BMC Secures MCZMA Nod for ₹11,166 Crore Manori Desalination Plant

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken a significant step forward in its ambitious plan to enhance Mumbai's water supply. Nearly four months after awarding the contract for the Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) plant at Manori in the western suburbs, the BMC has secured online clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA).

The civic body now moves to obtain the final approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC). Once all clearances are in place, construction of the desalination plant, aimed at bolstering Mumbai’s water supply, could start before the monsoon.

The proposed plant will be commissioned with an initial capacity of 200 million liters per day (MLD), scalable to 400 MLD. Following post-bid negotiations, the BMC awarded the contract in December to GVPR Engineers Limited at an estimated cost of Rs 11,166.17 crore. This includes Rs 4,077 crore towards construction and covering 20-year operation and maintenance (O&M), power, taxes, and lifecycle costs.

However, project execution remains contingent upon the receipt of statutory environmental clearances, and the commencement of ground works is pending the same.

The BMC had initially obtained approval from the MCZMA in 2023 through an offline process. Following procedural changes mandating online processing, with MCZMA forwarding recommendations to the Government of India, the BMC was required to reapply.

“Subsequent to receipt of MCZMA clearance, the proposal is now awaited for listing before the MoEFCC for appraisal within the current fortnight,” a senior civic official stated. Given that MoEFCC appraisal meetings are convened on a fortnightly basis, the civic body is targeting final environmental clearance by the end of April.

The BMC has completed a drone survey of the project site, and the state government has handed over possession of the land at Manori, with the formal transfer process currently underway. The project also requires statutory approvals from the Maharashtra Maritime Board and other concerned agencies.

For integration into the city’s water supply network, desalinated water will be conveyed from Manori to Charkop and then to the tunnel shaft at Mahavir Nagar in Kandivali. A tender for the design and construction of the conveyance tunnel has been recently invited. Earlier, on December 4, 2023, the BMC floated a tender for construction of the desalination plant on a 12-hectare site in Manori village.

The Manori desalination plant is a crucial step in ensuring a reliable and sustainable water supply for Mumbai, a city that often faces water scarcity issues, especially during the summer months. The project is expected to significantly alleviate the water stress faced by the city's residents and industries.