Civic panel clears ₹2,241-crore desalination tunnel project

MUMBAI: The BMC standing committee on Thursday approved a ₹2,241-crore proposal to construct a 7

MUMBAI: The BMC standing committee on Thursday approved a ₹2,241-crore proposal to construct a 7.20-km underwater tunnel connecting the upcoming Manori desalination plant with Mumbai’s water distribution network in Kandivali, after an extensive debate over the tender process, cost escalation, consultant appointment and project execution.

The tunnel is a key component of the 200-million litres per day (MLD) Manori desalination project, which is expected to augment Mumbai’s water supply. It will enable desalinated water to be integrated into the city’s distribution network as soon as the plant is commissioned. The plant has been designed for future expansion to 400 MLD.

The proposal for the tunnel was approved by the Maharashtra government on July 3, 2026. It provides for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the tunnel linking the proposed pumping station at Manori with Charkop and further to Mahavir Nagar in Kandivali.

The project,scheduled to start in August, is estimated to be completed in 45 months.

The proposal sparked discussions in the civic standing committee following a presentation by additional municipal commissioner (projects) Abhijit Bangar. Initiating the discussion, Congress leader and corporator Ashraf Azmi asked why the project had been restricted to Indian contractors, arguing that greater global competition could have reduced project costs.

He also sought explanations on the rationale behind the 16% escalation provision, the consultant’s role and whether there could be a conflict of interest if the agency preparing the tender documents and the project management consultant belonged to the same group. Azmi further asked what action would be taken if the contractor failed to complete the work within the stipulated timeline.

Congress corporator Tulip Miranda questioned the technical specifications of the tunnel, asking why mild steel lining would be used in certain sections while reinforced cement concrete (RCC) lining would be adopted elsewhere. She also sought assurances that construction materials would not be altered after work commenced and that desalinated water would be safe for public consumption.

Committee members Preeti Satam, Zameer Qureshi, Yashodhar Phanse and Ganesh Khankar also sought clarifications on the project’s cost, technical specifications, safety measures and overall project management.

Responding to these concerns, Bangar said an international tender was unnecessary because Indian companies possess significant expertise in executing large water conveyance tunnel projects. He said the BMC has already completed 18 water tunnels spanning 101.23 km and is currently executing five more with a combined length of 44 km, all through Indian contractors.

He said the tender remained open for more than four and a half months and its submission deadline was extended ten times to encourage wider participation. Eventually, two bidders—J Kumar-MEP Infrastructure Developers Joint Venture and Afcons Infrastructure Ltd.—submitted bids, both of which qualified technically and financially. Eventually, the project was awarded to Afcons Infrastructure Ltd.

On concerns over the 16% escalation provision, Bangar said it would apply only if inflation-linked indices reflected increases in labour and material costs during the 45-month construction period. He also said Tata Consulting Engineers was appointed as the project management consultant only after the tender process had concluded and it had no role in preparing the tender documents or selecting the contractor.

Addressing concerns over water quality, Bangar assured members that desalinated water would undergo reverse osmosis treatment followed by remineralisation before being supplied to consumers and would meet the BMC’s potable water standards.

He added that while the contract provides limited incentives for timely completion, it also contains stringent penalty clauses for delays. The administration said the project would significantly strengthen water supply to the western suburbs, including Borivali, Kandivali and Malad.