Overview
- The BMC Standing Committee on March 11 voted to return the proposal for further scrutiny, with chair Prabhakar Shinde stressing transparency and fiscal prudence; 19 members backed the move.
- The administration’s ₹5,396-crore plan includes taxes and rehabilitation, with Soma named the lowest bidder at ₹3,334 crore and a negotiated contract about 11% over the ₹3,006-crore estimate.
- Members demanded clarity on the tender process, environmental impact and resettlement for six villages, while officials cited a tunnel boring machine and statutory clearances as major cost drivers.
- Project specifications call for a 69-metre dam on the Gargai river, a roughly 1.6-km water tunnel to Modak Sagar, and a 1.2‑MW hydropower unit.
- Once approvals are secured, the dam is projected to add about 440–450 MLD to Mumbai’s supply, with construction slated for around four years plus two years of operations and maintenance.