The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has scheduled a 30-hour water supply disruption across multiple Mumbai divisions to execute vital infrastructure upgrades under its ongoing Water Supply Project. This shutdown, spanning May 5 (Tuesday) to May 6 (Wednesday), targets the commissioning of a key water tunnel linking Amar Mahal to major reservoirs, addressing long-term supply reliability amid the city’s growing demands.

Tunnel commissioning drive in Mumbai

The core reason for the shutdown is the connection of a 1800 mm diameter water tunnel from Amar Mahal (near Hedgewar Udyan) to essential facilities including Wadala’s Pratiksha Nagar, Paral’s AMT-1, Trombay Reservoir (AMT-2) and Turbhe High Level Reservoir. This involves linking the 1800 mm Turbhe High Level channel to another 1800 mm line, alongside a 1200 mm Turbhe Low Level channel, both of which will be offline during the works.

These upgrades form part of BMC’s broader efforts to modernise Mumbai‘s aging water infrastructure, ensuring more efficient distribution from distant sources to high-demand urban zones. The maintenance window allows for precise engineering without ongoing supply interruptions, minimising future leaks or capacity issues.

ALSO READ

Here is full water shutdown timeline and scope

Water supply halts completely from 10:00 am on May 5 (Tuesday), until 4:00 pm on May 6, totalling 30 hours. While some areas face full suspension, others will experience low-pressure supply, with variations by division and day.

F North Division zones like Pratiksha Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, Shanti Nagar, HM Marg, KD Gaikwad Nagar, Wadala Truck Terminus, New Cough Parade and Alameda Complex are set for shutdown, primarily on May 6 (Wednesday). Shiv (East) and Shiv (West) divisions will see reduced pressure throughout.

Division-wise disruptions

F South, L and M East Divisions face impacts mainly on May 6, while M West and N Divisions, plus surrounding areas, encounter full shutdown on May 5 shifting to low pressure on May 6. BMC’s zoning ensures targeted works without citywide paralysis, but residents in eastern and central suburbs bear the brunt.

ALSO READ

The civic body urges advance water storage and conservative usage, emphasising that judicious consumption will ease strain on alternative supplies like tankers during peak summer heat. BMC has issued clear directives for citizens to stockpile water beforehand, highlighting the shutdown’s necessity for sustainable supply enhancements.

BMC: Mumbai’s richest civic body in Maharashtra

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), also known as the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), is the primary governing civic body responsible for administering India’s financial capital, Mumbai in Maharashtra.

BMC manages essential urban services including water supply, sewerage, roads, solid waste management, street lighting, public health, education and municipal markets across Mumbai and its suburbs. Its annual budget surpasses that of many smaller Indian states, making it the wealthiest municipal corporation in the country.

Established under the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act of 1888, BMC operates with 227 elected corporators representing wards, overseen by a Municipal Commissioner- an IAS officer appointed by the Maharashtra government who holds executive powers. Corporators handle policy implementation, budgets and public grievances.

Originally the Municipal Corporation of Greater Bombay, it rebranded to Brihanmumbai (Greater Mumbai) post-1990s suburban expansion. Headquartered in the iconic Gothic BMC Building opposite Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, it evolved from British-era governance to handle Mumbai’s 1.4 crore population.