Navi Mumbai– Panvel MLA Prashant Thakur has urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to provide financial assistance for the proposed height expansion of the Dehrang Dam on the Gadhi River, which supplies drinking water to the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) area.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, MLA Thakur highlighted that PMC was established on October 1, 2016. Due to its proximity to Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, as well as the ongoing airport development and industrialisation, the city’s population is increasing rapidly. As per the standard 150 liters per capita per day (LPCD) requirement, the current daily water demand stands at 394 MLD (million liters per day) and is expected to reach 847 MLD by 2057.
At present, PMC receives approximately 224 MLD from Dehrang Dam, Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP), CIDCO, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (Morbe Dam), and MIDC. However, with the rising population, a significant water shortage is anticipated in the near future. MLA Thakur emphasized that raising the height of Dehrang Dam is the only viable long-term solution for PMC, as the civic body does not own any other water source.
Expanding the full storage level of Dehrang Dam would substantially increase water reserves and ensure a sustainable water supply for the city. PMC Commissioner submitted a proposal on January 9, 2025, recommending a 20-meter height increase, which would require the acquisition of 294 hectares of land at an estimated cost of Rs 900 crore.
Given PMC’s financial limitations as a newly established municipal corporation, MLA Prashant Thakur urged the state government to allocate funds for the project, ensuring a long-term solution for Panvel’s water needs.