MUMBAI: The city’s vast water supply system is set to become more efficient with the expansion of its water tunnel network, a move aimed at reducing leakage and distribution losses. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday announced the implementation of a major tunnel between Kasheli in Bhiwandi and Mulund Octroi Naka to strengthen water conveyance to Mumbai and the wider metropolitan region.
The civic body has been pioneering the use of water tunnels as a core element of urban water distribution. Mumbai is the first city in India where a local self-government body has constructed dedicated water tunnels for water supply. With a cumulative tunnel length of nearly 100 km, the city now ranks second globally in terms of the scale of its water tunnel network.
In an official statement issued on Sunday, the BMC said it is currently implementing a major water tunnel project between Kasheli in Bhiwandi and Mulund Octroi Naka to strengthen water conveyance to Mumbai and the wider metropolitan region. Gagrani recently inspected the project site at Mulund Octroi Naka to review the progress of the works.
Municipal commissioner and administrator Bhushan Gagrani said water tunnels are emerging as a practical and effective alternative to conventional water conveyance systems, offering better control over leakages and minimising wastage.
At present, water from the Bhatsa reservoir is supplied to Mumbai through the Mumbai-II and Mumbai-III main pipelines. However, rapid urbanisation in Thane has led to these pipelines increasingly obstructing development projects, prompting the Thane Municipal Corporation to request that the BMC lower the pipelines. Considering this and Mumbai’s steadily rising demand for drinking water, the BMC decided to construct a dedicated water tunnel along the Kasheli–Mulund corridor.
The project, which began in September 2024, is scheduled for completion by October 2030. The tunnel will extend over 7.1 km. A 134-metre-deep launching shaft is being constructed at Mulund Octroi Naka, where excavation has reached 130 metres. At Kasheli, a 128-metre-deep recovery shaft is being built to retrieve the tunnel boring machine, with excavation completed up to 15 metres.
Excavation is scheduled to begin in July 2026, marking a significant step towards strengthening Mumbai’s long-term water security.