MUMBAI, July 14: The BMC will raise the height of the Pise water reservoir at Bhandup to get more water for Mumbai. Water from the Bhatsa dam will be collected in the reservoir and supplied to the city.A proposal to this effect, which forms part of the III A Mumbai Water Supply Project, was passed by the standing committee today. The committee also approved appointment of a private consultant at a cost of Rs 22.86 crore. The total cost of the project, which is to be completed within the next nine years, is Rs 666.62 crore.The members however, opposed the MC's decision to finalise Tata Consulting Engineers before seeking the committee's approval. Members felt that the BMC was paying the consultant a heavy sum, as the project would be used to supply water from the Pise-Panjrapur water treatment plant to Mumbai for only a year. The BMC presently draws 100 million gallon litres of water every day.Congress' Ravindra Pawar said the BMC should tap other sources of water and suggested that the BMCshould check the possibility of adjoining dams such as Shahi, Kalu, Pinjar and Gergai. The BMC has the state government's permission to draw water from these dams. Tata Consultancy Engineering has already submitted a feasibility report, which will be forwarded to the MMRDA for review in February this year. MMRDA had, in principle, agreed to loan Rs 400 crore for the project.TCE will be in charge of civil and electrical works at Pise and Panjrapore pumping plants, topographic surveys, strengthening of existing distribution system, and supervise construction of three tunnels from Bhandup complex to Malad, Malad to Charkop in Kandivali, and Bhandup to LBS Marg at Tagorenagar.
