The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to visit a site proposed by residents of Malabar Hill for the construction of the additional tank required to maintain an uninterrupted supply of water to parts of Mumbai during the repairs of the over-century-old Malabar Hill reservoir. Residents will also participate in the site visits with BMC officials that are planned for the coming week. Additionally, a round of discussions will be held with residents to facilitate the project.
Abhijit Bangar, additional municipal commissioner in charge of the hydraulics department, told mid-day on Thursday, “The citizens suggested a site for the alternate tank. BMC officials will visit the location and verify the feasibility of constructing the additional water tank on this location.”
The decision was taken in a meeting of the residents with Maharashtra Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and MLA of Malabar Hill, Mangal Prabhat Lodha and BMC officials on Wednesday.
It came after the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT-R) submitted its latest report to the civic body in March 2025, and recommended that the repair of the existing Malabar Hill reservoir cannot take place without the construction of another storage reservoir. The report also recommended that the location of the additional storage reservoir needs to be determined through feasibility studies of all possible options.
Built in 1887, the Malabar Hill reservoir, the oldest reservoir beneath the Hanging Gardens, stores 147 million litres of water, which is supplied to parts of Mumbai. The BMC had originally proposed to demolish the reservoir and reconstruct it, which would have led to the cutting down of 389 trees and the closure of Hanging Gardens for seven years. Following opposition from residents to this plan, a decision was taken to repair the tank in phases. Lodha also announced in October 2023 that the Shantivan Gardens would not be used for the construction of the additional water tank, and a site would be finalised after deliberations with residents and feasibility studies by BMC.
Zoru Bhathena, a Mumbai-based environmental activist, said, “We met officials this week for clarity on the felling of trees for the water tank construction. We were assured that the site for the new tank has not been finalised. We have already proposed three alternative sites where the tank can be constructed. The BMC is open to further public deliberations, and next week, we will meet officials from the hydraulics department and revisit these sites with them.
1887
Year Malabar Hill reservoir was built
