BMC to close its Powai-Ghatkopar water tunnel contract

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to close the current Powai-Ghatkopar water tunnel contract and issue a new one after failing to get a stuck tunnel boring machine (TBM) removed safely. For the completed Powai-Veravali tunnel and incompleted Powai-Ghatkopar projects, the civic body has decided to clear the payment of Rs 147 crore. The municipal corporation will spend Rs 360 crore more to complete the projects, including a 2.2-km tunnel from Powai to Veraval and a 4.4-km tunnel from Powai to Ghatkopar.The project was first awarded for Rs 182 crore in 2012 and was supposed to complete within 52 months.However, the cost of the project escalated to Rs 223 crore. According to a proposal, BMC will complete the transaction of Rs 147 crore for the project completed, including Rs 38.5 crore to the contractor as the TBM is stuck. The tunnel project between Powai and Veravali was completed and commissioned in 2018. The Powai to Ghatkopar got delayed after the TBM got stuck in 2016. The civic body approached many experts to remove the TBM safely. The 90 m length of the tunnel was excavated with the support of steel ribs. However, the work was halted as the geographical survey found that a minimum of 120 m patch ahead of the TBM cannot be excavated. Now, BMC will issue a new contract to complete the remaining work of the Powai-Ghatkopar tunnel. It had invited bids using another technique where 400 m will be excavated using labours. Image SourceAlso read: BMC completes 2 km tunnel works of Mumbai coastal road project