Vihar and Tulsi Lakes Overflow inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park
Two of Mumbai's smallest potable water-supplying reservoirs, Vihar Lake and Tulsi Lake, reached 100 percent capacity and began overflowing on Tuesday night following heavy rains inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The overflow from both lakes drains directly into the Mithi River, prompting city administrators to closely monitor water levels to mitigate potential flooding risks in low-lying areas.
Vihar Lake hit its maximum capacity and started spilling over at 9:00 PM on Tuesday, followed by Tulsi Lake at 11:43 PM. Both reservoirs are part of the seven-lake network that supplies drinking water to Mumbai.
Tulsi Lake is the city's smallest reservoir, holding 8,046 million litres. Vihar Lake, the second-smallest with a storage capacity of 27,698 million litres, supplies 90 million litres of water to Mumbai daily. Commissioned in 1860, Vihar is the oldest man-made reservoir in the city.
Because the overflow from these twin reservoirs drains into the Mithi River, which flows through the heart of Mumbai before emptying into the Arabian Sea, civic officials are on high alert.
"The overflow of Vihar Lake goes into the Mithi River. We will now be closely monitoring the situation," Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said on Wednesday.
While there is no immediate cause for alarm, residents in low-lying areas near the Mithi River are advised to remain vigilant. During intense rainfall in August last year, the overflow from Vihar Lake pushed the Mithi River near its dangerous 4.2-metre breach mark, resulting in flooding that inundated areas near the airport lands in Kurla and forced the evacuation of over 350 residents.
Despite the lakes reaching full capacity, the total water stock across Mumbai's seven supply lakes stood at 41.36 percent of 5.98 lakh million litres on Wednesday. Civic chief Ashwini Bhide noted that water cuts currently in place will continue, as the lakes must be fully filled by September to secure the city's water supply until next summer.
