Mumbai's long-term plans to address water scarcity have suffered a setback, with the Gargai Dam and desalination projects facing delays of nearly four years, raising concerns over the city's future water security.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had planned the two projects to increase the city's daily water supply by around 640 million litres (MLD). However, delays caused by environmental clearances, policy changes, tendering issues and technical challenges have pushed back their completion.
The Gargai Dam project in Palghar district is expected to supply about 440 MLD of water to Mumbai. The project has been delayed due to pending environmental and forest clearances and concerns over the impact on forest land and trees.
The proposed desalination plant at Manori is designed to produce 200 MLD of potable water by converting seawater into drinking water. The project has also been delayed because of slow tendering, limited bidder interest and technical complexities.
With both projects unlikely to be completed for at least another four years, Mumbai will continue to depend primarily on its seven lakes for water supply. Civic officials warn that the gap between water demand and supply is expected to widen as the city's population continues to grow.
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