Mumbai: Water Supply Tunnels Now Second Longest Globally, Surpassing 100km Mark After New York

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has completed the excavation of a 9.7km water tunnel extending from Amar Mahal to Parel via Wadala. With this achievement, Mumbai becomes the second city globally, following New York, to boast a network of water supply tunnels totaling 100km in length.

The Delaware aqueduct tunnel, spanning 169km, is integral to New York City's water supply system. Mumbai, now boasting a total network length of 100km for its water supply tunnels, ensures sufficient water provision under high pressure until 2061 for specific areas: F-North (Matunga-Wadala), F-South (Parel), E (Byculla), and L (Kurla).

According to a report of TOI, The tunnel reaches a depth of 100-110 meters with a diameter of 3.2 meters externally and 2.5 meters internally, owing to the protective concrete lining installed inside.

Also Read| Mumbai: BMC's 9.7 km Water Tunnel to Ensure Sufficient Supply for Matunga, Wadala, Parel, Byculla, and Kurla by 2026.

As of now, Mumbai's water tunnel project is 74% complete, with a few more kilometers left to add before the April 2026 deadline. The tunnel boring machine (TBM) used has contributed to the completion of approximately 90 kilometers of operational tunnels across three main sections. There are three supply shafts located at depths of 109 meters (Hedgewar Garden), 103 meters (Pratiksha Nagar), and 101 meters (Parel). The latest addition to the tunnel spans 9.7 kilometers. A BMC official indicated that upon completion, the project will exceed a cumulative tunnel length of 100 kilometers.