Navi Mumbai marked a historic milestone in urban water infrastructure with the first breakthrough of a major treated water tunnel under the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco). The project, part of the Augmentation of Hetawane Water Supply Scheme, will increase the city’s water supply from 150 million litres per day (MLD) to 270 MLD, addressing the growing demand from the rapidly expanding metropolitan population. The breakthrough occurred at Shaft-4 in Wahal village, signalling a critical step in Cidco’s efforts to enhance sustainable water availability.
Executed by Afcons Infrastructure, this 8.7 km treated water tunnel forms Package-1 of the larger scheme, which also includes a 13.25 km raw water tunnel. With 5.52 km of tunnelling already completed prior to the breakthrough, the project demonstrates a significant acceleration in urban water infrastructure development. According to a senior Cidco official, the entire scheme is scheduled for completion by 2029, ensuring timely mitigation of water scarcity challenges for Navi Mumbai residents. Vijay Singhal, vice chairman and managing director of Cidco, described the event as “another historic moment” following the recent inauguration of the greenfield Navi Mumbai International Airport. He praised the project team for its speed and quality, highlighting that the Afcons executive chairman committed to completing the remaining works six months ahead of schedule. “Timely completion of such infrastructure is critical to support our city’s growth while maintaining high sustainability and safety standards,” he added.
Afcons set a national tunnelling record earlier in the project, achieving 777 metres of tunnelling in a single month using the 3.2-metre diameter Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Flamingo. This surpassed its own previous record of 714 metres completed in May, underscoring the adoption of innovative tunnelling techniques and effective project management under challenging geological and logistical conditions. Krishnamurthy Subramanian, executive chairman of Afcons, noted that the project maintains the highest safety and quality benchmarks while accelerating construction timelines. The Hetawane Water Supply Scheme represents a critical step in building resilient urban infrastructure in Navi Mumbai. By nearly doubling the city’s water capacity, the project directly supports equitable access to clean water for residents, aligning with sustainable urban development principles. The initiative also demonstrates how advanced tunnelling technologies can enable efficient resource delivery in dense, fast-growing urban regions.
As Navi Mumbai continues to expand, projects like this tunnel not only address immediate water demand but also strengthen the city’s long-term climate resilience and resource security. Officials emphasised that completion of the scheme will enhance water reliability, reduce dependency on existing sources, and contribute to sustainable urban living for the region’s growing population.
Navi Mumbai Completes First Tunnel Breakthrough Boosting Water Supply To 270 MLD
