The long-standing battle by residents for the restoration of DPS Lake in Nerul appears to be nearing a successful conclusion. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has completed the crucial pipe laying work intended to revive the dried-up lake. City engineers have dug a deep trench and installed a 2-foot-wide, 20-meter-long pipe to facilitate the flow of intertidal water into the lake, employing a trial-and-error method to ensure effectiveness. Residents are eagerly awaiting the high tide to see the water flow from the creek into the lake.

DPS Lake, located next to DPS School in Seawoods, Nerul, is a significant habitat for tens of thousands of flamingos during the migratory bird season from March to November. Unfortunately, the 30-acre lake has been drying up over the past year due to blockages in the intertidal water flow from the creek. This prompted local residents and environmentalists to campaign vigorously to save the lake.

In April, members of citizen groups such as Save Flamingo Save Mangrove and the Navi Mumbai Environmental Preservation Society, alongside engineers from NMMC and the Mangrove Cell Forest Department, conducted a survey of the blocked channels feeding DPS Lake. The survey revealed that all three channels were obstructed, with one channel near the non-functional Nerul Jetty completely buried due to road construction.

Despite appeals from citizen groups to NMMC and CIDCO to unblock the channels, no immediate action was taken. However, last week, BJP MLA Ganesh Naik, accompanied by city engineers, local police, and BJP General Secretary Netra Shirke, visited the site along with numerous residents from Seawoods, Nerul, NRI Complex, and Belapur Village. Naik issued an ultimatum, threatening stern action unless the barriers were removed to restore the intertidal water flow.

On Saturday, May 26th, the digging work commenced, followed by the pipe laying on Monday, May 27th. Active community members, including Jayant Hudar, Amit Madhvi, Rekha Sankhla, Virendra Gandhi, Sandeep Sarin, Ramlal Bajaj, Joshi Saheb, and Bandare Saheb of Belapur Village, along with residents from NRI Complex, Seawoods, and Belapur, remain vigilant. They are hopeful for the lake's revival but continue to press for the restoration of all three water channels to ensure the lake's sustainability.