Mumbai: In a move to tackle the city’s growing water crisis, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) for a second desalination plant at Versova, even as the first project in Manori continues to face delays.
The proposed Versova plant, located along the western coastline, is expected to have a capacity of 200 million litres per day (MLD) and will be developed under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) model.
Mumbai currently receives 3,950 MLD of water against a daily demand of 4,463 MLD. With water demand projected to rise to 6,900 MLD by 2041, the civic body is exploring alternative sources like desalination.
Despite floating tenders for a desalination plant in Manori in December 2023, the project failed to attract bidders, leading to the scrapping of the tender in August 2024. However, after renewed efforts, 21 companies, including several from the Middle East and Spain, have shown interest in the revised tender.
“The response this time is encouraging. We are hopeful the Manori plant will finally move forward,” said a senior BMC official.
“To prevent further delays in enhancing the city’s water supply, we are now planning a second desalination plant at Versova. The DBFOT model will reduce financial strain on the BMC while ensuring long-term public ownership,” he added.
The civic body has allocated ₹100 crore for the desalination initiative in its 2025–26 budget.
