Vihar lake

view-Vihar Lake

In June 1845, the acute shortage of water resulted in protests by the local residents due the few thousand wells feeding the population of Mumbai tending to go dry during summer. A two man committee was appointed by the British Government to examine the grievances of the agitators and stressed the urgent need to solve the water supply problem of Mumbai. In 1850, Captain Crawford submitted a report favouring the Vihar Scheme for the Mumbai city’s water supply needs. During the governorship of John Lord Elphinstone, the work on the “Vihar Water Works” commenced in January 1856 and completed in 1860. When built, it was considered as the largest lake in Mumbai. It is hemmed between Tulsi Lake and the Powai Lake. It meets only 3 % of the Mumbai city’s water requirement, after filtration at Bhandup where the large water filtration plant is located.
Vihar Lake is located near Vihar village on the Mithi river within the precincts of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in North Mumbai.
The lake and its catchment are protected by Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and Sanjay Gandhi National Park Authority. The Powai-Kanheri hill ranges serve as the catchment area for rain water which feeds the lake.. Higher percentage of khair species has been noted in the catchment area of the lake.
As the lake is situated inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the flora and fauna reported for the park would be relevant to the lake. However, fresh water crocodiles(Mugger) or Marsh crocodiles (Crocodilus palustris) are known to inhabit the lake in sustainable numbers. As it is difficult to sight them in the lake, the park has set up a Crocodile Park to view the reptiles of different sizes.