Vasai: In a major push to resolve the chronic water scarcity plaguing the twin cities of Vasai and Virar, the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) has significantly accelerated the construction of the Kholsapada-2 dam.
According to municipal administration officials, more than 80% of the project work has already been completed, and the dam is expected to be commissioned very soon. Once operational, the project will bring immense relief to residents by providing an additional 22 million liters per day (MLD) of water to the city.
The rapid pace of urbanisation and a booming population have triggered an unprecedented surge in water demand across the region.
Currently, the municipal corporation draws water from various existing sources.
230 MLD combined from the Surya (Dhamni and Kavdas), Usgaon, and Pelhar dams. 170 MLD received from MMRDA’s Surya Regional Water Supply Scheme (out of an officially sanctioned quota of 185 MLD). While the total official supply on paper stands at 400 MLD per day, the reality on the ground is grim. Due to decades-old, leaking water pipelines and persistent technical glitches, a massive amount of water is wasted through leakages. Consequently, the actual water reaching households falls drastically short, leaving several areas reeling under a severe, unresolved water crisis.
To find a permanent solution to this perennial issue, the civic body planned the development of two dams—Kholsapada 1 and 2.
The initial approval for Kholsapada Dam-2 was granted back in September 2018. However, the project was stalled for an extended period due to delayed clearances from the Forest Department alongside other technical bottlenecks. Following consistent follow-ups and intervention at the state government level, all regulatory hurdles were cleared, breathing new life into the ₹135-crore project.
Recently, Municipal Commissioner Prithviraj B.P. reviewed the ongoing construction on-site and strictly directed officials to ensure the work is completed within the designated timeframe. Meanwhile, the VVCMC is simultaneously pursuing state approvals for the Kholsapada-1 project to secure an additional 48 MLD of water for future needs.
To streamline the storage and distribution of the incoming water supply, the VVCMC has launched an extensive storage expansion drive.
The civic body currently manages 47 water towers for the urban zones and 52 for the surrounding village areas. However, these are no longer sufficient to meet the rising demand. Under the Central Government’s Amrut 2.0 Scheme, the corporation is constructing 10 new water towers across the region, each boasting a capacity of 1.5 to 2 million liters.
Work has already commenced at Suncity, Diwanman, Tulinj, Rajhans Chulne, Achole (parking lot), and Virar Kumbarpada. Soil testing has also been wrapped up at Gadgapada, Kargil Nagar, Central Park, Bilalpada, Dhaniv, and Star City Juchandra, with construction slated to begin shortly.
Water Supply Department officials stated that these strategically positioned elevated storage reservoirs (ESRs) will vastly improve water pressure and distribution across all neighboring localities once the new dam water flows in.
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