A milestone has been achieved in the Surya regional water supply project with the completion of tunnelling work beneath Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. The project has been in the works for over a decade now. The project has been designed to supply 403 million litres daily of water to Vasai Virar and Mira Bhayandar. “With this tunnel, the project is 89% complete,” an official said.
The Surya regional water supply scheme project is being implemented by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and has been in the works for over a decade now.
Long wait of another 3 years for Mira Bhayandar residents
However, for the residents of Mira Bhayandar, it is a longer wait of another three years, as the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) is in the midst of tendering process to lay a pipeline from the master balancing reservoir at Chene on Ghodbunder Road towards Mira-Bhayandar. The pipeline will be laid from the Chene hillock onwards, the MBMC will have to create a distribution line by spending about Rs 425 crore.
The supply pipeline will be put up along the Ghodbunder Road from Chene to up to Hotel Fountain and thereafter, it will continue its way parallel to Western Express Highway up to Dahisar toll naka. For this pipeline laying works and connecting with the internal water distribution network, it will take a minimum of two and a half to three years.
Extended suburbs grapple with water shortages
For years now, these extended suburbs have been grappling with water shortages, which has given rise to ‘water mafia’ and the citizens are at their mercy to get their daily supply of this essential requirement.
The Phase-I scheme will provide water to Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation this year and MMRDA’s project will be finished in March 2024. Phase-II balance 218 MLD scheme will provide water to MBMC.
To supply water to VVMC areas, a total of 88 km of pipeline has been laid between the Surya River (between Palghar-Manor) and Vasai-Virar municipality jurisdiction. Tunnelling in Mendhwankhind has been completed.
