Hetawane project: Cidco to achieve first-ever tunnel breakthrough on December 29, boost to Navi Mumbai water supply

Once completed, it is expected to increase Cidco’s water supply capacity from the existing 120 million litres per day (MLD) to 270 MLD.

Officials said this is the first time Cidco is undertaking a tunnelling project. They said the tunnel breakthrough would help accelerate the remaining work and play a key role in ensuring long-term water security for Navi Mumbai as urban development in the region continues.

Package-1 constitutes an 8.7-km-long treated water tunnel, of which 5.52 km of tunnelling has been completed so far. The tunnel runs at a depth of nearly 100 metres below ground.

Officials said the project faced challenges due to hard rock formations in the Deccan Sahyadri region, limited space at work sites, and demanding material removal operations. The work progressed through sustained coordination between Cidco engineers and the contractor’s team.