Despite Mumbai facing water cuts during the last three summers and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation demanding water from reserved stock this year, no water supply project has come up in the city in the past nine years. While the Gargai project in Palghar district will take at least four to five years to be completed, the civic body’s ambitious desalination project is in limbo.

According to civic records, the Gargai project first came up for discussion among officials in 2012, and the civic body started making preparations for it six years later. The BMC is yet to get clearance for the project from the environment department. “Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis held a review meeting for the Gargai project. In this meeting, the topic of the clearance of the environment was discussed. We are hoping that we will get all clearance soon,” said Abhijit Bangar.