MMRDA had announced in 2010 that it would develop the Rs 8,500-crore Pinjal water supply project at its cost. The state irrigation department
had even granted in-principle approval for the project. But MMRDA
recently informed the department that it was no longer interested in
taking up the project as it has been able to tap water from other
sources for the metropolitan region.

The BMC then approached
the department and sought permission to construct the dam. “We have
started work on the feasibility study, environment impact study and the
land acquisition plan is being prepared,” said Rajiv Jalota, additional
municipal commissioner in-charge of projects.

The Pinjal
project is part of the Damanganga-Pinjal link project, which is one of
the 30 link projects, including 16 inter-basin links planned in
peninsular India and three in central India. It will help augment 1,500
mld, of which 865 mld will be supplied to Mumbai.

It involves
construction of a dam across the Damanganga, near Bhugad village,
bordering Valsad district of Gujarat, and Nashik district in
Maharashtra, and another dam across the Vagh at Khargihill in Thane
district. The water will be brought to the Pinjal reservoir, which is to
be constructed in Wada taluka of Thane district, through a tunnel. The
water will be brought to Gundavali through another tunnel, and from
there pumped to the city.