 years respectively. The municipal proposal cited the age of these pipelines as a factor affecting the existing water-transport system.
The report said the ageing pipelines have placed limitations on the movement of water and created a need for an additional pumping station to transport the supply. The proposed tunnel is intended to address these infrastructure constraints while supporting the city’s future water demand.
The availability of space alongside the existing pipelines was also considered while preparing the proposal. With limited room to expand the current pipeline arrangement, the municipal corporation proposed an underground tunnel between the two locations rather than relying only on additional surface infrastructure.
For Mumbai, the project concerns the part of the water system that lies between supply facilities and the city’s wider distribution network. The stated objective is not only to add infrastructure, but also to reduce losses during transmission and make the movement of water more dependable.
The approval does not, in the information currently available, specify the project’s estimated cost, construction schedule, tendering process or expected completion date. It also does not establish when construction will begin. These details will need to be clarified through subsequent municipal and government decisions.
The next stage will involve the municipal corporation taking forward the approved plan and construction process under the applicable legal and administrative framework. Further information on the tunnel’s design, procurement, timeline and implementation will determine how quickly the approval translates into additional capacity and improved reliability for Mumbai’s water-supply system.
