TMC seeks 400 MLD of water from Kalu dam

The civic body expected the water requirement for Thane city to rise to 1,116 million litres per day from 616 MLD presently by 2055

Thane: Thane Municipal Corporation Commissioner Abhijit Bangar on Thursday unveiled a comprehensive plan to ensure that the city’s ever-growing population continues to have an abundant water supply. To cater to the population growth estimated till 2055, 400 million litres of water to be channeled per day from the Kalu Dam and a proposal of this allocation has been sent to the Metropolitan Commissioner MMRDA and the Principal Secretary of the Water Resources Department.

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The city’s current population stands at approximately 27lakh, with 585 million litres of water received daily from various sources, including 250 million litres from the Municipal Corporation’s own water supply scheme, 135 million litres from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Stem Water Distribution and Infra Co. Prof. Ltd., 115 million litres from D.L. Ltd., and 85 million litres from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

The city’s current quota stands at 616 million litres but by 2055, the water supply requirement are expected to rise to 1116 million litres per day. To meet the need for additional water supply, the TMC has already initiated discussions with Water Resources Department and the Maharashtra government to wrestle water challenges, aiming to secure water reserves of various dams to ensure uninterrupted water supply for the next three decades.

Currently, 250 million litres of water is sourced from Bhatsa Dam under the TMC’s scheme. A plan to increase this quota by another 50 million litres has been proposed, said an official press release. Additional 218 million litres of water from Surya Dam to Mirabhayandar Municipal Corporation will facilitate an extra for the city in the future. Water Resources Department has further been suggested that the construction of Deharji Dam at Vikramgad Taluka in Palghar will provide another 200 million litres of water.

According the release, the TMC is actively undertaking remodeling to strengthen the water supply system. Under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT 2.0) scheme of the Central Government, water lines for carrying and distributing water will be laid, water reservoirs will be built and sump pump houses and electric pumps will be installed. While such maintenance works can often lead to shut downs for days on a stretch, Bangar has stressed on active planning of water reservation on short-term and long-term basis.

It is expected that around 50 million litres of water will be made available through MIDC and another 50 million litres from STEM. Apart from this, the corporation, along with Water Resources Department, is planning on sourcing 100 million litres of water from the upcoming Mumri Dam at Shahpur.