BMC floats tender to appoint consultant for renewable hybrid energy project at Middle Vaitarna dam
Over five years since the project was conceptualised, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has floated tenders inviting an independent engineer to consult on its ambitious plan to develop a Renewable Hybrid Energy Project at the Middle Vaitarna dam. Slated to be constructed over a period of 2.5 years, the project is set to generate nearly 80 million units (MU) in energy and save Rs 12.6 crore for the civic body annually. According to officials, the project is now garnering momentum with the civic body likely to receive the Stage-II clearances for the diversion of forest lands over the next two weeks.
In what makes BMC the country's first civic authority to take up the cudgels to construct a hybrid energy project, the plan will encompass construction of two facilities–Hydro Power Plant of 20 MW (megawatts) capacity and 6.5 MW Floating Solar Power Plant (FSPV) of 6.5 MW at the Middle Vaitarna Dam. Together, these projects are estimated to generate 78.2 MU (million units) in energy–of which 66.82 MU will be generated by the hydro-electric plant while 11.30 MU energy will be produced through the floating solar plant.
In the initial phase, the plants are estimated to save the civic body Rs 12.6 crore annually. As the project progresses, the BMC has charted plans to increase the capacity of the plant by accommodating more floating solar panels.
While the project is pegged at a cost of Rs 247 crore, senior BMC officials maintained that the civic body will not be investing any capital expense and instead pay a pre-decided levelised tariff of Rs 4.57/kWh for the course of 25 years after commissioning by the contractor. For the record, the tender for the establishment of the plants has been awarded to Vaitarna Solar Hydro Powergenco Pvt Ltd (VSHPPL).
The power generated from the hybrid energy plants is slated to be utilised through an open access route at the Pise pumping station and Panjrapur WTP complex–which together account for nearly 55-60 percent of Mumbai's potable water supply. The BMC will also construct a transmission line spanning over 13 km from the plant site at Middle Vaitarna Dam, which will connect to the power grid of the MSETCL at the Pise Panjrapur complex.
Even as the tender had been awarded in 2022, construction work is yet to commence as the civic body is currently awaiting key clearances from the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF). Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior BMC official said that the approval for the re-diversion of the forest land for the project is in the final leg and likely to be procured over the next 15 days. 'Furthermore, the survey and forest permission activities for the construction of the transmission line are in progress,' said the official.
Amid the project gathering momentum, the civic body on Monday floated a tender to appoint an independent engineer for the development of the project facilities for a period of four years. According to officials, the process of awarding the tender is likely to be concluded by July wherein the agency will be roped in as a project management consultant who will serve as a neutral agency.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
32 minutes ago
- Indian Express
The Train to Kashmir
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off two specially designed Vande Bharat trains between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar on Friday. The inauguration of a direct rail link to the Valley is a historic milestone that is likely to have a far-reaching impact on the development, trade, and tourism of Kashmir, and its closer all-round integration with the rest of the country. A very long journey The first railway line in the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was built by the British in 1897 over a distance of 40-45 km between Jammu and Sialkot in the plains. In 1902 and 1905, a railway line was proposed between Rawalpindi and Srinagar along the course of the Jhelum, which would have connected the Kashmir Valley with the railway network of undivided India. But Maharaja Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir was in favour of a Jammu-Srinagar line via Reasi, and neither project progressed. After Partition, Sialkot went to Pakistan, and Jammu was disconnected from the rail network of India. Until the inauguration of the Pathankot-Jammu line in 1975, the railway station nearest to Jammu and Kashmir was Pathankot in Punjab. In 1983, work began on a railway line between Jammu and Udhampur. This 53-km line was supposed to be completed in five years, but ultimately took 21 years. With work still underway, the central government announced, in 1994, the extension of this line from Udhampur to Srinagar, and onward to Baramulla. This was the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project, which was approved in March 1995 at an estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore. In 2002, the USBRL was declared a national project, and sections of the line became operational over the years that followed. The USBRL is finally complete now —272 km of tracks built at a cost of Rs 43,780 crore, passing through 36 tunnels and over 943 bridges, bringing Katra and Srinagar within 3 hours of each other. An engineering feat The Himalayas are young, and the geologically unstable Shivalik Hills and Pir Panjal mountains lie in the seismically most active Zones IV and V. The terrain is difficult and sees heavy snow in winter, and presented serious challenges in the construction of bridges and tunnels. Among the several firsts of this remarkable achievement of railway engineering are the world's highest railway arch bridge, its arch rising 359 metres above the bed of the Chenab in Reasi district; the first cable-stayed bridge of the Railways on the Anji Khad, also in Reasi district; and the country's longest transport tunnel, 12.77 km long, in Ramban district. Development benefits Two Vande Bharat trains in each direction will cover the distance between Katra and Srinagar in about three hours, halving the time taken by the road journey. The trains will run even in deep winter, providing round-the-year all-weather connectivity to the Valley. The train will be extended soon to Jammu Tawi, which will make it possible to roll into Srinagar directly from almost anywhere in the country. The potential of the train in revolutionising tourism in Jammu and Kashmir has been repeatedly stressed. Over time, the USBRL is expected to have a major impact on the economy of the Union Territory, facilitating hassle-free transport of goods such as apples, dry fruits, pashmina shawls, handicrafts etc., to other parts of the country in the shortest possible time and at lower costs. The cost of transporting items of daily use to the Valley from elsewhere in the country is also expected to go down significantly.
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Uttarakhand CM Dhami directs officials to complete construction works on time
Nainital (Uttarakhand) [India], June 7 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami chaired a high-level review meeting with Kumaon division-level officials in Nainital on Friday. According to an official release, public representatives and senior administrative officers of six districts of Kumaon division--Nainital, Almora, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar--were present in this meeting. The Chief Minister discussed the schemes being run by the Central Government and the State Government in the division. He said that there is a need for public representatives and officers to coordinate with each other and work on the ground by organizing public darbars and chaupals to solve the problems of the people. 'So that even the person standing at the last end benefits from the schemes of the government' He said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, 'contribute to the work going on in the district. Our resolution is to end corruption and for this the number 1064 has been started.' The Chief Minister asked the district officials to 'make a schedule to sit in their office from 10 to 1:00 so that people coming from far away can meet them and put forward their point.' The Chief Minister directed to complete all the construction works in a quality manner within the stipulated time frame. He said that strict action will be taken against the concerned officials if the work is not done as per the standards or there is unnecessary delay. Reviewing the progress of the Jamrani Dam Project in the meeting, the Chief Minister said that the rehabilitation package has been approved and the master planning has been completed. 'The main dam construction work will be started before the monsoon. This project will play an important role in increasing the irrigation capacity for both the states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh' The Chief Minister directed to further speed up the revival efforts of Sukha Tal. He informed that this work is being done by the Drinking Water Department under the Namami Gange Scheme and the work of promotion and beautification of Sukha Tal Lake in Nainital district is in progress at a cost of Rs 2916.00 lakh. Discussing the overall development of Kainchi Dham area, the Chief Minister asked to give priority to the development work of all the necessary facilities there. The Chief Minister said that the work of beautification and illumination is in progress at Shri Kainchi Dham under Manaskhand Mandir Mala at a cost of Rs 2815.68 lakh. He informed about the progress on the master plan for Almora Medical College and said that the budget of Pithoragarh Medical College has been doubled. He said that ensuring the availability of all the state-of-the-art facilities in the border area is the top priority of the government. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reiterated that the Uttarakhand government will not tolerate corruption at any level. The Chief Minister directed to suspend Superintending Engineer Shivam Dwivedi in Kashipur on a complaint by the District Magistrate of Udham Singh Nagar under Jal Jeevan Mission. He also directed the officials to conduct regular public hearings, adopt solution-based work style and immediately resolve the problems of the public at the local level through camps. He also said that the vigilance system is being made more strong and active in the state. 'Now the government will directly and decisively intervene in cases of corruption. If an officer of any level is found guilty, he will be given severe punishment. However, he will also be given a fair hearing and an opportunity to explain.' The Chief Minister said that our priority is to make the 'dreams of the people come true'. Uttarakhand has already become a leader in the country in many areas and now we have to ensure that the state reaches the top position in other areas as well. (ANI)
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Haryana CM announces Rs 145-crore projects including sports complex, rural initiatives
New Delhi [India] June 7 (ANI): Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, on Friday, announced a series of development projects worth crores of rupees for Palwal assembly segment, covering sectors such as sports and education. The projects will also boost civic amenities for the region. Addressing a public meeting in Palwal, the Chief Minister announced that an international-level modern sports complex will be constructed in Palwal. In addition, the local indoor stadium will be upgraded with soundproofing for Rs 55 lakh. According to a release, he also announced Rs 50 crore for the development of basic infrastructure such as parking facilities, rainwater drainage, sewerage systems, and water supply in Sector-21, Transport Nagar. The Chief Minister also announced that 75 roads covering 152 km in the Palwal assembly constituency are currently under warranty and will be repaired by the concerned agencies. In addition, Rs 37.57 crore was sanctioned for repairing eight roads spanning 37.5 km, and Rs 40.18 crore for renovating 26 roads covering a length of 54.5 km. The release mentioned that among other key announcements were Rs 50 lakh for remodelling the Janauli distributors and Rs 13 crore for constructing a VR bridge in five villages. He also announced a 66 KV substation in Mustafabad and a 220 KV substation in the Line Par area of Palwal, subject to land availability. The Chief Minister also announced opening two new schools in Palwal city, following departmental norms and land availability. He announced that a new grain market would be set up outside Palwal city, upon land availability. In Wards 1 to 10, the kutcha streets in residential colonies will be paved. An allocation of Rs 5 crore was announced to construct community centres in villages across the Palwal assembly constituency. The drainage system will be upgraded to address waterlogging issues in Palwal city. A proposal will be submitted to the designated committee to grant sub-tehsil status to Badauli. Other demands will be fulfilled following feasibility assessments. In addition, road construction along the Agra Canal track will be taken up after a feasibility study. Furthermore, he also announced Rs 5 crore for development works in the rural areas of the Palwal assembly constituency. Previously, Nayab Singh Saini also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for seven projects worth Rs 40.39 crore. This included the inauguration of three projects valued at Rs 15.68 crore and the foundation-laying for four projects worth Rs 24.71 crore. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Haryana government is working hand in hand with the central government at a rapid pace to realise the vision of a Developed India - Developed Haryana. He said that the central government, under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, is completing 11 glorious years. Over this period, every Indian has witnessed the rise of a nation proud of its ancient heritage, resilient in the face of present-day challenges, and full of ambitious dreams for the future. He added that during the Congress's 10-year tenure, farmers in the state received only Rs 1,155 crore in crop damage compensation. In contrast, the present government has disbursed Rs 15,145 crore in compensation over the same period. During the Congress era, the poor faced difficulties in accessing medical treatment, but today, the underprivileged benefit from the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Under this scheme, over 20 lakh people have so far received free treatment worth Rs 2,767 crore. He also pointed out that in 10 years, the Congress government built only six medical colleges, while the current government has already established nine colleges, with nine more under construction. Previously, there were only 700 MBBS seats in Haryana; today, there are 2,185 seats. He further stated that in the coming years, Haryana will have 3,485 MBBS seats. (ANI)
