Thane tunnel will be fixed on time: BMC

The tunnel was punctured at Wagle Estate in Thane on November 8, 2022. File Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Despite a delay caused by dewatering work that was not foreseen, the BMC is confident of repairing the tunnel at Thane's Wagle Estate on schedule; i.e. by the end of this month. The repair work began on Friday, said officials. The water tunnel, which is one of the main sources of supply to the city, was punctured during illegal digging of a bore well at the proposed IT Park site at Wagle industrial area on November 8, 2022. The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) had said that the developer was not allowed to dig a bore well at the site.

The work of removing the shaft of the tunnel is underway. File pic

"In the first phase, we undertook dewatering work between March 31 and April 10. Thereafter, we made provisions for ventilation and entry of a crane, workers and engineers in the tunnel. Yet, oxygen cylinders have been placed in the tunnel for precaution," said an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. "Around 40 workers and engineers began the work of fixing the tunnel on April 14. We are using special chemicals and cement to seal the puncture. We have opened the shaft of the tunnel at Thane Kapurbawdi observation station, which is around 4.5 km from the puncture site," the official added.

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The tunnel, which is 15 km long with a diameter of 5,500 mm, is 70 to 100 m underground. The BMC stopped the supply through the tunnel on March 31 for the repair works, which was scheduled for completion in 30 days. "We are working as per the schedule," the official said. Since November 8, 2022, more than 450 million litres of water have been wasted due to leakage, according the official figures. The BMC has decided to recover around R75 crore from the developer, which includes the cost of repairs and the water that was wasted as well as the penalty.