Hetawane water project nears finish: Navi Mumbai set to get a steadier, cleaner supply
Published 8 Sep 2025, 6:22 PM IST
CIDCO’s Hetawane Water Supply Augmentation Scheme is in its final stretch. In July, the tunnelling team set a national record by boring 777 metres in one month with a tunnel-boring machine. This fast progress means the new pipeline tunnel that brings water from the Hetawane system closer to our homes is moving well.
What exactly happened
- A national tunnelling record: Engineers completed 777 m in July using a tunnel-boring machine (TBM) nicknamed “Flamingo.” The TBM’s diameter is 3.2 m. The record beat the 653 m mark set at Mumbai’s Amar Mahal II Tunnel in 2024; they had already hit 714 m in May.
- Where this is happening: The record came from Package 1 of the project, which has an 8.7 km tunnel. Contractor Afcons Infrastructure has completed about 4.2 km so far.
TBM = Tunnel Boring Machine. It is a large machine that digs a tunnel safely and quickly, while supporting the surrounding rock.
What it means for Navi Mumbai
The scheme is designed to secure long-term water supply for Navi Mumbai and Panvel as population grows. Faster tunnelling means the trunk line that carries raw water to treatment and onward to our taps can be commissioned sooner.
The state had earlier raised CIDCO’s drawal from the Hetawane dam by 120 MLD (Million Litres Per Day), taking the total to 270 MLD to handle near-term demand. That is 270 million litres per day earmarked for CIDCO areas. The new tunnel helps move this water more efficiently.
What engineers had to overcome
The tunnel alignment runs through amygdaloidal basalt in the Sahyadri hills. Space to set up equipment was limited and muck had to be carried about 4 km away from the face. The team used adaptive tunnelling methods to keep speed and safety high despite these hurdles.
How far along is the project now
Tunnel progress: ~4.2 km done out of 8.7 km in Package 1, after the July record month.
Momentum is strong: Independent reports also note the 777 m record and confirm the push to finish quickly.
What it means for your tap at home
Smoother daily supply:
Once the tunnel and connected works are commissioned, pressure and hours of supply should become more consistent across CIDCO-planned nodes and parts of Panvel. That helps areas that currently see low pressure or rotating cuts, especially in summer.Cleaner conveyance:
A modern gravity tunnel and new pipeline sections reduce leaks and contamination risk compared to older, stressed lines. That improves both quantity and quality at the consumer end. (This is the typical outcome of such upgrades; Indian Express notes the scheme is aimed exactly at long-term security.)
Navi Mumbai’s demand is rising fast. While Hetawane upgrades move ahead, other sources and projects are also in the pipeline, and there have been short-term shortages due to delays on separate schemes. This is why the Hetawane push is important: it adds dependable capacity while the rest of the network catches up.
Sources
- The Indian Express report on the Hetawane scheme’s progress, the 777 m in July record, TBM details, and overall goal to secure Navi Mumbai and Panvel’s water future. Source
- Free Press Journal and Projects Today confirming the national tunnelling record on the same package. Source
- Background on CIDCO’s 270 MLD allocation from Hetawane after the 2020 augmentation decision. Source
- Times of India on recent shortages and project delays elsewhere in the region for context. Source
