Mumbai, April 8: Local residents have argued that the BMC's plan of a 52-million-litre-per-day (MLD) alternate tank for the Malabar Hill Reservoir (MHR) repair is unnecessary and a waste of public funds.
In a letter to Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, they requested a meeting to discuss the issue. The Hanging Garden Environment Protection Group has also urged the BMC to withhold the project until citizens are given the opportunity to assess its necessity, feasibility, and reliability.
BMC’s plan and approval process
An alternative water tank will be built on a plot behind the iconic Hanging Gardens, above the existing reservoir. The project is vital to ensure continuous supply during repairs to the reservoir, as any failure of the current structure could affect South Mumbai’s distribution system, claim civic officials.
Under the revised plan, the alternative tank falls within the "funnel of vision", making approval from the state government's Urban Development Department mandatory. This requirement is likely to subject the project to an additional level of scrutiny before it can progress further.
Allegations by residents
In a letter to Bhide, the citizens’ group alleged that the proposal to construct the 52-MLD tank is based on false and doctored reports illegally obtained by BMC engineers.
They claim that bringing in outside consultants exposes a conspiracy orchestrated by civic engineers, with active involvement of consultants, contractors, and project advisors, aimed at pushing through the construction of the new tank.
Concerns over cost and necessity
The group further highlighted that the alternate tank would cost Rs 300–500 crore, a massive capital outlay, and would require enormous energy to pump water daily into the reservoir—a cost currently zero for incoming water at MHR.
They stressed that the tank is entirely unnecessary, as the MHR, once repaired, is fully capable of meeting any additional demand, making the alternate tank a wasteful and costly project.
The citizens’ group urged the BMC to consult Prof Arun Menon, IIT Chennai masonry expert, whose work on the Presidential Palace of India demonstrates his expertise, to assess MHR structural strength before proceeding with the 52-MLD tank.
Background and earlier plans
The century-old reservoir beneath Hanging Gardens supplies 147 MLD of water to South Mumbai. Following a 2022 audit that flagged structural concerns, the BMC approved a reconstruction plan worth nearly Rs 698 crore, which included building a 90 MLD replacement tank.
Work commenced in 2023, but the project soon drew public attention after notices were placed on trees in Hanging Gardens slated for removal, triggering strong opposition from Malabar Hill residents.
Revised strategy and ongoing opposition
Amid the protests, the BMC shelved its plan in 2023 to demolish and reconstruct the reservoir. Instead, it shifted to a phased repair strategy that necessitates the construction of an alternative tank. Under a revised design featuring an alternate tank, the number of affected trees has been reduced to 76.
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However, residents have questioned the need for such a facility, arguing that repairs could be carried out in phases by isolating sections of the reservoir, with the remaining capacity deemed sufficient to maintain supply. They have also indicated plans to approach the court over the issue.
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