Mumbai News: BMC's Powai-Ghatkopar Water Tunnel Project Marks Major Milestone With 2.7 km TBM Tunnel Completed At 60 Metres Depth

Mumbai: Patel Engineering Limited, a leading infrastructure and construction services company in India, announced the successful tunnel breakthrough of the Powai Ghatkopar Water Tunnel project. The project is being executed for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Patel Engineering completes key segments of underground tunnel using TBM technology

The breakthrough marks the completion of two main segments, 2.045 km from the SCI shaft to the Ghatkopar High-Level Reservoir (HLR) and 0.742 km from Ghatkopar HLR to the Low-Level Reservoir (LLR) of underground tunnelling using Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) technology, an advanced, minimally disruptive method ideal for dense urban environments. The contract is being executed by Patel Engineering as the sole private partner under an Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) framework for BMC.

Project aims to modernise Mumbai's ageing water supply network in eastern suburbs

Once completed, the Powai-Ghatkopar water tunnel project will serve as a vital upgrade to Mumbai’s water infrastructure, dramatically enhancing supply reliability and quality in the eastern suburbs by replacing ageing surface pipelines with a robust underground transmission system.

With advanced tunnelling technologies, the tunnel will minimise leakage, contamination, and disruptions from surface-level construction, while efficiently channelling water to Ghatkopar’s reservoirs under real-time monitoring. This project is set to ensure long-term sustainability, operational efficiency, and greater resilience in water distribution for millions of residents.

TBM chosen for high precision and minimal disruption in urban zones

Constructed with environmental safety and urban impact in mind, the tunnel runs beneath densely populated areas. TBM technology was chosen to ensure high precision with minimal surface disruption. The machine, custom-built for local geology, operates at a depth of approximately 60 meters, with an excavated diameter of 2.80 meters and finished internal diameter of 2.20 meters, and is designed to maintain excavation efficiency across variable soil profiles.

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Patel Engineering hails milestone as a benchmark in urban infrastructure delivery

Commenting on the achievement, Kavita Shirvaikar, Managing Director of Patel Engineering Ltd, said, “The Project breakthrough stands as a clear example of how complex infrastructure can be delivered responsibly and independently, with long-term urban benefit in mind. I commend our teams for executing this project with precision and discipline under challenging urban conditions beneath one of India’s most densely populated cities. We are proud to contribute to building the infrastructure backbone of India’s cities with complete dedication, efficiency, and sustainability and improving the lives of residents in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai city.”