BMC Begins Rs 660-Mn Project to Revive Powai Lake Ecosystem

02 Dec 2025 CW Team

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched a Rs 660-million restoration initiative aimed at improving the ecological health of Powai Lake. The project focuses on diverting sewage inflow, establishing a modern sewage treatment plant (STP), and expanding the removal of water hyacinth, which has increasingly overwhelmed the lake’s surface in recent months. The civic body has set an 18-month deadline for completing the works.

According to officials, the rapid spread of hyacinth is directly linked to untreated sewage entering the lake, providing a nutrient-rich environment for the invasive plant to flourish. To address this issue, the BMC floated two major tenders in May — one to install a new sewer line and another to build an 8 million litres per day (MLD) STP. These measures are expected to help manage the estimated 18 MLD of sewage currently flowing into the waterbody.

Under the proposed plan, the new STP will be installed at the defunct Powai pumping station. It will treat 8 MLD of sewage, after which the treated water will be released back into the lake to improve its water quality. Another 8 MLD will be channelled through an existing pipeline to the Bhandup treatment facility. The remaining 2 MLD will be diverted via the Peru Baug pumping station to the 9 MLD Mithi River treatment plant, ensuring comprehensive handling of the sewage load.

A contractor will soon be appointed to manage construction of all associated infrastructure and oversee its upkeep for six years. Civic officials said these interventions are expected to significantly curb pollution levels and restore the lake’s ecological balance, paving the way for long-term rejuvenation.

News source: The Free Press Journal

Infrastructure Transport

30 May 2026

Chembur Metro to Boost East Mumbai Links

MMRDA is advancing eastern Mumbai’s urban mobility network, with the upcoming Chembur Metro Station set to emerge as a key interchange and the Mumbai Monorail preparing for relaunch.Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, conducted a site visit to Chembur Metro Station along with Kanhuraj Bagate, Managing Director, MMMOCL. He also visited the nearby VN Purav Monorail Station to review system preparedness and ease of interconnectivity.Once operational, the interchange is expected to offer commuters across the eastern suburbs quicker access, smoother transfers and seamless conne..

Herrenknecht TBMs Drive Thane–Borivali Tunnel Progress

Herrenknecht India has supplied two of the four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) required for the 11-km Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel Project being developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The project is expected to reduce travel time between Thane and Borivali from 60–90 minutes to around 15 minutes while easing congestion across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.The first two Single Shield TBMs, named Nayak and Arjuna, feature 13.34-m cutterhead diameters and are designed for hard-rock excavation. They will be deployed to tunnel through the challenging geological..

KBL Launches Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set

Kirloskar Brothers (KBL) has launched its Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set, an integrated fire protection solution designed to improve operational efficiency, remote monitoring and installation flexibility. The system was inaugurated by Ms Madhuritai Misal, Hon. Minister of State for Urban Development, Government of Maharashtra.The Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set is a factory-tested, pre-packaged solution that combines FM/UL-certified motor and engine pump sets with IoT-enabled remote monitoring. Designed to deliver a flow rate of 170 m³/hr at a head of 100 metres, the system aims to provide..