It’s a long wait for Mira-Bhayandar citizens to get additional water to meet the ever-rising demand for portable water as it will take at least two and a half years for the pipeline from Surya Regional Water Supply Scheme to deliver water to this suburb.
The Surya Regional Water Supply Scheme project is being implemented by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and has been in the works for over a decade now. The project has been designed to supply 403 million litres daily (MLD) of water to two civic corporations – Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) and Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC).
MBMC invites bids for water pipeline project
It is only now that the MBMC has floated a bid to lay water pipelines. The MMRDA will be laying the pipeline up to a master balancing reservoir at Chene on Ghodbunder Road. From Chene hillock onwards, the MBMC will have to create a distribution line by spending about Rs425 crore.
The supply pipeline will be put up along the Ghodbunder Road from Chene to up to Hotel Fountain and thereafter, it will continue its way parallel to Western Express Highway up to Dahisar toll naka. For this pipeline laying works and connecting with the internal water distribution network, it will take a minimum of two and a half years.
Water shortages in suburbs
For years now, these extended suburbs have been grappling with water shortages, which has given rise to ‘water mafia’ and the citizens are at their mercy to get their daily supply of this essential requirement.
Metropolitan Commissioner MMRDA S V R Srinivas said, “The phase-1 scheme will provide water to VVMC this year and MMRDA’s project will be finished in March. Vasai city has to speed up their internal distribution systems. We are helping them with this too. Phase-II balance 218 MLD scheme will provide water to MBMC in coming months.”
To supply water to VVMC areas, a total of 88 km of pipeline has been laid between the Surya River (between Palghar-Manor) and Vasai-Virar municipality jurisdiction. Also, tunnelling in Mendhwankhind has been completed. Work on Tungareshwar tunnelling is underway. Overall, 95% of phase 1 and 82% of the entire project is completed.
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