The Bengal Story Bureau: Mumbai is currently grappling with a severe water shortage as shifting political priorities and technical delays have stalled two crucial infrastructure projects, depriving the city of an additional 640 million litres daily (MLD) of water supply. The delays in the Gargai Dam and a proposed desalination plant have left the island city entirely dependent on its seven monsoon-fed lakes amid rising heat and delayed rainfall.
The Gargai Dam Delay
Currently, Mumbai receives around 3,900 MLD of water. The Gargai Dam project in Palghar district, initially proposed in 2015 by the Devendra Fadnavis government, was designed to add 440 MLD to this network. Official civic documents indicate the 69-metre high dam was scheduled to become operational by 2025.
However, the Uddhav Thackeray-led government stalled the project in 2019 over environmental concerns. The dam required the diversion of 845 hectares of forest land and would have impacted over three lakh trees. The project remained dormant until the current Mahayuti alliance revived it earlier this year. The civic standing committee cleared the Rs 3,000 crore project in April, and construction is expected to begin by October, with a revised completion target of 2030.
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Desalination Plant Stalled
Following the suspension of the Gargai Dam, the previous civic administration proposed a 200 MLD desalination plant at Manori in the western suburbs. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) signed an agreement with an Israeli firm in 2021 to prepare a detailed project report.
The initiative lost momentum after a change in government in 2022. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ashish Shelar had previously argued that desalination plants are expensive and that conventional dams should take priority. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray recently criticised the delay, stating that if the project had not been scrapped, it would have been operational by 2025 without any water shortfall.
What Happens Next
Civic officials state the desalination project is now back on track. After an initial tender failed to attract bidders in March 2024, a subsequent tender shortlisted two agencies. The cost of the plant has now escalated to Rs 3,200 crore, and it is expected to be completed by 2029.
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An official familiar with both projects noted that while the Gargai Dam faced direct political opposition over environmental hazards, the desalination plant suffered from a lack of executing agencies in India. As a result, Mumbai residents will have to wait until at least 2029 for the much-needed 640 MLD addition to their water network.
