BMC Issues Tender for Gargai Dam Project

• 10 Dec 2025

Why in News? 

After more than a decade of delay, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation issued a ₹3,000 crore tender to construct the 69-metre Gargai dam in Palghar district. 

Key Points 

• Tunnel Construction: The project includes a 1.6-kilometre tunnel with a diameter of 2.2 metres to carry water from Gargai to the Modak Sagar reservoir. 
• Dam Type: Gargai will be built as a roller-compacted concrete dam, similar to the Middle Vaitarna dam. 
• Water Supply Addition: Once operational, the dam will add 440 million litres per day to Mumbai’s drinking water supply, becoming the first new reservoir since Middle Vaitarna became operational in 2014. 
• Project History: The Maharashtra state government first approved Gargai as a water source for Mumbai in a Government Resolution in November 2013. 
• Construction Timeline: Although the execution period is four years, the corporation aims to complete the main dam structure in nine months, faster than the Middle Vaitarna dam, which took fifteen months. 
• Hydropower Component: A 1,200-kilowatt hydropower unit is included in the project to offset the dam’s electricity consumption. 
• Environmental Impact: Approximately three lakh trees will need to be transplanted to nearby villages, and compensatory afforestation is planned across 658 hectares in Washim, Chandrapur and Hingoli districts. 
• Pending Clearances: The project is awaiting major approvals, including state and central forest clearances and National Board for Wildlife permission from the Prime Minister’s Office.