Navi Mumbai: In a major relief for Panvel residents, the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) under the Centre’s Jal Jeevan Mission is set to supply an additional 50 million litres daily (MLD) of water to areas under the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) starting this June. This development comes as part of the Phase 3 Nhava Sheva water supply project, which aims to replace the old, rusted pipeline with a new one to curb water leakage issues.
The announcement was made during a recent meeting at the PMC office, called by MLA Prashant Thakur and attended by officials from various departments. MJP Deputy Engineer Ramesh W. Vaidande informed attendees that the construction of the pump house sourcing water from the Patalganga River would be completed by April. Subsequently, MJP plans to supply at least half of the intended water capacity to the PMC area by June.
Currently, MJP supplies 120 MLD of water to Panvel city and CIDCO nodes within the PMC area. The Phase 3 project, with an estimated budget of Rs 350 crore, aims to boost the water supply by an additional 228 MLD. The allocation of this increased supply will include 100 MLD for PMC, 40 MLD for Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), 69 MLD for CIDCO, and 19 MLD for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
The project began in 2022 with a 30-month completion timeline. However, delays occurred due to rising material costs and other challenges, leading to a 15-month extension. An additional extension proposal is under consideration, as the entire project is now expected to take another eight months to complete.
MLA Prashant Thakur, who organised the review meeting at the Panvel Municipal Corporation, emphasized the project's importance for the region. He stated, "The project is crucial as it will significantly enhance the water supply. We are consistently monitoring progress to ensure we receive incremental water supply as soon as possible."
An MJP official confirmed that work at the Vayal pumping station on the Patalganga River is on track for completion by April. "Our goal is to begin supplying 50 MLD of water to the PMC by June," he added.
Once fully operational, the upgraded water infrastructure is expected to provide much-needed relief to Panvel’s growing population, addressing longstanding water supply issues and supporting regional development.
