In Mumbai: After 7-year delay, Mumbra may get new water distribution system

The last water distribution system was designed in 2001-2002

After a delay of more than seven years, the water remodelling project in Mumbra might finally see the light of the day. The Thane Municipal Corporation has proposed to remodel the water distribution system with its own funds and not with Centre’s money. The project will solve the water scarcity issue in this area.

Residents wait for their turn to fill water at a handpump in Mumbra. (Representational photo/Praful Gangurde)

The last water distribution system was designed in 2001-2002 but the city saw tremendous growth along Mumbra-Diva areas in the past 10 years making it inefficient to meet the demands of the growing population. So the TMC had proposed a new system in 2010-11. This system was designed keeping in mind the city’s water requirement till 2046, to serve a population of more than 46 lakh and water requirement of up to 829 mld.

A civic official said, “The population of Mumbra, Kausa and Diva has increased imposing lot of pressure on its water distribution system. The present water tanks and distribution system was enough only till 2011, after which it was supposed to be upgraded. The remodelling was earlier approved by the Centre in 2014 but it was not reapproved after the change in government. So we decided to fund the project.”

It will include laying of pipelines, feeder lines, construction of elevated reservoirs, 10 new water tanks of 27 mld capacity each, new pump house and pumping machines, laying down of 95-km distribution lines and changing the inlet and outlet of the old water tanks.

Thane receives 480 mld of water supply but the city still faces a water crisis. The areas in Mumbra, Kausa and Diva have to face 60 hours of water cuts every week. He added, “The budget for the water network in Mumbra will be around Rs125.88 crore out of which Rs8 crore will be set aside in 2017-18 budget, and Rs40 crore each in the next two years and 37.88 crores in 2019-20. The entire water network of Mumbra will be remodelled in the next four year as per this proposal. This will considerably ease the water woes of the area and ensure uninterrupted water supply.”