Maha govt formulates master water plan to safeguard Mumbai Metropolitan Region's demand
Mumbai, Oct 26
In a major initiative to secure long-term water sustainability for India's premier economic engine, the Maharashtra government has constituted a high-level study group to draft a comprehensive 25-year water management blueprint for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The directive, issued via a Government Resolution (GR) by the Water Resources Department, mandates the expert panel to evaluate future demand, assess available resources, identify structural shortfalls, and submit an actionable roadmap within three months.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region-spanning major municipal corporations, industrial belts, and rapidly developing semi-urban centres-faces escalating demand driven by population growth, commercial expansion, and major megaprojects.
While the region currently relies on a hybrid network of state dams and civic sources, the government emphasised that fragmented management is no longer viable.
The study group will conduct an integrated audit across domestic, industrial, commercial, institutional, and construction sectors to establish precise demand projections for three key horizons: 2031, 2041, and 2051. The newly formed study group is chaired by Sanjay Belsare, retired secretary of the Water Resources Department.
To ensure inter-agency synchronisation across administrative jurisdictions, the panel incorporates leadership from key urban and regional authorities.
The study group comprises Chief Engineer - Konkan Region (Member Secretary), Additional Commissioners from BMC & MMRDA; Commissioners of Thane, Navi Mumbai, & Kalyan-Dombivli; and representatives from Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP), and Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC). The study group's scope extends beyond traditional dam-building solutions, prioritising sustainable demand management and climate adaptation.
The study group will review completed, ongoing, and proposed water supply projects to calculate total assured yields against projected localised shortfalls, evaluate recycled wastewater reuse, large-scale rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and the ecological revival of local water bodies, recommend strict measures to curb Non-Revenue Water (NRW), eliminate distribution leaks, and modernise metering systems and assess vulnerabilities linked to altered monsoon cycles, erratic extreme rainfall events, prolonged dry spells, and rising sea levels impacting coastal aquifers.
The final report will deliver an integrated Water Security Plan 2051, detailing prioritised infrastructure projects, estimated capital expenditures, implementation timelines, funding mechanisms, and clear inter-departmental responsibilities.
By laying out a clear, climate-resilient water strategy, the state aims to eliminate future supply bottlenecks and safeguard economic stability across the region for the next quarter-century.
— IANS
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