Archive · 2 Jan 2026
BMC Plans 7 km Tunnel for Water Supply
The BMC is building a 7 km underground tunnel to carry water from a new desalination plant in Manori to Kandivali.
This tunnel will help supply water to areas like Kandivali, Borivali, Malad, and Goregaon.
The desalination plant will treat seawater to make it drinkable.
The tunnel can carry 400 million liters of water every day.
The BMC is spending Rs 200 crore on the tunnel and Rs 11,166 crore on the plant.
This is Maharashtra's first desalination plant and will help meet Mumbai's water needs, which currently fall short by 350 MLD daily.
BMC plans to build a 7.05 km underground tunnel to transport water from a desalination plant in Manori to Kandivali.
The tunnel will be constructed using two Tunnel Boring Machines and can carry 400 MLD of water daily with 100% standby capacity.
The desalination plant, costing Rs 11,166 crore, will be the first in Maharashtra and will treat seawater for consumption.
The tunnel will connect to the existing water supply network in Kandivali to distribute water to western suburbs like Borivali, Malad, and Goregaon.
The BMC aims to address Mumbai's water shortage, which currently stands at 350 MLD daily, with this infrastructure project.
- Who
- Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)
- What
- Construction of a 7.05 km underground water conveyance tunnel and a desalination plant
- When
- Tender floated last week; desalination plant proposal mooted in 2019
- Where
- From Manori to Kandivali, western suburbs of Mumbai
- Why
- To address growing water demand in Mumbai and improve water supply infrastructure
- Tunnel Length
- 7.05 km
- Starting Point
- Manori
- Ending Point
- Kandivali
- Water Capacity
- 400 MLD daily with 100% standby
- Tunnel Cost
- Rs 200 crore
- Desalination Plant Cost
- Rs 11,166 crore
- Desalination Plant Location
- Manori village, northern Mumbai
- Current Water Supply
- 3,900 MLD daily