Mumbai News: BMC Considers 2 Alternative Tanks For Malabar Hill Reservoir Repairs

Mumbai: Following a recent official inspection of the Malabar Hill Reservoir (MHR), the BMC is considering the construction of two alternative water tanks before commencing repair work. The civic authorities are currently assessing the operational feasibility of these alternatives to ensure minimal environmental impact and optimal functionality.

Original Plan and Environmental Concerns

Following the recommendations of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, the BMC initially planned to construct a single alternative water tank with a capacity of 52 million litres per day (MLD).

To reduce environmental impact; particularly the felling of trees—residents of Malabar Hill proposed an alternative location for the project. The officials from the BMC’s waterworks department conducted a site visit last month to assess the feasibility of this suggestion.

Two Sites Identified for Proposed Tanks

"We have identified two proposed sites: one adjacent to the reservoir and another behind the Hanging garden. However, the site next to the reservoir has limited capacity, necessitating the construction of an additional 35 MLD tank. Managing two separate tanks would pose operational challenges, so we are currently assessing the feasibility of operating both alternatives effectively," said a senior civic official. The number of trees need to be hacked will also be reduced confirmed the official.

Background of Malabar Hill Reservoir Repairs

The oldest reservoir beneath iconic Hanging Gardens supplies 147 MLD of water daily to South Mumbai. The BMC had initially proposed nearly a Rs 1000-crore plan to demolish and reconstruct the structure, which required building a 90 MLD replacement tank impacting 389 trees, including 200 for transplantation. However, experts from IIT-Bombay later concluded that complete reconstruction wasn’t necessary and that repairs would suffice.

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Mumbai News: BMC Plans 35–44 MLD Alternative Tank For Malabar Hill Reservoir Repairs Based On IIT-Roorkee Advice

Scaled-Down Repair Plan Adopted

In February 2024, an expert panel warned that phased repairs would disrupt water supply unless an alternative tank was created. Acting on an IIT-Roorkee recommendation, the BMC opted for a scaled-down, vertical tank with a 35–44 MLD capacity to minimise land use and environmental impact. The original reconstruction plan was ultimately scrapped following sustained public opposition.

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