Attention Mumbaikars! Now permission needed from local authority to dig borewells in city, warns BMC

Citizens of Mumbai and Thane will now have to seek permission from the local civic authority to carry out any excavation work for borewells or face legal action, the BMC has warned.

The decision was taken in light of the recent incident wherein a water tunnel got punctured during digging work for a borewell in Thane.

The BMC supplies 3,850 million litres of water across the city per day, through a pipeline network of 6,000 km. These pipelines are 80-100 years old and weak.

So a network of underground water tunnels was constructed from the BMC's Bhandup complex to various service reservoirs across the city and suburbs to supply water.

Underground pipeline damages rising

“Over the past few years, many incidents are reported wherein an underground tunnel or pipeline has got damaged due to random excavation. It takes time to repair the damage, with millions of litres of water being lost in the process and unnecessary inconvenience to citizens,” a civic official said, adding that after the recent incident, water supply to the Bhandup complex had to be stopped for tunnel repair work which also affected supply to Mulund west.

According to the official, the civic body will verify if there is any underground tunnel or pipeline where the digging work will be carried out prior to giving permission.

“In case work is carried out without permission and damage is caused to an underground tunnel, strict legal action will be initiated against the persons responsible,” the official said.