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BMC panel sends Gargai dam proposal back for review
Members flag cost escalation, ecological impact and rehabilitation concerns in Rs 3,006 crore project
The civic body had proposed surveying areas within a 500-metre radius of the stations to implement Transit Oriented Development (TOD).(File Photo)
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s standing committee on Wednesday halted clearance for the proposed Gargai dam project in Palghar district, citing concerns over cost escalation, environmental impact and rehabilitation of affected villagers.
Committee members across party lines raised questions over the tendering process and the rising cost of the project. Following a vote, standing committee chairperson and BJP corporator Prabhakar Shinde sent the proposal back to the civic administration for review.
“The standing committee is responsible for keeping a check on BMC’s expenditure. The proposal is being sent back today so that next time when the project is tabled, all the questions raised by the members are answered by the administration. This is an important project that is needed for augmenting Mumbai’s water supply. Hence it’s important that the project gets cleared with absolute fairness,” Shinde said.
According to BMC documents, the original estimated cost of the project was Rs 3,006 crore. Tenders were floated in December last year and two companies, Soma Enterprises Limited and Hindustan Construction Company, submitted bids higher than the estimate.
Soma quoted Rs 3,334 crore, about 10.9 per cent above the estimated cost, while HCC bid was Rs 3,496 crore, or 16.28 per cent higher.
After negotiations with the lowest bidder, the work order was issued at a cost about 8.9 per cent below the estimated project cost.
The proposed project involves constructing a 69-metre high dam on the Gargai river along with a 1.6 km water conveyance tunnel of 2.2 metre diametre.
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Water from the reservoir will be transferred to the Modak Sagar reservoir through the tunnel and then supplied to residential and commercial areas of Mumbai.
However, civic documents state that the project could affect nearly four lakh trees and require the rehabilitation of villagers from six settlements in the project area.
BJP corporator Tejinder Singh Tiwana said the tendering process should be reviewed and an Environmental Impact Assessment conducted.
“We are not opposing the project, but the work order should be awarded at fair rates and the entire process must be transparent,” Tiwana said.
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NCP corporator Dr Saeeda Khan said the proposal lacked details on the rehabilitation plan for villagers and demanded a site visit for elected representatives before any approval.
Responding to the concerns, Additional Municipal Commissioner Vipin Sharma said the cost increase was largely due to the procurement of a tunnel boring machine needed to dig the water conveyance tunnel.
He said the BMC plans to rehabilitate affected villagers in a township within a 21 km radius of the project site with basic amenities such as roads, sanitation, drinking water and postal services.
“The project has underwent scrutiny of all major government agencies including the wildlife board,” he added.
The Gargai dam is expected to initially augment Mumbai’s water supply by 450 million litres per day. By 2050, supply could increase by up to 2,800 MLD as part of a larger plan to develop a network of four dams.
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Mumbai currently requires nearly 4,200 MLD of water daily but the BMC is able to supply only about 3,850 MLD.
Once all clearances are obtained and construction begins, the project is expected to take about six years to complete.
The dam project was first proposed a decade ago, with the BMC initially planning to make it operational by 2025. However, it was put on hold in 2019 after the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government cited environmental concerns and temporarily scrapped the plan.
Gargai Dam Project at a Glance
Location: Gargai river, Palghar district
Project cost: Rs 3,006 crore
Infrastructure
69 m high dam
1.6 km tunnel linking to Modak Sagar reservoir
Impact
Up to 4 lakh trees affected
Six villages to be rehabilitated
Water boost for Mumbai
450 MLD initially
Up to 2,800 MLD by 2050
City demand vs supply
Demand: 4,200 MLD
Current supply: 3,850 MLD
Completion timeline
6 years after work begins
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