Maha govt clears BMC’s underground water tunnel project

Mumbai: In a major infrastructure push to secure the Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s (MMR) long-term water distribution, the Maharashtra government on Monday extended prior approval to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to design and construct an 8-kilometre underground water tunnel connecting Pise and Panjrapur in neighbouring Bhiwandi.

Currently, water is conveyed across the 8 km stretch between Pise and Panjrapur through four surface pipelines, three measuring 2,235 mm in diameter and one measuring 3,000 mm.

Commissioned between 1979 and 2007, these pipelines are nearing the end of their operational lifespan, having served for 47, 40, 30, and 19 years, respectively, across Stages 1, 2, 3, and 3A.

The transition to an underground tunnel addresses critical challenges faced by the civic body, including space constraints along the existing pipeline corridor in Bhiwandi, pipeline deterioration, vulnerability to surface disruptions, escalating water demand across the MMR and integration needs with newly planned pumping stations and ongoing network-strengthening projects.

The BMC’s Additional Municipal Commissioner formally moved the proposal by letter dated March 23, 2026, seeking state clearance to begin pre-construction and engineering preparations.

While extending approval, the state government laid down stringent conditions, stipulating that the project will carry zero financial liability for the state government, with the BMC solely responsible for funding, execution and long-term maintenance.

Conditions include ensuring no danger or damage to buildings or structures along the tunnel route, verifying whether approval from the Ministry of Environment or Groundwater Survey and Development Agency is required, and obtaining permissions from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and other authorities. The government also directed that the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) be selected only after a complete geological study of the underground strata.

Authorities stressed that “necessary measures must be taken to ensure that no disaster-like situation arises during the ongoing work or after completion of the water tunnel due to heavy rainfall in Mumbai and adjacent areas during the monsoon period.”

In addition to disposing of solid waste generated during excavation, measures must be taken to prevent dust pollution. Use noise-control measures such as silencers, sound barriers, rubber mats for muck-handling trucks, and hydraulically operated crane hoisting systems to keep noise levels below 55 decibels.

The BMC will be responsible for preservation, maintenance, repairs and related works of the tunnel. The civic body will also bear full responsibility for any legal, judicial or administrative issues arising from excavation or construction.

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